Affliction Compared to a Furnace

    AFFLICTION COMPARED TO A FURNACE

    "But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron Furnace"De 4:20; Jer 11:4.

    "And lead in the midst of the Furnace" Eze 22:18.

    A Furnace is either properly, or figuratively.

    1. Properly. (1.) For a place which refiners refine their gold in, Pr 17:3. (2.) A place of torment, such as was that which the three; worthies were put into, who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, Da 3:6-22.

    2. Metaphorically, for heavy and cruel bondage, De 4:20; Jer 11:4. For hell-torments, Mt 13:42. "And shall cast them into a Furnace of fire."

    Note. Afilictions, or sore and cruel trials, are compared to a Furnace.

    PARALLELS.

    I. A Furnace is prepared for gold: "The refining-pot for silver, and the Furnace for gold;" so Afilictions are appointed for the saints, who are compared to gold.

    II. A Furnace refines gold, and makes it much more pure than before: so doth Affliction refine, and make more holy, the hearts and lives of godly Christians: "When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold," Job 23:10.

    III. A Furnace is made sometimes very hot: so Afflictions are sometimes very sore and grievous to the godly. A weak fire will not refine some gold; no more will small trials refine some Christians.

    IV. A Furnace melts the gold, and makes it soft, before it is refined: so Afflictions melt or make the hearts of believers soft: "And I will leave you there, (speaking of the Furnace) and melt you,"Eze 22:20.

    V. A Furnace consumes tin, lead, &c., and also the drossy part of gold: so those Afflictions and. trials God brings upon his people, burn up or consume all loose and hypocritical professors, who are compared to base metal, as tin, lead, &c. And not only so, but also all the filth and corruption of such who are sincere. "Into thy smoke shall they consume," speaking of ungodly ones, Ps 37:20. See Christ a Refiner.

    VI. Some Furnaces denote great torment; it is an amazing thing, to be thrown into a hot fiery Furnace: so some Afflictions and judgments brought upon an ungodly people, are very terrible, when they are in wrath. The wrath of God is to wicked men like a burning and consuming Furnace: "Who can stand before his indignation? or who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire,"Na 1:6. See Furnace, as it respects hell-torments.