"When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not
destroy the trees thereof by forcing an ax against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt
not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege; only the
trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down;
and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued"
(Deut. 20:19,20).

Many are the beneficial lessons which the Holy Spirit has put before us by means of the
instruction given to Israel. We are familiar with the fact that the things which happened unto them
were our types, and written for our learning. And such is the passage quoted above. Just as, when
God commanded Israel saying, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn," He had
His own servants in mind (as so clearly shown us by the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 9:9-14), so here
may we not see pictured by the "trees good for food," these same servants in another aspect, and
made the objects of the Lord’s particular care?

The children of Israel were admonished against all recklessness and waste in felling standing
timber when they besieged the cities of the land. They were carefully to ascertain the character
of each particular tree before venturing to lift an ax against it. All fruit trees were to be spared,
because they were part of God’s gracious provision for ministering food to His people.

May we not say that God would have us make the same distinction today? There are trees to the
very roots of which the ax must be laid; trees that are either mere cumberers of the ground, or
producing only that which is noxious and poisonous. Such are the present day advocates of human
righteousness as a basis of acceptance with God, or the propagators of wicked teachings that deny
the very foundations of the faith. Soldiers of the Lord of Hosts may be assured of His approval
when they use the ax against these _exposing their fallacies. "Every plant," said the Lord Jesus,
"that My heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up." To oppose fearlessly such evil
teachers and denounce their doctrines and practices is in accord both with the Spirit of the Lord
Jesus and of His apostles. None reproved hypocritical pretensions more scathingly than Christ
Himself. No modern controversialist, with any claim to piety, would be likely to use stronger
words than those of John the Baptist when he sternly arraigned the "generation of vipers" of his
day. Tremendously telling are the denunciations of the apostle Paul, when necessity compelled
him to meet the errors of false teachers, troubling the early Church. John, Peter, and Jude did not
hesitate to decry the antichrists, the purveyors of damnable heresies, and the ungodly men "turning
the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus
Christ," who were creeping in among the saints and seeking to overthrow their most holy faith.

But, be it noted, those so solemnly accused and vigorously combated were not erring saints or
brethren with mistaken views, but they were relentless "enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end
is destruction, whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things." And wherever such are found
today, and are manifestly proven to be such, they should be dealt with in the same way.

But there is grave danger lest the ax be lifted up against another class altogether_the fruit-bearing

trees_whom the Lord has forbidden our judging or condemning. Every fruit tree is the object of
His tender solicitude. Such are truly born of the Spirit, and genuine lovers of our Lord Jesus
Christ. They may at times, in their zeal for God, or their earnest passion for the souls of lost men,
overstep bounds and use methods of which their more conservative or better instructed brethren
disapprove, but they are the Lord’s servants and He has said, "Who art thou that judgeth another
man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth."

The spirit of criticism may lead to very unhappy results, and often one is in danger of finding
himself arrayed against men and movements which God is owning and blessing. The utmost care
is required to distinguish things that differ _that what is of God and what is of Satan may not
come into the same sweeping condemnation. And our Lord Himself has given us the rule whereby
we may make this distinction. He has said, "By their fruits ye shall know them." A corrupt tree
produces corrupt fruit, whereas a good tree brings forth good fruit. In either case, the fruit may
not always be the same in quantity or quality, but it will be either deleterious or "good for food."
Because healthful fruit is sometimes small, or not up to the standard, one does not necessarily
chop down the tree, but rather, wisely uses the pruning knife and purges it that it may bring forth
more and better fruit.

This pruning process is one that all God’s fruit trees have at times to undergo. Often He uses one
servant to correct and help another; but this is accomplished far better by a kindly personal
admonition, or a brotherly effort to instruct, than by unkind criticism and a hard judging spirit.
A beautiful example of this gracious care for one of God’s fruit trees is given us in the Book of
Acts, in the case of Apollos whose earnestness and love for the Scriptures appealed to the hearts
of Priscilla and Aquila, though he was not at all up to the standard of New Testament truth. He
had not got beyond the baptism of John. But this godly couple, instead of exposing his ignorance
to others, or roundly denouncing him as a legalist without true gospel light, take him into their
home, and there in true Christian love expound unto him the way of God more perfectly. What
precious and abiding fruit was the result!

It is to be regretted that the same gracious spirit does not always characterize us when we meet
with, or hear of, those who are manifesting similar devotedness, while ignorant of much that we
may value. How senseless the folly that leads us often to array ourselves against such servants of
Christ, in place of manifesting a godly concern for them. We thoughtlessly lift our axes against
God’s fruit trees and would destroy where we might save. Many a one who is ignorant of such
precious truth is nevertheless bearing fruit in the salvation of souls and the refreshment of the
spirits of believers; while, on the other hand, one may have a very clear intellectual grasp of
divine principles and understand much that is called high truth, who produces very little of this
same blessed fruit.

