The Refiner’s Fire - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Lord know comes to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior will and Sherry Bradley Junior inviting you to stay to another message of God sovereign great and and and and and and and and and and and and I hope you will take time to write us this week about the snow that you listen to the program and if you were requested. I will send you our booklet entitled six things to remember in the time of crisis. There many things that the Lord's people know because they have been taught to save listen to the preaching of his word as they read the Scriptures, but often when unexpected trials take us. We momentarily forget some of the things that we have previously learned so this booklet is designed to help reduce some of the basic concepts to six things that are beneficial to remember and the time of crisis just requested when you write us this week at the Baptist Bible out top 1737, Cincinnati, OH 45217. There is a tendency when people are going through difficult times. Complaint sometimes and life is just not fair. Don't see why it is that other people seem to prosper by without much difficulty matter how I apply myself. I tried to do everything that I'm required to do things just don't seem to turn out right and those complaints are sometimes voiced not just by unbelievers but by Christians lost sight of the fact that their heavenly father cares for them no matter what their immediate circumstances might be in the days of Malachi. The people were very much disappointed in their circumstances that come back from captivity. They were expecting a time of prosperity. They thought that their nation will become strong rather than that they were suffering right difficulties and so not only did they complain complaint against God, and they reached the conclusion that God was ignoring their needs and actually approving of the wicked because it seemed that the wicked prosper while they were suffering. So in our ongoing studies in the book of Malachi we last chapter 2 verse 17. Read that again you have wearied the Lord with your words, yet he say, wherein have we wearied when you say everyone to do with evil is good in the sight of an he delighted in where is the God of judgment. So the people concluded, since God was not judging the wicked and not particularly blessing them that he must approve of their wicked's raising the question then where is the God of judgment. So with thought about three significant points as we looked at that verse. First of all that God was wearied with their words, their words of constant complaint there words of accusation as they challenge the very character of God and then we saw that in fact they were questioning not just their situation, not just the fact that God was delayed according to their understanding and bringing judgment but questioning his character.

His holdings, and then we noted the judgment will come after all, according to God's timetable that we go to chapter 3 began reading in the first verse, behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me in the Lord whom he seeks have suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in the hold he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when here. For he is like a refiner's fire and like a foot or so in a facet as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purge the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord and offering in righteousness then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant under the Lord as in the days of old.

As in the former.

First, we observe here the coming of the Lord.

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way the book of Isaiah chapter 40 we find a specific prophecy concerning this messenger, which obviously is John the Baptist Isaiah chapter 43 of the third verse the voice of him. The cry from the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted in every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord have spoken profit both Isaiah, Malachi, speaking of the fact that God would send a messenger at his appointed time, he would send the messenger preparing the way of the Lord, that we see the fulfillment of the book of Matthew chapter 3 reading the first verse in those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of the prophet is a is saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight his son can be no question but what the prophets of the red in the book of Isaiah concern John the Baptist Matthew now writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us specifically that this was the messenger that was anticipated. There is confirmation of it because all four of the Gospels makes reference to the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Not only is it found in Matthew chapter 3, which would just read is found in Mark chapter 1 of the third verse is found in Luke chapter 3 verses 4 to 6 is found in the Gospel of John chapter 1 so the messenger was sent but then it further says that the Lord himself is coming. Not only this messenger that was sent to prepare the way but he says the Lord, whom he seeks have suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant.

Jesus Christ was the messenger of the covenant, the covenant concerning the salvation of the people reported in all things ensure coming in the fullness of time to accomplish that which was agreed upon the Council chambers of eternity before time began, God had sent many messengers along the way descent Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Michael, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Zachariah, all of these messengers were sent declaring the word of the Lord. And yet for the most part the people were hardhearted, stiff neck, and rejected the message went on their own way worship their items and ultimately had to suffer the consequences of their actions as their nation was carried in captivity but now God is sending John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord a highway for our God. Isaiah says, and now God is coming himself.

