Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."?

Question

What does this protray to you?

Astarfi you recieved the same email as me then.

Answer 1

I received the email below, concerning that verse:

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study group, and they wondered
what
this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and
get
back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch
him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest
beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire
and
let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to
hold the
silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to
burn
away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she
thought
again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier
of
silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit
there
in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the
silver,
but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in
the
fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would
be
destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How
do
you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and
answered,
"Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it"

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has
his eye
on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Answer 2

When the Holy Spirit comes in after Salvation, He begins a purifying and refining process in you to purge out the old man. As you read the Bible your words and your mind change, because what God begins in you He is more than able to finish. And the Holy Spirit will take you up in the rapture or the resurrection. You'll be like Jesus.

Answer 3

My Malachi (Hebrew from the Tanakh) says

"And he shall sit refining and purifying silver, and he shall purify the children of Levi. And he shall purge them as gold and as silver, and they shall be offering up an offering to the Lord with righteousness."

In previous verses they are speaking about the angel of the covenant coming: hence I take this verse to mean that the angel will "free himself from all his affairs to be like a refiner, who refines and purifies silver" as Rashi says.

Answer 4

I read the passages before and after to get the context. I would say that this means two things. One, God refines us by telling us we must free ourselves of sinful behavior and helps us to do that. His help however may be in the area of allowing us to experience difficulties. And two: As the refining process is done, more and more of God will show through us. In otherwords through our obedience to his word, we are taken from being raw ore to being pure silver.

Answer 5

that we will be brought thru fire (trials, troubles, struggles) and God will be there to watch and help us thru them... until we are purified...

when silver is purified, it is held in the fire and watched by the purifier .. never left alone... until the purifier sees a reflection of Himself in the silver... we are just being made more like God, the more struggles we come thru standing on Faith alone sometimes, we become more of a reflection of Jesus

Answer 6

When a silversmith is purifying his silver, he holds it in the fire until he can see himself in the silver. Likewise, God holds US in tribulations until He sees Himself in us.

Answer 7

It means someone will be sitting down with silver and silver ore and he'll get pure silver from it.

Answer 8

This means that the more you are attune to the Word, and live by it, you are being purified, and made more holy.

Answer 9

I love the story "Astrafi" quoted - I think that sums it up very well.