Oh, beloved brethren, let us keep our axes sharp for the deadly trees of sin and fundamental error
that abound on every side; but shall we not seek grace from God that we may have spiritual
discernment to refrain from damaging in any way trees that are good for food?

Satan and his emissaries can be depended upon to bestow enough abuse on real Christians and true
servants of the Lord Jesus without their fellow servants joining in the same unworthy business.

Let us not forget the words already quoted:"Who art thou that judgeth another man’s servant? To
his own master he standeth or falleth." And the Holy Spirit goes on to say, "Yea, he shall be
holden up; for God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4).

(From Help and Food, Volume 34.)

"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had
married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken
only by Moses? hath He not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was
very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) And the Lord spake
suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle
of the congregation. And they three came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud,
and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.
And He said, Hear now My words:If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make Myself
known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who
is faithful in all Mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in
dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid
to speak against My servant Moses? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and He
departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous,
white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous" (Numbers 12:1-
10).

It is a most serious thing for any one to speak against the Lord’s servant. We may rest assured that
God will deal with it, sooner or later. In the case of Miriam, the divine judgment came down
suddenly and solemnly. It was a grievous wrong_it was positive rebellion_to speak against the
one whom God had so markedly raised up and clothed with a divine commission; and who,
moreover, in the very matter of which they complained, had acted in full consonance with the
counsels of God, and furnished a type of that glorious mystery which was hidden in His eternal
mind, even the union of Christ and the Church.

But in any case, it is a fatal mistake to speak against the very feeblest and humblest of God’s
servants. If the servant does wrong, if he is in error, if he has failed in any thing, the Lord
Himself will deal with him; but let the fellow servants beware how they attempt to take the matter
into their hands, lest they be found like Miriam, meddling to their own hurt.

It is very awful to hear, at times, the way in which people allow themselves to speak and write
about Christ’s servants. True, these latter may give occasion; they may have made mistakes, and
manifested a wrong spirit and temper; but we must confess we feel it to be a very dreadful sin
against Christ to speak evil of His dear servants. Surely, we ought to feel the weight and solemnity
of these words:"Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant?"

May God give us grace to watch against this sore evil Let us see to it that we be not found doing
that which is so offensive to Him, speaking against those who are dear to His heart. There is not
a single one of God’s people in whom we cannot find some good thing, provided only we look
for it in the right way. Let us be occupied only with the good; let us dwell upon that, and seek to
strengthen and develop it in every possible way. And on the other hand, if we have not been able
to discover the good thing in our brother and fellow servant, if our eye has only detected the
crooked thing, if we have not succeeded in finding the vital spark amid the ashes, the precious
gem among the surrounding rubbish, if we have only seen what was of mere nature, then let us,

with a loving and delicate hand, draw the curtain of silence around our brother, or speak of him
only at the throne of grace.

So also when we happen to be in company with those who indulge in the wicked practice of
speaking against the Lord’s people, if we cannot succeed in changing the current of the
conversation, let us rise and leave the place, thus bearing testimony against that which is so hateful
to Christ. Let us never sit by and listen to a backbiter. We may rest assured he is doing the work
of the devil, and inflicting positive injury upon three distinct parties, namely, himself, his hearer,
and the subject of his censorious remarks.

There is something perfectly beautiful in the way in which Moses carries himself in the scene
before us. Truly, he proved himself a meek man, not only in the matter of El-dad and Medad
(Num. 11), but also in the more trying matter of Miriam and Aaron. As to the former, instead of
being jealous of those who were called to share his dignity and responsibility, he rejoiced in their
work, and prayed that all the Lord’s people might taste the same holy privilege; and as to the
latter, instead of cherishing any feeling of resentment against his brother and sister, he was ready
at once to take the place of intercession:"And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech
thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. Let
her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s
womb. And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee" (12:11-
13).

Here Moses breathes the spirit of his Master, and prays for those who had spoken so bitterly
against him. This was victory, the victory of a meek man, the victory of grace. A man who knows
his right place in the presence of God is able to rise above all evil-speaking. He is not troubled
by it, save for those who practice it; he can afford to forgive it; he is not touchy, tenacious, or
self-occupied. He knows that no one can put him lower than he deserves to be; and hence if any
speak against him, he can meekly bow his head and pass on, leaving himself and his cause in the
hands of Him who judgeth righteously, and who will assuredly reward every man according to
his works.

This is true dignity. May we understand it somewhat better, and then we shall not be so ready to
take fire if any one thinks proper to speak disparagingly of us or of our work; in fact, we shall
then be able to lift up our hearts in earnest prayer for them, and thus draw down blessing on them
and on our own souls.

