“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.”
Malachi 3:3 (NKJV)
“I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
Zechariah 13:8-9 (NKJV)
“The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.”
Psalm 12:6 (NKJV)
A silversmith holds a piece of silver over the middle of the fire where the flames are the most hot. This burns away all impurities. He has to keep his eye on the silver the entire time it is in the fire. If the silver is left in the fire too long it will be destroyed. The silversmith knows when the silver is fully refined when he can see his image reflected in the silver.
In the same manner, God keeps His eye on us while we are in the fire of trials and affliction. He allows the fire to burn away our impurities until He can see His reflection in us. He makes sure we are not destroyed. May God refine us as silver until we reflect His image!
“Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.
You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs.
You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.”
Psalm 66:8-12 (NKJV)