{"id":2839,"date":"2018-12-20T15:39:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T14:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.manual4life.org\/en\/?p=2839"},"modified":"2019-09-13T09:18:38","modified_gmt":"2019-09-13T08:18:38","slug":"pure-silver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/delevensschool.org\/en\/pure-silver\/","title":{"rendered":"Pure silver"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Silver<\/strong> is spoken of in 195 texts in the Bible.
\nWhat is usually meant is the metal, used in the construction of the tabernacle and the temple, or as a monetary value.
\nSilver is also occasionally used as a symbol<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In order to understand the meaning of silver as a symbol, it is interesting to know how silver is obtained.<\/p>\n

Extracting silver:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Silver is found in silver mines and as a by-product of digging for gold, copper, zinc and lead.
\nAccording to Wikipedia it appears from excavations that silver was already being extracted from lead on islands in the Aegean Sea and Anatolia in 4,000-3,500 B.C.<\/p>\n

In this study it is supposed that this was also the method in Bible times, i.e. that silver was obtained as a by-product of lead mining.<\/p>\n

When lead is extracted 1 part of silver is extracted for 40 parts of lead.
\nIn order to separate the silver from the lead the rough lead is heated above the temperature at which silver melts (962\u00b0C).
\nWhen the liquid metal then cools slowly, the silver solidifies first and it floats as a crust above the liquid lead, which solidifies at the much lower temperature of 327\u00b0C.
\nThe crust of silver is skimmed off, melted once again, and poured into bars in order to be traded.<\/p>\n

However, this rough silver still contains some small particles of lead that have to be removed if pure silver is to be left over.<\/p>\n

Purification of silver:<\/span><\/h3>\n

In order to purify the rough silver it is melted again in a melting pot on a fire.
\nMelting and purifying silver is a precise little job that requires the silversmith\u2019s full attention.
\nHe will sit beside it to observe carefully that the temperature does not climb too high, as a result of which the silver would burn because of the heat.
\nHe must also ensure that the silver remains hot enough, to prevent it from solidifying too soon and little lead particles, which make the silver brittle, from remaining.<\/p>\n

The silversmith strews borax powder on the molten silver in order to remove any lead that is still present. This powder melts into a glass-like mass.
\nAny lead that is still present is dissolved in this, as a result of which the glass-like borax changes into dirty foam that floats on the surface and can be skimmed off by the smelter of the liquid silver.<\/p>\n

He then adds borax once again, stirring it through the molten silver and skimming the dirty foam off once again.
\nHe continues doing this until he sees his face mirrored in the molten silver<\/strong>.
\nHe then knows that the silver is pure and he can pour it into a mould.<\/p>\n

Silver in the Bible:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Melting and purifying silver as a symbol in the Bible.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Word as pure silver.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified<\/strong> in a crucible, like gold refined seven times<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 (Psalm 12:6)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It seems a little strange that the words of God are purified in a crucible in the earth.
\nThe Words God speaks are not contaminated. His Word is like pure silver by nature.<\/p>\n

The Psalmist apparently sees the Word of God as words from heaven, from the spiritual world, which are meant for the earth.
\nHe compares the purity of the Word of God<\/strong>, the Bible, to silver that is refined in the crucible and has been put through the refining procedure seven times.<\/p>\n

Anyone reading the Bible without prejudice and trying to understand what is written in it, sees mirrored therein the face, the personality of God, just like Jesus mirrors the face, the personality of the Father.
\nHe said:<\/p>\n

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.\u00a0\u00a0 (John 14:9)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And:<\/p>\n

… I always do what pleases him.\u00a0\u00a0 (John 8:29)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The disciple as purified silver:<\/span><\/h3>\n

A disciple is intended to mirror the personality of Jesus Christ in the same way.
\nThis does not simply happen automatically.<\/p>\n

The prophet Malachi prophesied concerning the coming of Jesus:<\/p>\n

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For he will be like a refiner\u2019s fire or a launderer\u2019s soap.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver<\/strong>;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, …\u00a0\u00a0 (Malachi 3:2-3)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?<\/strong>
\nNatural man is incapable of living in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
\nThat is why He came to the world to bring forgiveness of sins through faith in Him<\/span><\/a>.
\nAs a disciple of Jesus Christ<\/span><\/a> it hereby becomes possible to live in a relationship with God, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit.
\nThis does not happen without a refining process, however, \u2026<\/p>\n

For he will be like a refiner\u2019s fire or a launderer\u2019s soap.<\/strong>
\nJohn the Baptist testified:<\/p>\n

I baptize<\/span><\/a> you with (in)<\/strong> water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with (in)<\/strong> the Holy Spirit and fire.
\n(Luke 3:16)\u00a0 (2 x \u201cin\u201d<\/strong> as the translation of the Greek \u201cen\u201d<\/strong>,<\/span><\/a> the place where the act takes place)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus came to the world so that whoever believes in Him, would live as \u2018silver\u2019, separated from the \u2018lead\u2019, the impurities of the world.<\/p>\n

Anyone living in a relationship with Jesus<\/span><\/a> and entrusting his life to Him, comes like \u2018rough silver\u2019, from the \u2018lead\u2019, floating above the world.
\nA disciple of Jesus Christ lives in<\/strong> the world, but no longer according to the norms<\/strong> of the world, for:<\/p>\n

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!\u00a0\u00a0 (2 Corinthians 5:17)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Every disciple of Jesus Christ will have to undergo a refining process in order to be completely set free from the past.
\nTaken into the household of God<\/span><\/a>, old ideas and habits will have to be unlearned and new ones learned.<\/p>\n

Studying God\u2019s Word, the Bible, together with other disciples of Jesus Christ, will thereby work \u2018like the lye of the bleachers\u2019.
\nThe life and way of thinking of a disciple of Jesus Christ will be purified by the Word, as Jesus said to His disciples:<\/p>\n

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you.\u00a0\u00a0 (John 15:3-4)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Afterwards:
\nHe will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.<\/strong>
\nPurifying silver is a precise little job. The Smelter will sit beside it, on order not to be distracted and to be able to give his full attention to the refining process.<\/p>\n

As the Psalmist writes:<\/p>\n

For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 (Psalm 66:10)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As the rough silver is purified by melting it again in the fire, so will a disciple of Jesus Christ be immersed in the Smelter\u2019s fire, to be purified through the lye of the Word of God.<\/p>\n

Jesus does not simply throw anyone into the fire. He supervises this sanctification process with full attention, so that the \u201csilver\u201d:<\/p>\n