The Coming Baptism of the Refiner’s Fire

The nation of Israel, hereinafter referred simply as Israel (which we will define its true meaning in the next post), is currently living within the ‘parallel’ prophetic settings and timelines of Ezekiel and the prophets.

Ezekiel 22:17-22
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are the dross of silver. Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because all of you have become dross, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into the furnace to blow fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger and in My wrath and I will lay you there and melt you. I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted in the midst of it. As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out My wrath on you.’”

Now that we have understood the distinction between the wrath of chastisement and the wrath of judgment in my previous post “There is Wrath of God and There is Wrath of God“, let us now look at the coming baptism of the Refiner’s fire.

What will happen to Israel in the last days is a judgment of God to chastise (or discipline) them for their unfaithfulness, and bring them to remember (and acknowledge) the words of Yehovah concerning His Son as their Messiah whom the Law and Prophets had spoken.

Just like it was 2500 years ago, Israel is dross to God today (c.f. Ezekiel 22:1-21, 23-29), and God is intent on removing the dross (impurities or wickedness) of this people group by His wrath of chastisement. God will gather them in Jerusalem and blow on them with the fire of His chastisement, such that they will be melted in the midst of it, like silver is melted in a furnace, until they recognise that it is God who poured out His wrath on them, and, as a result, recognise Jesus as His chosen Messiah who can sanctify them from their unrighteousness, deliver them from the “captivity” of the abomination of desolation, and provide them a safe refuge in the temple of His body (John 2:19-22).

Ezekiel 15:6-8
“Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I set My face against them. Though they have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’ ” declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 33:29
“Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed.”

Just as the wrath of God’s chastisement fell upon Israel for their unfaithfulness, and “unclean” nations were used by God to remind Israel that He is the Yehovah who had done it, so the wrath of God’s chastisement will be executed on Israel through the abomination of desolation during the days of the great tribulation as prophesied by Jesus, Daniel, and John on account of Israel’s unfaithfulness towards God and His Son, who is the very foundation of the covenant of God with Abraham.

However, restoration will come when Israel put their faith and faithfulness in the Messiah whom they have rejected – the very same Messiah who is the head of the glorious, all-subduing church that is doing the same works that their Messiah did 2000 years ago, and even greater works in the face of the Anti-Christ. This restoration will not be a restoration of the same old Jewish existence within the same physical borders, but a restoration as the new creation of God – the new chosen race called the one new man who is neither Jewish nor Greek – who spans the earth. This restoration will not take 70 years, but will be immediate in Christ.

Jeremiah 29:11-14
‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

Thus, there is a great earthly purpose and eternal future in causing Israel to “run to the mountains” and “hide on rooftops” when the “abomination of desolation” comes (even though the chastisement will be sorrowful for a three-and-a-half-year moment)! Praise God for His manifold wisdom, sovereign will, and infinite lovingkindness.

1 Peter 4:17
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Yet, before God chastises Israel, let the church be warned; for the chastisement of the Refiner’s fire by Him who baptises with fire will also refine the church of its dross. Indeed, there is coming a disciplining of sons in the household of God, the intention of which is to purify sons into the image and likeness of the Firstborn Son, who is the hope of glory in the church in the present age. In fact, by the ministry of the Spirit who will not fail to be of greater glory, the hope of glory will become the actualisation of glory when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

After the refining, the church will become a model of Christlike obedience and faithfulness towards God, as well as a witness against those who do not obey the gospel of God. Yes, the Perfecter of our faith will do it!

What, then, shall we say concerning the chastisement of God?

Ezekiel 36:21-23
“But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.”

Every chastisement by God, and every restoration thereof, are for the sake of God’s own holy name. Every discipline is for His sons to conform to the holy model of the Firstborn Son so that the Father’s holy name will not be profaned among His creatures. After all, a people of God’s own possession must represent the holiness of God and the holy image of the Son of God accurately so that Their holy name will not be blemished among the nations.

So, the workmanship of the Refiner, and the purpose of the Refiner’s fire, is to purify our image to the holy image and divine purity of Christ. The fiery wrath of the Refiner’s fire will achieve it.

By the empowering grace of the Spirit of God, let the church rise to the holy workmanship of God and the perfect image of Christ who is the Head, for the body of Christ is the strong tower, secure refuge, and glorious light for the nations, including the nation of Israel, who will run into Him and be saved – to the praise of the glory of His grace.

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