PURIFIER OF SILVER

            

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot.  She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver; he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that’s easy, when I see my image in it"

In Psalm 34: 17-20 David says “The righteous cry out and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken  heart  and saves such as have a contrite spirit . Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken". David encountered many difficulties and often cried out to God.

One of the greatest benefits of being righteous is the privilege of crying to God with the assurance that he will hear and deliver you. No one has yet fully appreciated the privilege of being permitted to cry out to God anytime and get his attention. There is no blessing greater than this. What would life be like, if there was no God to cry to in times of trouble.

A lawyer can defend his client against criminal charges but he cannot treat his disease. A doctor can treat his patient’s disease but he cannot defend him in court. There is a limit to what man can do for you but God has a limitless ability. The Lord delivers the righteous out of all their troubles. He can heal any heartbreak and bind up any wound (Ps. 147:3).

The righteous are not immune to pain and sorrow; they also experience heartbreaks. Sometimes they bring trouble on themselves, as did David. Sometimes other people cause their troubles, as Saul often did for David. And sometimes God allows trouble to come their way because he has a purpose to accomplish through their pain. The Lord stays near to those who have a broken heart.

The Lord saves such as have a contrite spirit. When one has a crushed spirit, especially if it crushed because of sin, he can feel deserted and hopeless. Separation from God is a fearful thing. Psalm 51 was written by David after killing Uriah and taking his wife (2 Sam. 12:9). David wrote “Have mercy on me, O God … Do not cast me from your presence... My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

A contrite spirit is a penitent spirit. God sees in broken and contrite heart repentance and a desire to do what is right. Paul told the Corinthians “I am happy… because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended … Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

In Hosea 5: 10-15 we read that Israel had sinned against God. Verses14-15 give God’s judgment and the goal behind it. We read “I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away and no one shall rescue. I will return again to my place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek my face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek me.” God did exactly that.

The goal of God’s judgment against Israel was not destruction but restoration. Instead of arguing with God or resenting His correction, Hosea told the nation to repent. He said “come, let us return to the Lord.He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us that we may live in his presence (Hosea 6:1-2).

Hosea trusted God and saw his loving hand even in correction. Often, a rebellious child will complain that their parents do not love them. Hosea’s attitude was different. He had full confidence in God’s love and power to restore. In his words there is a shadowy prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection. On the cross Jesus was torn and killed, but on the third day he was raised up. Those who trust in him will live in his presence forever.

David says “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Ps. 34:20). It is apparent in scripture that Christians will experience tribulations in their life. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you (1 Peter 4:12). Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

Job is a good example of a righteous man with afflictions. He was healthy, had a large family and lived a comfortable lifestyle. Suddenly and seemingly without cause Job lost everything.  Job chapter 17 paints a vivid picture of one who is broken. Though wrestling with the character of God in light of his circumstances, he knew that God is “His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.” (Job 9:4).

Although Job did not understand why God allowed such suffering, he endured because he knew God has the wisdom to know what is perfect and he has the power to achieve it. At his lowest point, Job discovered that he is safest at the centre of God’s will.  Brokenness allowed him to see God more clearly. He said that “my ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). 

Brokenness is not something we desire, yet often when we look back we discover that those times when we are broken are the times when we have the best encounter with God. In hindsight we can see that those times have given us new insight. we can see that there are good reasons for at least some of the tragedy and pain in life. Perhaps from God’s perspective, there are good reasons for all of them.

God specializes in taking what the adversary intends for evil and turning it into good. Joseph brothers planned to destroy him but God caused everything to work together for good (Gen. 50:19-20). The devil thought that Jesus’ death was his (devil) greatest victory but it was his greatest defeat. Jesus disarmed principalities and powers; He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them (Col. 2:14-15).

God guards all his bones; not one of them is broken (Ps 34:20). While recounting the story of Jesus’ crucifixion John cites this passage from Psalm 34. David here is explaining that while the afflictions of the righteous are many, yet God’s deliverance prevents the righteous from being shattered, from having their bones splinter. They are able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Eph. 6:13).

John sees this fulfilled finally in Jesus Christ “the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two thieves who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs… For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken” (John 19:32-33,36).

Even at the cross, where Jesus feels forsaken by the Father, God does not abandon His Son. He places His hand between His Son and Affliction and says, “No further.” And three days later, Jesus resurrects from the dead. Christ's bones were in themselves breakable, but could not be broken because God had decreed “a bone of him shall not be broken”.

The wrath of God will never fall on the righteous, however they will have tribulations. But they will come out of the troubles victoriously. God says “these are the ones I look on with favor, those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my word (Isa. 66:2). I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly”( Isa. 57:15).

Afflictions may be many in number, strange in nature, heavy in measure; yet God will deliver us out of all. We shall not break into pieces because there stands between us and the affliction a loving Father who will say, “No further”. The ending of the Psalm (vs. 19, 21) show that both the righteous and the wicked experience affliction.  Sooner or later one ends in deliverance while the other ends in destruction.