Beautiful Scars

Malachi 3:1-3

I finished reading Malachi 2. I will get back to that.

I started Malachi 3. The first three verses captured my imagination. These three little verses are bursting at the seems with meaning.

"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

I marvel at our Great King and Wise Father. He set things in motion before the universe even existed. He raised up prophets and told them about what was coming. The day that no one could abide. And He let the prophets in on the Mystery (1 Peter 1:10-12).

God told Isaiah and Malachi about the great John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1 and Malachi 4:5).

John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the prophet whose coming had been prophesied. He was the greatest of them all (Matthew 11:11). But there was Someone else coming. Someone whose coming would leave a mark on this world greater even than the scorched top of Mt. Sinai.

God asks the question. "Who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand the day He appears?" (Malachi 3:2, Joel 2:11)

I pondered this question. (Pause for effect) Who has ever had an encounter with Christ Jesus and walked away unscathed? Who has ever been able to stand before Him and walk away unchanged? After an encounter with Jesus, we walk away either with a broken, healed heart or with a hardened heart. There is no in between (Luke 11:23).

After an encounter with the King of Kings, we are cleansed with a very powerful cleanser and a purifying fire.

How does a silver smith know when the silver is pure and ready to come out of the refining fire? When he can see his reflection in it.

God is AWESOME!