The Divine Aim in Human Affliction
W. Clarkson Isaiah 48:10, 11 Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction. We infer - I. THAT THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ARE OF GOD'S SENDING. To the unrighteous they wear the aspect of inflictions, but to the servants of God they are chastisements or refining processes; either way, they are regarded as events which come in consequence of, or (at the least) in accordance with, the ordination of God (see Isaiah 45:7; Amos 3:6). Jesus Christ has taught us that the smallest incident cannot happen without Divine permission; much less (as he wishes us to infer)any serious trial to the people of God (Luke 12:6). II. THAT THE DIVINE AIM IS DOUBLY BENEFICENT. 1. Our refinement. "I have refined thee." God refines its by passing us through the furnace of affliction, and he does this not for his advantage - "not for silver " - but for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness (see Hebrews 12:10). By the distresses of the soul the dross of worldliness, of selfishness, of trust in temporal securities or in human alliances, of sensuous indulgence, is purged away, and the pure gold of piety and purity is left. Our heavenly Father resorts to this refining process in one of two cases. (1) When he sees us falling under the power of temptation, and finds our Christian character becoming alloyed with error and evil. (2) When he wants agents of the highest kind for the noblest work on earth or in heaven, and knows that no abundance of privilege will purify and perfect as will the refining discipline of his own hand. It is a real and important feature of the Divine beneficence that in parental chastisement God is seeking: 2. His exaltation in the minds of men. "For mine own sake will I do it: for how should my Name be polluted," etc.? It is to the interest of his creation, in the very highest degree, that God's Name should be exalted, that the glory which is his due should not be paid to another. For: (1) False worship shows a constant tendency to decline in the worthiness of its objects. When men abandon the service of the living God, and "go alter Baal," they pursue a downward course; they go from the high to the less high, from the low to the lower, from the lower to the lowest; until they worship devils. (2) The character of the Deity men adore is always reflected in that of its devotees: as is the god so is the idolater. We have the highest interest in rendering our homage to the righteous Father of all, and any discipline that weans us from any kind of idolatry renders us priceless service. If God regards the well-being of his creation, he cannot give his glory to another. III. THAT WE MUST ACTIVELY CO-OPERATE WITH HIM, OR HIS PURPOSE, WILL BE DEFEATED. (See 2 Corinthians 7:10.) - C. Parallel Verses KJV: Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. WEB: Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.