Sermon Tone Analysis
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The Refiner
Context: Isaiah wrote during the stormy period marking the expansion of the Assyrian empire and the decline of Israel.
Under King Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 b.c.) the Assyrians swept westward into Aram (Syria) and Canaan.
About 733 the kings of Aram and Israel tried to pressure Ahaz king of Judah into joining a coalition against Assyria.
Ahaz chose instead to ask Tiglath-Pileser for help, a decision condemned by Isaiah (see note on 7:1).
Assyria did assist Judah and conquered the northern kingdom in 722–721.
This made Judah even more vulnerable, and in 701 King Sennacherib of Assyria threatened Jerusalem itself (see 36:1 and note).
The godly King Hezekiah prayed earnestly, and Isaiah predicted that God would force the Assyrians to withdraw from the city (37:6–7).
Nevertheless Isaiah warned Judah that her sin would bring captivity at the hands of Babylon.
Israel, the northern kingdom had already been brought into exile
They had been stubborn, had not obeyed the Lord…this judgement had been foretold, and the people were suffering and going to continue to suffer.
But Chapter 48 vrs.
6, points to hope.
That although they had been wicked, although it appeared that they were going to be wiped out by a greater and stronger people..God tells them this..I have refined you.
He says, I have tested you but will not, and have not destroyed you completely.
You have to imagine..not only had it been rough for God’s people..but it was going to get worse.
They would not listen, and ther was great suffering.
and you read in Ezekiel..there is a point where they are brought in Baylon Exile..and they look at themselves like dry bones.
Isaiah warns the people of the judgement that would come..it was a call to repentance.
But even in spite of thier wickedness..in spite of thier sin, God points to a hope, and says “I am a refiner”…I will not destroy you completely.
Isaiah 48-through the end of the book point to this coming savior Jesus.
Even in Ezekiel when they would be in captivity there is still hope.
Even in Malachi, the last prophet of the OT, last book of the OT, we see this same theme of refining.
God not completely destroying.
A refiners fire is different from a forest fire, or an incinerary fire.
A forest fire and an incenerary burn everything.
All is destroyed..a refiners fire is different.
A refiner heats a metal up to remove the impurities in it.
Not to destroy it completely but to reveal that which is of value.
God says I am the refiner…and this perspective should give us insight and chagne the way we look at our present and future suffering.
It teaches us, as God intended to teach them…about Himself..and about suffering.
“Behold”- Pay attention, See, Can you perceive it?
We must look at our affliction through the right lense.
Obviously the people could see the trial, the judgment, and even would see the future suffering and exile..but God tells them to “Behold”.
Look again.
Even thought they are afflicted because of thier own sin..He says keep your eyes on me.
Who Refines Us?
“I have refined you, I have tested you”
To make it through their affliction, God reminds them something about Himself
God is the Refiner: What does this tell us about Him?
God is Intentional
Their affliction was not a surprise to God.
God was not, and is not the author of evil, He was not the author of thier affliction or thier suffering but he was soverign over it, and allowed it..to accomplish his purpose in it.
Job- A righteous man suffers, not because of his sin, but because God chose to allow it to accomplish his purpose.
The devil was the one who caused his suffering, God allowed it..but to accomplish HIs purpose through it.
Joseph- afflicted to accomplish God’s purpose.
David- Afflicted to accomplish his purpose.
There is nothing which happens to you, which does not pass through God’s hand.
God is not the author of evil..but he is soverign and works through it all.
So even in allowing suffering, when the devil intends to destroy you..God will keep you.
Being refined hurts..but it is intentional.
God is intentional.
Even though God wasn’t the author of His suffering…Job knew, that God is still good, and He is still sovereign.
The devil can do nothing which God does not allow.
God has every season, every moment in His hand.
And while we live in this world that is broken, we will suffer.
But God is intentional..and
He can be trusted!
We may not know why He allows it..but we know who! Job never knew why he suffered..but he knew who..and that was enough!
A refining is an intentional process!
It is a purposed process!
Whether your suffering is just from the brokenness of the world like Job, or from your own sin like the Israelites, or trying to live right like David or the Apostles..God is intentional..and
He is working through it.
God is Powerful
Think about it, what were the people afraid of?
What were they concerned about?
Captivity, exile, death…Assyrians, Baylonians.
But for God to be the refiner over their affliction, it also means that He is greater than their affliction.
He uses it to accomplish HIs purpose.
Suffering does not catch God off guard.
Suffering does not undo God’s purpose or remove God’s purpose..it is intended to reveal it!
God is greater than the armies and the peoples..Isaiah is telling them don’t be afraid of them..it is God we should tremble before!
The army can only go as far s God allows.
God already has the seasons of king and lifes in his hand..He is not worried about how great your problem or affliction is.
He is greater.
In every gospel, Luke 8, Matthew 8, Mark 4, John 6..there is this recording of what happens when the disciples are on the boat.
If Jesus is sleeping during the storm..why am I worried?
What we are afraid of, is afraid of Him.
What we are worried about, will have to worry about Him.
Even death, the greatest of satan’s weapons..which had been undefeated…God proves He is more powerful than satan by defeating him with his own weapon.
Defeating death through death..proving he is more powerful than death.
God is powerful.
He is a refiner, and his refining proves that he is more powerful than those things which we are afflicted by.
God is Good
Refining means that for whatever the suffering or affliction or pain was…it was not intended to destroy them!
It is not the end..but if you let it..it can make way for something new.
The refiner is not trying to destroy the metal..though it may look like it.
The key is that He knows right when to take it out, not a moment too long or a moment too soon.
It is easy to destroy…it is harder to refine.
A child can burn something up..but it takes care, and intention to refine.
For God to refine Israel, rather than destroy them..is a mercy.
For God to say, you are a wicked people, but I will not give up on you..I will refine you..I will do what I have to do..even if that means pain for myself..I will do it.
When we make it through suffering..when we come through with God holding us and teaching us..and shaping us…all it does it prove that God is good!!
Because I was so close to death, but I’m still here.
I was so close to losing my mind, but I am still here.
I was so close to Hell but I am still here..and not bitter, but better.
When you refine something, you know whats crazy, it looks better coming out than it did when it went in.
God is so good, that not only does he bring us through suffering, and pain, and sickness, and loss…we don’t look what we came through.
We look better.
Moses burning bush
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