When Is the Silver Ready?

I can't believe it! The year has run out, and I didn't post half of what I wanted to. And with the new year, I want to focus on New Testament posts, so this is probably my last Old Testament post for a while. But I wanted to make sure I got in a word or two about Malachi. 

Malachi is one of those short, but sweet little books, but it was important enough that Moroni quoted from the third and fourth chapters when he appeared to Joseph Smith (see Joseph Smith--History 1:36-39). It also was important enough in the Savior's eyes for Him to teach these prophecies to the Nephites after His resurrection (see 3 Nephi 24-25).

The entire book of Malachi deals in one way or another with the priesthood and its associated keys. Chapters one and two consist of a rebuke of the house of Israel, particularly Judah and the Levitical priests and the performance (or non-performance) of their priestly duties.

A Righteous Offering

As Jehovah rejects offerings made during their solemn feasts, because they are not offered in righteousness, He says to them, "Ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi" (Malachi 2:8). In the final two chapters He will teach them how to make the right kind of offering, including a prophetic promise of priesthood keys to be revealed in the latter days. In fact, one difference in Moroni's quotation of chapter four deals with the Priesthood. Moroni said,

"Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (D&C 2:1).

The sons of Levi, who hold the Priesthood, are to be purified and purged as gold and silver, that they may offer an offering in righteousness (Malachi 3:3). The definition of purity excludes any unwanted, extraneous elements. The dross and impurities have to be purged, leaving only one-hundred-percent, pure gold, or one-hundred-percent, pure silver.

Purity involves singleness of purpose. The Lord said it this way: 

"And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

"Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will" (D&C 88:67-68).

Two Elements Required

The answer for this kind of purity is simple, but not easy. It requires two things--heat and time. Silver must get hot enough to burn away the impurities, and maintain such a high heat for a sufficient length of time. You know where I'm going with this, don't you. It's never much fun to be thrown into the refiner's fire, and if you're like me, you might ask, "Why me?" Instead, we can choose to feel grateful, even when it hurts. The Lord said in another passage, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48:10).

Once in the furnace it only requires time. But how much time?

A few years ago I attended a Twelve-Step Recovery conference. I can't remember the name of the speaker, but he made reference to this passage in Malachi. Remember the Savior's role here: "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver" (Malachi 3:3). The Savior sits and watches the metal being refined. 

Our speaker said he once visited Israel and this occupation as a metal watcher still existed. So he was privileged to talk to such a metal watcher. The man said it required a special skill. If you take the metal out of the furnace early, it never has the strength and true character required. If you leave it in too long the metal is ruined. So our speaker asked the metal watcher, "Well, how do you know when to take it out then?" He replied, "That's easy. When I see my face reflected in the shiny metal, I know it's time to come out."

And that's the role of the Savior. He knows when it's enough. In the Book of Mormon we can read about purity and true conversion:

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?" (Alma 5:14).

Only then can He call us His jewels. 

"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him" (Malachi 3:17).