Jesus Christ, God in the flesh is coming is going to come suddenly going to come at a time that the people have some leisure maybe given up hope for 400 years elapsed after the prophecy of Malachi until the time that Jesus came and of course a great many of them are so enamored with their religious rites and ceremonies that it was just a formality and honestly they did not have the correct understanding of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, they anticipated that he would come and set up a visible kingdom upon this earth and make them a great nation.

Never thought about them coming in humility than ever thought about him coming to look across to die to save people. Although all that was contained in the promises of the Old Testament they had missed the point until they rejected his message and they hated him and ultimately cried, crucified and crucified. But what an amazing thing that after sending all of the prophets of the Old Testament sending John the Baptist at this time to prepare the way of the Lord and the Lord himself would come would come suddenly to his temple. And Jesus did visit the temple while he was here on this earth came according to the covenant he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts really what we find here is a testimony to the deity of Christ talks about him being the messenger of the covenant talking about the Lord coming John the Baptist as a part of his ministry certainly emphasize that Jesus Christ was indeed the son of God is interesting how many groups who will attest that they believe the Bible yet when it comes to this point of the deity of Jesus Christ. They rejected it was that he was a good man. A great example an outstanding teacher but blatantly deny that he was God. But that's exactly the message of the New Testament that Jesus Christ came as the son of God. John the Baptist said in John chapter 1 verse 34 and I saw, and bare record that this is the son of God. So we have a testimony about this messenger that was sent to the Lord of the appointed time. Who declares when he saw Jesus, he looked upon him and set. This is the son of God, then the baptism of Jesus.

We have further confirmation Matthew chapter 3 reading the 16th verse, and Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water and below the heavens were opened under him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon low voice from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well so is John the Baptist first declares he's the son of God, then God the father speaks from heaven. The voices heard. This is my beloved son in whom I am well please. And then there was a further confirmation when Jesus went up on the mountain with three of his disciples and was transfigured so that his glory became a spectacular thing he could not even bear the site we read Matthew chapter 17 verse five while he yet spake the hold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Here ye him.

I would ask you that question today. Do you hear socialite might have a lot never heard the audible voice of God. God is never spoken to me and we understand but God has spoken to us all through his word. Do you hear something or read the Bible just to defend their position on a particular point. Their argument if they want to win the next discussion had some people read and study the Bible with some degree of pride as they announce how often they have read and how much they have memorized.

What do you hear what he said just a matter of knowing the historical facts connected with Scripture son has been able to quote a few verses do you hear what he said do you hear him today when he calls on you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him by nature. We are selfish human beings we are self-centered we think about ourselves little babies demonstrate that early on that again to cry when they say noticeably.

I want your attention I want.

I want to be careful. I want to be fed time they like to be the focus of all of your interest level. We understand babies need that attention but to get a little older and maybe they have learned.

At least they can't perpetually cry for everything, but they would still become demanding I want what I want I want when I want I want. Like I wanted little older.

They have learned through some discipline that there's some things I just can't say, but Samuel's self human nature is still there. I want to be my own person I want to be independent not wanted by the tell me what to do. I don't think my parents have a full scope of knowledge that they all have little or no things nearly as well as I do, and so I want to be independent not be restrained. I think my life my life is not what it all day because I have to buy these rules that are set up at home and not care for that and what does Jesus say let a man deny himself not focus on himself, not the man I want my way on everything to be done of my timetable.

I want to think about what pleases me.

Do not accept take up your cross, and acceptance. The burden to carry the place to you to selfishness you to those fleshly lusts war against the soul.

You become as Jesus humbled himself, even to the death of the cross you become submissive you read his word, he says, take up your cross and then you pray Lord help me in debating to do exactly that.

I know there's a resistance in my flesh. I'm so determined what my own way helping about help me to put the first 61st the kingdom of God and his righteousness. When he speaks to you the words of Jesus, God the father says here ye him. Oh buddy says I'm under a lot of pressure right now. I just can't give full attention to the site all the more reason to give attention to when you're under pressure you have trouble you have trials you are enduring afflictions.

Here ye him.

It what is messy declares that you are weak and unable to make it on your own. Apostle Paul had learned that through the experience of the thorn in the flesh to learn that I am weak but he is strong. I need him. I need his grace I need him in every detail.

