(This study was taken from the Bible study The Right To Possess.)
Haggai 2:6-9 – This passage, in particular verse 8, came to my mind one morning while spending time with the Lord. I was then led to the next passages regarding silver and gold and how they relate, figuratively, to God’s people, His own possession.
6 "For thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. [See the Bible study 2020 The Dawning Of The Light for more on the shaking of the Lord.]
7 'I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord of hosts.
8 'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,' declares the Lord of hosts.
9 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace,' declares the Lord of hosts."
NASU
Malachi 3:1-5 – See the note below.
1 "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear 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.
2 "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. [See the Bible study The Appearing And Perfecting.]
3 "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. [See the Bible studies Acceptable Sacrifice and Have Grace.]
4 "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely [see the Bible study Taking The Lord's Name In Vain], and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the Lord of hosts.
NASU
In this passage, the Lord is saying that before He comes to judge that He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them “like gold and silver” so that they may present to the Lord “offerings in righteousness.” It is the refining process of the Holy Spirit, the fiery trials that are used to prepare us, so that the sacrifice of our lives is acceptable before God. This was the issue in Malachi that the Lord had with the priests. They were allowing the people to bring sacrifices that the Lord had clearly told them were unacceptable before Him. They were not teaching the people the difference between that which was holy and that which was profane, holding them to the standard God had given them. It was all a matter of the heart, just as it is today.
Between these two passages, Haggai 2:6-9 and this one, I believe that we, the sons and daughters of God (see 2 Corinthians 6:14-18-7:1 below), the priests of God that will reign on earth (see 1 Peter 2:9 and Exodus 19:6 below, Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6), are being made ready through the Refiner’s fire to be spared in what we are about to experience (see the next passage below from Malachi 3:16-18). God’s mercy always precedes His judgments. The great difficulties that we are about to experience as a nation will pressure us to move in the Lord’s desired direction that we would not move in otherwise. The “gold and silver” sons and daughters that have submitted themselves to the purifying work of the Lord will be saved (see the . It will either be experiencing the fiery trials now that will purify us, or the fiery judgment of God later.
Paul said to the Roman believers;
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual [“rational, logical, reasonable”] service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
(Romans 12:1-2/NASU)
Job 23:10-12
10 "But He knows the way I take; When He has tried [974] me, I shall come forth [3318] as gold.
11 "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
NASU
OT:974 bachan (baw-khan')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate:
KJV - examine, prove, tempt, try (trial).
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) to examine, to try, to prove
a) (Qal)
1) to examine, scrutinize
2) to test, prove, try (used of gold, persons, the heart, a man of God)
b) (Niphal) to be tried, proved
c) (Pual) to make a trial
OT:3318 yatsa' (yaw-tsaw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:
KJV - after, appear, assuredly, bear out, begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart (-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, still, surely, take forth (out), at any time, to [and fro], utter.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to go out, to come out, to exit, to go forth
a) (Qal)
1) to go or to come out or forth, to depart
2) to go forth (to a place)
3) to go forward, to proceed to (or toward something)
4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
5) to come out of
b) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to go or to come out, to bring out, to lead out
2) to bring out of
3) to lead out
4) to deliver
c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth
Zechariah 13:8-9 - Zechariah describes the refining process of the Lord.
8 "It will come about in all the land," Declares the Lord, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it.
9 "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'"
NASU
Proverbs 25:4 - The refining process of the Lord is to produce vessels of honor, "useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there comes out a vessel [3627] for the smith [6884];
NASU
OT:3627 keliy (kel-ee')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):
KJV - armour ([-bearer]), artillery, bag, carriage, furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, whatsoever.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
an article, a vessel, an implement, a utensil
a) an article, an object (general)
b) a utensil, an implement, an apparatus, a vessel
1) an implement (used of hunting or war)
2) an implement (of music)
3) an implement, a tool (of labor)
4) equipment, a yoke (of oxen)
5) utensils, furniture
c) vessel, a receptacle (general)
d) vessels (boats) of paper-reed
OT:6884 tsaraph (tsaw-raf')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively):
KJV - cast, (re-) fine (-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to smelt, to refine, to test
a) (Qal)
1) to smelt, to refine
2) to test
3) to test (and to prove true)
4) a smelter, a refiner, a goldsmith (participle)
b) (Niphal) to be refined
c) (Piel) to be a refiner; a refiner (participle)
Malachi 3:16-18 – Further on in the same chapter of Malachi, the Lord reveals His plan of preparation for His children before His return. He will prepare us through His refining fire so as to be a people made ready that will be spared in the day of His wrath.
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name.
17 "They will be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "on the day that I prepare [6213- “to do, to fashion, to make, to put in order, to press, to squeeze”] My own possession [5459], and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."
18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
NASU
OT:5459 cegullah (seg-ool-law')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up):
KJV - jewel, peculiar (treasure), proper good, special.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
a possession, property
a) valued property, peculiar treasure [see 1 Peter 2:9 below]
b) a treasure
POSSESSION
cegullah [OT:5459] - "possession." Cognates of this word appear in late Aramaic and Akkadian. This word occurs only 8 times.
