Malachi 3:3 “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
This verse puzzled several ladies that met for a weekly Bible study. They discussed the meaning of the verse and wondered what this said about the nature and character of God. One of the ladies offered to research the refining process of silver and have some additional thoughts at their next Bible study.
Later that week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention the reason for her interest –beyond simple curiosity about the refining process.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat. He explained while refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where flames were the hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says, “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true, that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time.
The man answered that yes, not only must he sit there holding the silver, but he also had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left in the fire a moment too long, 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 can see my image in it. Look closely at the image above. Did you notice the reflection?
Ross