In The Hands of the Refiner

Text:

“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” 

(Isaiah 43:1, 3a & 7)

 Isaiah’s prophecy illustrates a sudden leap from reproach to consolation. This was very significant. It helped them to understand, that no meritorious work of their own would come in between what Israel was and what they were to be, but that it was God’s free grace which came to meet them.

The punishment of Israel has now lasted quite long enough; and, as God’s love which retreated behind His wrath, now returns with His own prerogatives again. To forgive His chosen people who will bear for Him their Messiah, and the Savior of the whole world.

God would continue to stretch out His arm it against the destructive power of the most hostile of Israel’s enemies, and rescue it from the midst of its greatest of dangers, Israel’s own rebellion and disobedience.

God says “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.” You and I have gone through many a trial, I am sure. We have been persecuted by people, those proud waves that go over us; then there are the temptations of Satan, that enemy who comes in like a flood, and many more. Because of how rapidly they come, how forceful the waves may be, and their overshadowing and overwhelming nature, we now see that there are waves through which we, the people of God, must pass through. Our way lies through these waves to eternal glory.

Even though some of these waves appear to go on forever, they have an end, as waves have, landing upon the shore. We have Jesus Christ as our example and guide, He gives sufficient strength to enable us to swim through them safely. God says these waves will not overtake us, so as to either cause our faith to utterly fail, or to separate us from the love of God. These waves will not destroy us; for though they come straight at us, and upon us, and may greatly affect and distress us, they will not hurt us. God causes them for our advantage. He is with us. Jesus Christ sympathizes with us, comforts and revives us. He teaches and instructs us in our afflictions. He sanctifies us [makes us holy], as well as supports and holds us up under them. Ultimately, He delivers us from them. When it feels like we are being pushed deep under the force of these waves, God’s hand reaches down into the depths, and lifts us up to safety.

God tells us, “When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” What is an affliction?  An affliction is something that causes great suffering and distress due to adversity. Isaiah compares afflictions to fire and flames. Illness, disease, or accidents can cause fear or anxiety by threatening us with great harm, or even death. Because of the fearful expectation or anticipation of God’s wrath upon Israel at times, and because of the nature of the afflictions, Israel found themselves refined just like gold and silver in the refiner’s fire. However, for the Christian, we saints are not consumed by these trials by fire, we lose nothing but our dross; those sinful behaviors along with their principles and proclivities are burned away, and God supports us through it all.

Andre Crouch wrote a song to help us understand what Isaiah is saying to us in today’s Old Testament reading, and it goes like this:

“I’ve had many tears and sorrows, I’ve had questions for tomorrow, there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong. But in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation, that my trials come to only make me strong.

I’ve been to lots of places, I’ve seen millions of faces, there’s been times I felt so all alone. But in my lonely hours, yes, those precious lonely hours, Jesus let me know that I was His own.

Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

I thank God for the mountains, and I thank Him for the valleys, I thank Him for the storms He brought me through. For if I’d never had a problem, I wouldn’t know God could solve them, I’d never know what faith in His Word could do.

Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.”

So, dear friends, the promises of God’s Word are true. It is Good News that God loves you. That He gave His only begotten Son for you. That Jesus took upon Himself our sin, sickness, and shame. That Jesus defeated death and the devil by His death. That He bore the wrath of God on our behalf. That He experienced separation from God on our behalf. He paid the price for our redemption. He made perfect and complete atonement for our sins. He is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the World.

Isaiah was painting a picture of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and holiness. Isaiah was telling Israel that even though they were disobedient and continually rebellious, God was patient and full of mercy toward them. He was compassionate toward Israel because of His divine purpose in sending the Messiah, the Anointed One, who would redeem Israel from their bondage to sin, sickness, death and the devil. The Word became flesh and lived among us. He sent His Messiah to save everyone, not just the Jew, but the Gentile too. His name is Jesus. God created human beings for His glory. However, the glory of humanity became tarnished because of our sin. Now, God’s glory will be seen and experienced by all because of what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ.

This is what Isaiah is saying to us today. He was looking beyond the closest prophetic mountain to Mount Zion, where the Messiah would Rule and Reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the Almighty God!

Amen.