Isaiah 48:10 - The Furnace of Affliction.
Isaiah 48:10 - The Furnace of Affliction.
Isaiah 48:10 (KJV) Behold, I have refined thee, but not with
silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 48:10 (NKJV) Behold, I have refined you, but not as
silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 48:10 (NLT) I have refined you but not in the way silver
is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.
WORD STUDY
Not with silver. Preferably, "after the manner of silver," or
"like silver." Israel was not to be refined with such intense heat as
is needed for the purification of silver, for then she would have
been utterly consumed. Israel was to be corrected only "in measure"
(Jer. 30:11; Hosea 11:9), that is, only to the extent necessary to
consume her filthiness and dross (see Eze. 22:15-22). [SDA Bible
Commentary]
Chosen thee. Or, "proved thee," or "tried thee" (see Mal. 3:2,
3). [SDA Bible Commentary]
COMMENTARY APPLICATION
Comfort thyself, tried believer, with this thought: God saith,
"I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Does not the
word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Yea,
is it not an asbestos armour, against which the heat hath no power?
Let affliction come-God has chosen me. Poverty, thou mayst stride in
at my door, but God is in the house already, and he has chosen me.
Sickness, thou mayst intrude, but I have a balsam ready-God has chosen me.
Whatever befalls me in this vale of tears, I know that he has "chosen"
me. If, believer, thou requirest still greater comfort, remember
that you have the Son of Man with you in the furnace. In that silent
chamber of yours, there sitteth by your side One whom thou hast not
seen, but whom thou lovest; and ofttimes when thou knowest it not, he
makes all thy bed in thy affliction, and smooths thy pillow for thee.
Thou art in poverty; but in that lovely house of thine the Lord of
life and glory is a frequent visitor. He loves to come into these
desolate places, that he may visit thee. Thy friend sticks closely to
thee. Thou canst not see him, but thou mayst feel the pressure of his
hands. Dost thou not hear his voice? Even in the valley of the shadow
of death he says, "Fear not, I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I
am thy God." Remember that noble speech of Caesar: "Fear not, thou
carriest Caesar and all his fortune." Fear not, Christian; Jesus is with
thee. In all thy fiery trials, his presence is both thy comfort and
safety. He will never leave one whom he has chosen for his own. "Fear
not, for I am with thee," is his sure word of promise to his chosen
ones in the "furnace of affliction." Wilt thou not, then, take fast
hold of Christ, and say-
"Through floods and flames, if Jesus lead,
I'll follow where he goes." [Morning and Evening by Charles
H. Spurgeon]
Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God's service
are surprised and disappointed to find themselves, as never before,
confronted by obstacles and beset by trials and perplexities. They pray for
Christlikeness of character, for a fitness for the Lord's work, and they are
placed in circumstances that seem to call forth all the evil of their
nature. Faults are revealed of which they did not even suspect the
existence. Like Israel of old they question, "If God is leading us, why do
all these things come upon us?" {MH 470.2}
It is because God is leading them that these things come upon
them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord's chosen methods of discipline
and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of
men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He
sees that some have powers and susceptibilities which, rightly
directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence
He brings these persons into different positions and varied
circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have
been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to
correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. Often He
permits the fires of affliction to assail them that they may be
purified. {MH 471.1}
The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that
the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to
develop. {MH 471.2}
We grow in our understanding through difficulties, as God opens
to us that which we could not have understood with any other
background or in any other set of circumstances. Our assurance as children
of the Living God is that He is able to bring beauty from ashes and
to give the "oil of joy" for the spirit of mourning (Isa.61:3).
And, in addition, He refines, purifies, proves, and causes to grow in
us something very precious and lasting in our attitudes toward Him
and in our actions to other human beings. As He removed the hedge
protecting Job (or any one of us) he is also able to give us the grace to
come through the onslaught that follows. However, there is much more
than just "coming through," still hanging on to our trust and love of
God. There is a "coming through," with a shinier, more gleaming
sheen on our surface. We have the possibility during the hard time to
have skimmed off more of the specks and scum which are hindering the
more beautiful reality of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and
meekness. [Edith Schaeffer; Time with God SB]
The very trials that task our faith most severely and make it
seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that
we may lay all our burdens at His feet and experience the peace
which He will give us in exchange. {PP 129.2}
If you resist, the fire will burn you and make you hard; if you
submit, the fire will purify you and make you tender. [Chapter by
Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
EXAMPLES & ILLUSTRATIONS
The Potter and the Clay
The potter takes the clay and molds it according to his will. He
kneads it and works it. He tears it apart and presses it together. He
wets it and then dries it. He lets it lie for a while without
touching it. When it is perfectly pliable, he continues the work of
making of it a vessel. He forms it into shape and on the wheel trims
and polishes it. He dries it in the sun and bakes it in the oven.
Thus it becomes a vessel fit for use. So the great Master Worker
desires to mold and fashion us. And as the clay is in the hands of the
potter, so are we to be in His hands. We are not to try to do the work
of the potter. Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by the
Master Worker. {MH 471.3}
The Caged Bird
In the full light of day, and in hearing of the music of other
voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to
teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a
separate and entire melody. But the master covers the cage, and places it
where the bird will listen to the one song he is to sing. In the dark,
he tries and tries again to sing that song until it is learned, and
he breaks forth in perfect melody. Then the bird is brought forth,
and ever after he can sing that song in the light. Thus God deals
with His children. He has a song to teach us, and when we have
learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward.
{MH 472.2}
Helping the Moth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3C4S9-wrHk
It's In The Valleys I Grow: http://llerrah.com/dreams.htm
RELATED THOUGHTS
It is better we should not know our future. If we did, we
should often spoil God's plan for our life. If we could see into
tomorrow and know the troubles it will bring, we might be tempted to seek
some way of avoiding them, while really they are God's way to new
honor and blessing. God's thoughts for us are always thoughts of
love, good, promotion; but sometimes the path to the hilltop lies
through dark valleys or up rough paths. Yet to miss the hard bit of
road is to fail of gaining the lofty height. It is better,
therefore, to walk, not knowing, with God, than it would be to see the way
and choose for ourselves. God's way for us is always better than
our own. [J. R. Miller; Time with God SB]
Recovery is truly a purification process in our lives.
First, we abstain from our drug or relationship and our systems become
clean from the effect of the chemicals or people. The long-term
purification continues as our souls are purged from character defects,
destructive thought patterns, and attitudes that hinder us. Then we clear
up the offenses of the past through our inventory, confession and
making amends.
As we allow God to do the deep inner work of changing us, he
will purify us in our spirits through whatever fire or cleansing
water he feels is necessary. And in his compassion he will not allow
us to be consumed or drowned by his methods of purification.
Instead, he will enable us to experience true freedom from the guilt and
shame of our past. [Barbara Stephens; Recovery Devotional SB]
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