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Firey Trials Will Reveal "What Manner of Man" We Are (Notes)

 I dreamt of this passage and want to study it out as it feels pertinent to the hour in which we live. Yes, it causes a deep quaking in my spirit, and spurs me to God's face in total dependence.

Pasting notes here. Older commentaries often express spiritual truths with great eloquence and wisdom that is sorely lacking in our day.

Is 66:15

See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

2 Th 1:7-8

Barnes Notes: 

This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 

Every man's work shall be made manifest - What every man has built on this foundation shall be seen. Whether he has held truth or error; whether he has had correct views of piety or false; whether what he has done has been what he should have done or not.

For the day - The Day of Judgment. The great Day which shall reveal the secrets of all hearts, and the truth in regard to what every man has done. The event will show what edifices on the true foundation are firmly, and what are weakly built. Perhaps the word "day" here may mean time in general, as we say, "time will show" - and as the Latin adage says, dies docebit; but it is more natural to refer it to the Day of Judgment. Because it shall be revealed by fire - The work, the edifice which shall be built on the true foundation shall be made known amidst the fire of the great Day. The "fire" which is here referred to, is doubtless that which shall attend the consummation of all things - the close of the world. That the world shall be destroyed by fire, and that the solemnities of the Judgment shall be ushered in by a universal conflagration, is fully and frequently revealed. See Isaiah 66:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Peter 3:7, 2 Peter 3:10-11. The burning fires of that Day, Paul says, shall reveal the character of every man's work, as fire sheds light on all around, and discloses the true nature of things.

These words make me tremble because I have been through more than one fire of purification in my life, and the fire does burn. It does a powerful work, and in the end, it is most worth it, and I am thankful to be free of the dross that nothing else would burn away, but I don't look forward to it. I am learning to just say, "God, do as you must. I am in your hands."

Just don't leave me as I am.

It may be observed, however, that many critics suppose this to refer to the fire of persecution, etc. Macknight. Whitby supposes that the apostle refers to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem. Others, as Grotius, Rosenmuller, etc. suppose that the reference is to "time" in general; it shall be declared ere long; it shall be seen whether those things which are built on the true foundation, are true by the test of time, etc. But the most natural interpretation is that which refers it to the Day of Judgment.

And the fire shall try every man's work - It is the property of fire to test the qualities of objects. Thus, gold and silver, so far from being destroyed by fire, are purified from dross.

More to come...........


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