COMMENTS
The Great Refiner is watching to see how the precious metal of your character reflects His image. Or, in plain language, in every trial He watches to see what influences control our actions, whether they be influences of present advantage, or worldly policy, or personal friendship, or earthly loves—of husband, or wife, or children, or love of ease, or love of peace at any cost; or whether, on the other hand, we are controlled by the naked principles of truth and righteousness; and whether we will defend these principles with zeal and energy at any cost of labor or suffering, or both, and so fight the good fight of faith to the bitter end—even unto death.
The two appearances of our Lord, His first and second advents, have been periods of great trial upon the people of God. These periods of presence have tested crucially the heart attitude of every fleshly and every spiritual Israelite. The severest ordeals have come upon them during these periods, in order that their heart condition might be manifested, and all of these tests have been under the superintendence of our Lord. In the Parousia it was more a question as to whether one would be manifested as a new creature or not; in the Epiphany it has been more a question whether one was manifested as of the Little Flock or of the Great Company. In both times the characters as well as the teachings have been tested.
Gen. 22:1; Deut. 8:2, 5; Job 1:8—2:10; Dan. 12:10; Jas. 1:2, 3, 12; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7; Heb. 12:1-14; Joel 2:11; Rev. 6:17.
