The Refiners Fire

The Refiners Fire


Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

-Malachi 3:1-3


What is a refiner's fire? This is a method of purifying precious metals with intense heat. Impurities rise to the top, where they can be skimmed off and discarded. The way a refiner knows that the process of purification is complete is by looking into the open furnace and checking whether he can see his reflection in the metal. He knows the dross has all burnt away when he can see himself clearly.


As a christian, we are to reflect our maker’s image. Genesis 1:27 says we are made in Christ’s image and likeness. Sin makes us impure though. So we have to go through a purification process to become clean and pure again, to reflect the image of our creator. Another name for this refining work is “sanctification.” It’s the Lord’s continual process of making us holy and wholly set apart for Him. Sometimes the sanctification process involves suffering and trials.


Our God is not a cruel God. He allows the heating and shaping, the abrasive rubs and polishing in our lives, for a reason. They are purifying and smoothing us so we will reflect Him. During the sanctification, we grow. The process will not destroy us, it does not consume us. God uses our suffering, our sinfulness, and our shortcomings to refine us just as a refiner’s fire, so that the dross within our hearts will rise to the surface and can then be removed. 


We are not left to wallow in our sin. God loves us too much for that. So he refines us, he circumcises our hearts to make us blameless so we can stand before Him. He will break the chains of bondage and strongholds in your life and redeem you if you will submit yourself to the process. Although it can be painful to go through the pruning process, it facilitates growth. 


God allowed Daniel to be thrown into the lion’s den. God allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery by his brothers. God will allow us to go through hardships, but like Daniel and Joseph and so many others, God will be there with us and save us. Going through the refiner’s fire is part of God’s redemptive work in our lives. It is not something we have to fear, but something we can welcome from our loving Father.


Zechariah 13:9 – “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, the Lord is my God.”

Isaiah 48:10 – “Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”



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