Cegullah signifies "property" in the special sense of a private possession one personally acquired and carefully preserves. Six times this word is used of Israel as God's personally acquired (elected, delivered from Egyptian bondage, and formed into what He wanted them to be), carefully preserved, and privately possessed people: "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure [NASB, "possession"] unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine" Ex. 19:5 — first occurrence.
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Titus 2:11-14 – Jesus gave Himself as the sacrifice for our sins, “to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds [“works”].”
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem [3084] us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession [4041], zealous for good deeds.
NASU
Titus 2:14
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar [4041] people, zealous of good works.
KJV
Titus 2:14
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people [4041], zealous for good works.
NKJV
NT:3084 lutroo (loo-tro'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:3083 [“something to loose with, i.e. a redemption price (figuratively, atonement”]; to ransom (literally or figuratively):
KJV - redeem.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1. to release on receipt of ransom [See the Bible study Binding and Loosing]
2. to redeem, liberate by payment of ransom
NT:4041 periousios (per-ee-oo'-see-os)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from the present participle feminine of a compound of NT:4012 and NT:1510; being beyond usual, i.e. special (one's own):
KJV - peculiar.
(Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
that which is one's own, belongs to one's possessions: a people selected by God from the other nations for his own possession (Titus 2:14)
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION [4047], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
NASU
NT:4047 peripoiesis (per-ee-poy'-ay-sis)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4046; acquisition (the act or the thing); by extension, preservation:
KJV - obtain (-ing), peculiar, purchased, possession, saving.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. a preserving, preservation (Hebrews 10:39)
2. possession, one's own property (1 Peter 2:9)
3. an obtaining: with a genitive of the thing to be obtained (1 Thess. 5:9)
Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession [4047], to the praise of His glory. [See Jeremiah 13:11]
NASU
Exodus 19:4-6
4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.
5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession [5459- see def. above in Malachi 3:16-18] among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine [Psalm 24:1, 50:12];
6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
NASU
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 – As we hear and obey the call of the Lord to separate from all darkness, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, He promises that He will then welcome us as His sons and daughters. It isn’t through just hearing but also then doing the word of the Lord that we are accepted. This is another conditional promise, dependent upon our response to His offer.
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
17 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
18 "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse [2511] ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting [2005] holiness in the fear of God.
NASU
NT:2511 katharizo (kath-ar-id'-zo)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:2513; to cleanse (literally or figuratively):
KJV - (make) clean (-se), purge, purify.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to make clean, to cleanse
a. from physical stains and dirt: e. g. utensils (Matthew 23:25)
b. in a moral sense
1. to free from the defilement of sin and from faults; to purify from wickedness (2 Cor. 7:1)
2. to free from the guilt of sin, to purify (1 John 1:7)
3. to consecrate by cleansing or purifying (Hebrews 9:22)
2. to pronounce clean in a Levitical sense (Acts 10:15)
NT:2005 epiteleo (ep-ee-tel-eh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1909 and NT:5055; to fulfill further (or completely), i.e. execute; by implication, to terminate, undergo:
KJV - accomplish, do, finish, (make) (perfect), perform (X -ance).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to bring to an end, accomplish, perfect, execute, complete: substantively, to epitelesai (2 Cor. 8:11)
2. to appoint to, impose upon (1 Peter 5:9)
Haggai 2:12-14 – Haggai’s word from the Lord speaks to us today. If we touch that which God says is “unclean,” we will become unclean in His sight. As Paul said above in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, we must repent and “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” so that He may welcome us as His sons and daughters.
12 'If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?'" And the priests answered, "No."
13 Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" And the priests answered, "It will become unclean."
14 Then Haggai said, " 'So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,' declares the Lord, 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.
NASU
Jeremiah 6:27-30 – In the Lord’s rebuke of His people through the prophet He declares that an enemy of theirs will come from the north and be used to chastise them. The Israelites had become “stubbornly rebellious.” They did not respond favorably to the Lord’s refining fire. This caused them to be like rejected silver “because the Lord has rejected them.”
27 "I have made you [an enemy from the north; verse 22-26] an assayer and a tester among My people, That you may know and assay their way."
28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious, going about as a talebearer [“a slanderer”]. They are bronze and iron; They, all of them, are corrupt [“to destroy, to go to ruin, to decay, to pervert”].
29 The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed by the fire; In vain [“emptiness, vanity, falsehood”] the refining goes on, But the wicked are not separated.
30 They call them rejected [3988] silver, Because the Lord has rejected [3988] them.
NASU
OT:3988 ma'ac (maw-as')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear:
KJV - abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe (some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, utterly, vile person.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) to reject, to despise, to refuse
a) (Qal)
1) to reject, to refuse
2) to despise
b) (Niphal) to be rejected
2) (Niphal) to flow, to run
Psalm 66:10-12 – I’m sure that many Christians throughout the age would say that they could have written this.
10 For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
12 You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.
NASU
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