WILL YOU BE A PRECIOUS METAL?

When we think of precious metals, we immediately think of gold or silver, and that the value of these metals rises with their purity.

By contrast, lead is a very soft metal that was once used in pipework, paints and petrol, but now is used mainly for lead-acid batteries.

God speaks to Jeremiah, the prophet, and says this:

“I have made you a tester of metals and my people the ore, that you may observe and test their ways. They are all hardened rebels, going about to slander. They are bronze and iron; they all act corruptly. The bellows blow fiercely to burn away the lead with fire, but the refining goes on in vain; the wicked are not purged out. They are called rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.” (Jeremiah 6:27 – 30)

What was the point God was making to Jeremiah? God likens stiff-necked Israel to bronze and iron; a very strong metal used for building works, but in terms of value, nowhere near as great as silver.

In Bible times, lead was added to the ore in the refining process. When the crucible was heated, the lead oxidised and acted as a flux to assist removal of any unwanted alloys. God was explaining to Jeremiah that a noble, pure metal like silver can only be achieved with the addition of the soft lead that helps to remove impurities as the ore goes through the refining process.

Today, as a disciple of God, you may travel through fierce fires of affliction, but ensuring we have a soft heart through these difficult times will ultimately determine whether wrong and harmful attitudes are purged away, and we achieve the greatest value before God.