But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. ––Malachi 3:2-3
Have you ever been out hiking and found a rock with gold flecks in it? Pretty exciting, right? But because of the rarity of gold, chances are what you found is fool’s gold. It looks like gold, but it’s not. During a gold rush con artists would “salt” creeks and rivers with tiny amounts of real gold dust, plus generous amounts of fool’s gold. They’d then sell claims to unsuspecting newcomers who hadn’t yet learned to spot real gold when they saw it.
Several rocks, including mineral pyrite and certain types of mica can mimic the appearance of gold. However, pyrite will flake, powder, or crumble when poked with a metal point, whereas gold will gouge or indent like soft lead. And as mentioned in today’s verse, when put under high heat, the impurities of precious metals like gold will separate and be removed, leaving only the precious metal.
The spiritual implications for God’s man are legion. For one, when we are forged in God’s fire and under His hammer—following His Word, submitting to His discipline—and cling to Him during times of intense trials, our true mettle emerges. If you want to know the character of a person, observe them during a crisis. Who runs for the lifeboats before the women and children? Who stays back to make sure others are cared for before considering their own safety?
When we allow earth’s impurities to infiltrate our spirit—the lust of the eyes and flesh—we become like fool’s gold. We will flake and turn to dust under pressure, rather than retaining our shape. When we are tempted to cheat at work, or cut corners on our taxes, what stops us from grabbing the fool’s gold? That’s not a rhetorical question, because we are all subject to the same temptations. No man is above the enemy’s tricks. What to do, then?
Paul’s words to the Hebrews are the answer:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ––Hebrews 4:15-16
Remember the difference between empathy and sympathy? Jesus empathizes because He fully understands and He’s been there—yet did not sin. His way and His word are precious and authentic—like gold. Don’t fall for the enemy’s pyrite—just walk on by.
Father, thank You for giving me the discernment to separate the fool’s gold from the real thing. Help me stay on Your path today!
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https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-fools-gold