Soap and Fire Can Cleanse

O. T. #2352 " Soap and Fire Can Cleanse"

Jan. 4, 2023

Malachi 3-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

There is a time which I can recall, that I got mad at a person, blowing my stack under my breath. Spittin' and spudderin' around.  My attitude was lousy. I allowed another's actions to dominate my attitude. Then the Lord humbled me and showed me that I was the one with the wrong attitude. (Maybe their motives were of love but carried out in the wrong way. Their controlling ways could be controlled by God if I turned it over to Him.) God has a way of putting us in our place, whether it be through physical suffering or mental anguish, or emotional breakdown. He knows how to bring us to repentance and change our heart and mind. In the scheme of things, the situation really did not matter a hill of beans. Everything worked out. Lesson learned: I am to love that person and help them with their controlling weakness. Maybe you have been through a similar situation.

Malachi is referring to the second coming of Christ in the Millennium in verse 2. Two questions are put to the Israelites:

1. Who may abide the day of His coming?

2. Who will stand when He appears?

In the Hebrew language, abide means forebaring; sustain; to keep in; stand refers to continue; worry; sorrow.

If Christ came right now, who of us could endure, remain the same, carry on life as usual? I think we will all fall down before Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and worship Him, as well as repenting of our sins. For we are sinners that would be in the presence of a Holy God. How can we face Him when He appears?

New Living Translation says it this way: For He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 

What will happen?

• Jesus will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. (verse 3)
• He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. 

Refining metals involves heating with fire the raw metal until it melts. The impurities separate from the liquid metal and rises to the surface. They are skimmed off, leaving the pure metal. (That is when the reflection of the worker appears in the smooth pure surface. Without the heating and melting, there is no purifying. When we are refined by trials, we are purified, and it is clearer to those around us that we belong to Jesus. 

Don't we want to be more like Jesus? Even if the process requires being put in the fire, suffering, or loosing things, will be able to give thanks in everything? Testing is never fun, but it for a purpose.

LET IT GROW

Have you ever bleached clothes or linens and discovered something colored got in the mix somehow? Well, the colored item lost its color when bleach hit it. Jesus will cleanse the hearts of sinners in a similar manner. 

The cleansing "lye" was alkali used to whiten cloth. The washing and bleaching of cloth is used here as an additional symbol for the purifying process. 

The Lord first brings judgment, in order to bring blessing. God has to refine and purify His people, removing what does not belong so they can receive His covenantal benefits. He is fire and furry, sacred and beautiful. God disciplines His children for a reason. (Hebrews 12:3-11)

Worldwide terror will come when the wrath of God is poured out on sinners. Those covered in the precious blood of Jesus will survive. (We will be judged upon our works.)

Are you prepared, dear one?

LET IT GO 

He's still working on me, making what I ought to be.

That is grace, mercy, and love.