Rejected Silver, part I
This new season of life is granting me time and energy to explore the riches of the Old Testament anew. In recent weeks, I’ve restarted an exploration of the precious prophetic book of Jeremiah. Already, I am learning much of my God who makes and keeps promises. I am overwhelmed by His faithfulness, displayed all the more magnificently because of the faithlessness of His people. In the days ahead, I intend to use this little corner on the internet to share some of the ways that Jeremiah is ministering to me. May God, in His grace, use a word or two of mine to also permit Jeremiah to minister to you.
My pre-read of the first portion of Jeremiah brought me to my knees at chapters 6 and 7. As a result, I feel this is good place to start this little series. After all, I am starting my study from a place of brokenness. I must trust God to restore and rebuild. Seems like what Jeremiah did.
My learnings here are not merely academic, nor are they particularly pleasant. In fact, the things I am learning, I am also ‘feeling’ and ‘experiencing’. And I praise God for this. Theology that is just in our heads and not in our hearts is not fruitful.
Let me begin with a simple refrain from Wisdom literature.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
-Proverbs 27:21
Metallurgical terms are employed here, and this verse describes the testing of a man’s character as being similar to proving out that which is enduring and valuable. The proverb says that the purity is praised, or conversely, the dross of a person’s life would be criticized. The assumption that might be easy to make is that Solomon was talking about the praise of man. So, based on either the affirming or harsh words, one could assess their character and worth. But, a closer look at Scripture reveals to us that man’s praise is so often errant.
Man praises what God calls evil.
Man fails to praise what God calls good.
Man improperly seeks the praise and approval of man.
A better interpretation here is that the praise that tests a man is that which God utters. The approval of God. Before we can exhale a sigh of relief that we work for the praise of God rather than the praises of man as we are tested, a serious examination of logic and Scripture is required.
We need to remember that God judges based on the heart, not based on outward experiences (I Samuel 16:6-8). Before celebrating the fact that God judges justly, not based on external appearances, I need to be reminded that the evidence that He finds in my heart is NOT going to be found praiseworthy. Jeremiah establishes this truth as he and his friend Baruch penned the very words of God.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to the fruit of his deeds.
-Jeremiah 17:9-10
Numerous other Scriptures establish this truth that our sinful hearts, known by each member of the Holy Trinity, will result in scathing indictments and a conviction of guilt, not in praise. This is true of us not only as individuals, but also corporately. The book of Jeremiah dealt with the sinful heart condition of God’s convenant people. These actions, words, and the condition of their hearts were also tested in the crucible.
More on the testing and the crucible in my next post…