The Fining Pot
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. ~Proverbs 17:3
This morning, we want to consider the refining process or how metals are processed for purification. We want to see how this colorful picture teaches us how God works in our life to make us the best Christian possible for His glory and use.
There is the purpose in refining.
Refining would either be done through the use of a fining pot or a furnace of fire. A fining pot was a large hole in the earth where a fire would be made. A furnace was an oven-type kiln. In either case, both would contain a fire that was very hot for melting down silver or gold into liquid. As the metal becomes a liquid, the impurities, which are called "dross," would float to the top. The artisan or refiner would remove the dross at the right moment and thus produce a metal that would be pure. The metal would be the purest and most precious. This made the metal very valuable. The purpose of refining is to have the most valuable metal possible.
There is the purging in refining.
The refining process is necessary to reveal the impurities in the metal. These impurities need to be identified before the metal could be used for a special purpose or used as currency. Sometimes, the intense heat would burn away some impurities. However in most situations, the dross would float to the top and then it would be extracted at the right moment. The purging can only occur after the metal has been placed in a fining pot or furnace that has been heated to a very high heat.
There is the product in refining.
Refining produces the purest gold and silver. This gold and silver is a very precious commodity for use. It is the best metal for jewelry, ornaments, vessels, or currency. It is a trusted metal. It is a circulated metal. It is the best metal. There is no substitute for refined metal. Without a fiery process for burning and exposing dross, the silver or gold is considered untested and unreliable. The most precious metal is always that which has gone through the fire.
There is the principle in refining.
This process is a picture of how the Lord works in our heart and life in order to produce the best Christian. God has to place us in a furnace of affliction and trial to reveal the impurities beneath the surface. These impurities can only be revealed when there is fire. Once they are revealed, they must be removed. This is how the Lord tries our hearts. The refining process will result in humility, tears, hurt, suffering, and losses. However, the purest Christians are those who have gone through the fire. The strongest Christians are those who have gone through the fire. The most faithful and reliable Christians are those who have gone through the fire. There is no Christian, who is greatly used of God, who has not gone through the fire.
If you are going through a fiery trial, remember that God is allowing this in your life to purge the dross that is polluting your effectiveness for Him. Count it all joy for whatever trial He has allowed. Rejoice that you will come forth as gold. Rejoice that God loves you and is doing something great in you. Spurgeon said, “Fiery trials make golden Christians.”
Have a purified God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalm 126-132