December 27

He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. - Malachi 3:3.

HERE we have a figurative description of the operations of the Saviour’s grace. It refers to fuller’s soap and to the refiner’s fire. The former is used to take stains out of cloth without destroying its texture, as well as giving to it a clearness and freshness of appearance; and the refiner’s fire severs the dross from the ore, and instead of injuring it prepares it for circulation or use. Thus the Lord does with all the subjects of Divine grace, for with all their infirmities there are excellencies, and Divine excellencies, in them, and he will purify and sanctify them.

Observe the persons, “the sons of Levi,” we may consider them literally, for they had sadly degenerated; they had “departed out of the way,” and had “caused many to stumble,” and they had “corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.” Such were they generally when our Saviour made his appearance. Yet we find one of these sons of Levi purified, we find Zacariah righteous before God, “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless;” and there were others who were soon called by Divine grace, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God; for we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that “the word of God increased and the numbers of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

And so those who were called and employed under the evangelical dispensation are held forth by the same terms, “I will take them,” says God, “for priests and for Levites.” Such we may consider then the twelve Apostles, the seventy disciples, Paul, Barnabas, and others, who were deemed faithful and were put into the ministry: and it is of great importance that those who are thus engaged should, like Isaiah, experience this moral purification.

But we are to take it Spiritually also, as intending all the people of God. They are called a “royal priesthood,” they are all said to be not only priests, but “kings unto God.” And here we see their work. They were “to offer an offering in righteousness,” To offer themselves, their prayers, their alms; all these were to be holy offerings, not in pretense but in sincerity; not carnal but Spiritual offerings-“offerings in righteousness” presented by persons in a righteous state, and who were governed and influenced by righteous motives.

So we see that the incarnation of our Saviour regards two classes of men. To the one it is consuming and to the other it is purifying. As to the one it is asked, “Who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?” as to the other he will purify them by his grace, and they. shall be dedicated to his service and to his glory.