Life's a.m. under a lot of pressure at work right now. I just can't give attention to this all the more reason to give attention to what nonsense to learn what kind of negative you want to have when you go to work makes a big difference, but prison had struggled person is having difficulty at work about balls is a challenge, but you remember when I go to work. I'm going there because I want to serve Jesus Christ change your whole attitude that's exactly what the Scriptures teach us to understand he is the one where service we want to honor him. We do want to do the best job possible. Even if we never appreciate there's no complement bosses overbearing and unreasonable, but I want to serve Jesus Christ and therefore it would give me a different attitude in the workplace, not on on the list could go but I just ask you today, when you hear these words here ye him. Do you hear that only then the words of John the Baptist testified to his deity, but only the voice from heaven at his baptism in the voice from heaven once again on the Mount of Transfiguration, but the words of Jesus. John chapter 10 verse 30.

He says hi and my father are one. How then can you read that expression and denied that Jesus Christ was, so I think it was a good teacher know if if it wasn't God and what he taught was not good and he wasn't a good digit he makes this bold assertion. Hi my father while in the next one of the reasons he was so hated. They accused him of blaspheming and then in John 14 verse nine Jesus saith to him, have I been so long with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip, he that hath seen me hath seen the father and how sayest thou then, show us the father. Mark shows the father is not been with you all this time and you have come to recognize who I am. If you have seen me, you have seen the father says hi and my father are one. So we read that while the people had made the assumption God was unmindful of their circumstances.

God had forgotten all about them. Lord says I want to send my messenger team prepare the way of the Lord and then I'm telling myself I'm coming is the messenger of the company. I'm going to come suddenly to the temple so the promise is made, the Lord is on his way. He didn't give a specific timetable, but he says I'm coming in that the question is raised in verse two who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appears anytime you get a little impatient going to think God is not sending judgment on all of the wicked people around you. Just remember if you stated Lord send judgment if he sends it on you. What kind of shape you can overlook the fact that God was going to deal with them according to their sin, and the fact that they have the boldness to challenge the very character of God is white, so the Lord says come who should be able to buy the Davis coming Wednesday that he says he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver many times in the prophets of the Old Testament. There can be something immediately in view something prophesied in the long term something. Looking forward to the very end. There may be pieces of all of that in this section of Scripture.

It may be that when he talks about the sons of Levi than being able to offer an acceptable sacrifice that there could be a blessing falling upon the Jews before the Lord comes back.

But our purpose here is to see how the passage will apply to us today so we see the work of the refiner, the people's complaint. Where is the judgment of God. They felt that God was withholding his blessings from them, they were not prospering and they charged him with favoring but the work. The messenger of the covenant is described by saying I will be a swift witness against and then he enumerates that list of great centers which we will look at your time, but he was to be a witness against the wicked, so I may save it. God must approve of wickedness because he is not presently injecting it says no when I send my messenger course. John the Baptist came preaching repentance repent for the kingdom of God is at hand in terms of mercy and and then Jesus would be a witness against the workers of iniquity, and indeed he wants. We look at Matthew chapter 23 verse 27 woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites four year like whited sepulcher, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead man's bones, and of all you who are active in your religious endeavors are like to appointment to get what's attractive on the outside. People may come there to pay their respects and departed loved ones and are impressed with the beauty of the two inside what is it that man's bones he says you appear to be righteous because you go through your formalities you go through your ceremonies. You all for your prayers but it's all vain. It's mere words inside your corrupt your empty. You have nothing. So Jesus was indeed a witness against the wicked, but the purpose of his coming at this juncture was to say she is a our text in Malachi chapter 3 declares that when Jesus came into the world he would be a swift witness against workers, but his primary purpose in coming was to say.

Matthew chapter 1 of the 21st verse says I shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. He will come back the second time and bring judgment upon the ungodly. But we bring you today. The good news of the gospel that Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners. I hope you will write and send until next week. At the same time with the Lord richly bless and the Baptist Bible hour is come to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior address all mailed to the Baptist Bible hour Cincinnati, OH 45217. That's the Baptist Bible hour Cincinnati, OH 45217 is the and in the EAA and