The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.” Ezekiel 22:17-18
The house of Israel had become impure in the sight of God. They used to be like silver, but had become like the dross from silver. Dross signifies the filth, dirt, and worthless stuff that are separated from silver during the washing, melting, and refining of it. Therefore, God’s fire shall once again come upon Israel to refine her from all impurities.
There are four things that will happen in the Refiner’s fire:
1) The fire of God’s wrath will burn fiercely and strongly in the furnace.
2) The different types of metal gathered in it shall be melted by a raging fire. The various material compositions will be dissolved; they will lose all their former shape and strength, and will not be able to stand before the fire. Similarly, sinners will be melted down together by the wrath of God and united in a common overthrow, just as bronze, tin, iron and lead are placed in the same furnace.
3) God will leave them in the furnace. When God brings His own people into the furnace, He sits by them, as the Refiner, to see that they do not stay there any longer than is fitting and needed.
4) The impurities shall be removed and the good metal purified. The unrepentant will be destroyed and the repentant will be reformed into a desirable vessel. When the impurities are taken away from the silver, a vessel of honor will come forth. God will allow us to go through the Refiner’s fire. 1 Peter 1:7 says, “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Our faith is purified when we are “tested by fire.” Although it may not be pleasant for the moment, it is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17). Therefore, let us allow God to place us in the Refiner’s fire to purify us, so that we can be rid of all impurities in our lives and come forth as the desirable vessel for His use (2 Tim. 2:20-21).
The house of Israel had become impure in the sight of God. They used to be like silver, but had become like the dross from silver. Dross signifies the filth, dirt, and worthless stuff that are separated from silver during the washing, melting, and refining of it. Therefore, God’s fire shall once again come upon Israel to refine her from all impurities.
There are four things that will happen in the Refiner’s fire:
1) The fire of God’s wrath will burn fiercely and strongly in the furnace.
2) The different types of metal gathered in it shall be melted by a raging fire. The various material compositions will be dissolved; they will lose all their former shape and strength, and will not be able to stand before the fire. Similarly, sinners will be melted down together by the wrath of God and united in a common overthrow, just as bronze, tin, iron and lead are placed in the same furnace.
3) God will leave them in the furnace. When God brings His own people into the furnace, He sits by them, as the Refiner, to see that they do not stay there any longer than is fitting and needed.
4) The impurities shall be removed and the good metal purified. The unrepentant will be destroyed and the repentant will be reformed into a desirable vessel. When the impurities are taken away from the silver, a vessel of honor will come forth. God will allow us to go through the Refiner’s fire. 1 Peter 1:7 says, “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Our faith is purified when we are “tested by fire.” Although it may not be pleasant for the moment, it is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17). Therefore, let us allow God to place us in the Refiner’s fire to purify us, so that we can be rid of all impurities in our lives and come forth as the desirable vessel for His use (2 Tim. 2:20-21).
No comments:
Post a Comment