(From Notes on the Book of Numbers. )

Though linked with gentleness, meekness is not simply a person’s outward behavior towards his
fellow-man. It is rather "an inwrought grace of the soul, and the exercises of it are first and
chiefly towards God" (Trench). Whatever the circumstances may be, all is accepted as from Him
without questioning or resisting in any way His hand. The heart is at rest in Him, entirely
submissive to Him. Even the insults and injuries of evil men, or of brethren, are received as
disciplinary measures of God for the purifying of the soul and the cultivating of this Christian
grace. Meekness is the opposite of self-interest and self-assertiveness. As another puts it:"It is
equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self
at all" (Vine).

Now meekness is not weakness, though at times it may appear to be so. Rather is it the fruit of
power, and that the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:23). The Lord Jesus could not be charged
with weakness of character, yet He is the perfect Example of meekness. He could say as none
other, "I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:29), when He sets Himself forth as the Rest for
the weary and as the Teacher of the soul. Also, it is as King that He rides into Jerusalem, "meek,
and sitting upon an ass" (Matt. 21:5). The apostle Paul links this meekness of Christ with might
and power in 2 Corinthians 10. It was by this "meekness and gentleness of Christ" (v. 1) that he
besought the saints, yet bearing at the same time a testimony to them that was "weighty and
powerful" (v. 10).

The proper Christian adornment, according to Peter, is a "meek and quiet spirit." It springs from
the hidden man of the heart, is incorruptible and in the sight of God of great price (1 Peter 3:4).
It is contrasted with what is merely external and corruptible, and is linked with a trust in God
which adorned women of old time who were subject to their husbands. Likewise, the apostle Paul
includes "meekness" in the list of graces that become the elect of God in Colossians 3:12, and
these he exhorts them to put on.

The place which meekness should have in our lives is clearly outlined in various Scriptures. We
shall briefly mention a few references for meditation.

The "spirit of meekness" is to characterize the one who seeks to restore the erring brother (Gal.
6:1).

The "man of God" is to "follow after . . . meekness" (1 Tim. 6:11); he is to show "all meekness
to all men" (Titus 3:2); he is to exhibit the same when seeking to instruct those who oppose (2
Tim. 2:25).

In endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, it should be with "meekness"
(Eph. 4:2). As to the reception of the Word of God, it should likewise be with "meekness" (James
1:21). Then, too, when giving an answer to those who ask us of the reason of our hope,
"meekness" is enjoined upon us (1 Peter 3:15).

The blessings promised to the meek are surely an incentive to the believer. The Psalmist promises,

"The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way" (25:9), and declares
with certainty, "The meek shall eat and be satisfied" (22:26).

Oh, to have the mind of Christ in all our attitudes and ways! May the Lord lead us on to follow
Him in a walk in the Spirit, that we may know more the blessedness of meekness, for His Name’s
sake.

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit
of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Gal. 6:1).

Suppose a person goes wrong and is surprised into what is plainly evil, what then? The Holy Spirit
presses that the spiritual should "restore such an one in the spirit of meekness." This is a very
weighty word indeed. It is the obligation of all in a general way to desire that person’s restoration.
But who are those that the Holy Spirit urges to deal with such a case? "Ye which are spiritual."
Now it does not follow that he who is born of God is spiritual. To "live in the Spirit" is a very
different thing from being "spiritual." A spiritual person not only lives, but walks in the Spirit.
Of course, he has the infirmities of other men, and may at times show his old nature; but in an
obvious way, taken as a whole, through the grace of God, he has learned to judge, not to spare,
self; to detect, especially in himself, departure from the Lord; and to own it frankly and humbly
before God. In consequence of this habitual self-judgment, there will be far greater tenderness in
dealing with sin in others. In cases where the sin is so serious as to make one think that the person
could not be a Christian at all, the spiritual person, knowing more of the subtlety of the flesh as
well as of the grace of God, is able to count upon His goodness and is the very person to deal with
the evil and to restore that soul. You will always find in cases that call for gracious handling, it
is for the spiritual, not those that are the most prone themselves to trip, nor those that are apt to
indulge the flesh and depart from the Lord. These men some might think the most likely to deal
pitifully with such as stumble; but on the contrary, those are called for who walk circumspectly
and in self-judgment, as a general rule, and who are thus kept from slipping through habitual
leaning on a faithful Lord. The very power that preserves them from going astray is what gives
them to understand the grace of God and to use that grace for others. Accordingly these are told
to "restore such an one in the spirit of meekness."

The apostle adds further, "Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." This would justly be
before the mind’s eye of a spiritual man. He has the deepest sense of his own weakness; and hence
would he most readily esteem others better than himself. How is that? Not of course that he who
has made progress in the ways of God is to count a babe’s knowledge greater than his own. Not
that there are not, on the one hand, those who are least esteemed in the Church, and on the other
hand, men of tried and spiritual judgment. Not that we are to suppose all alike wise, strong, and
honorable. This would be not faith, but fanaticism, and contrary to every right thought. In what
sense then are we to esteem "others better than ourselves"? When a soul that is in any measure
spiritual thinks of himself, what he feels is his immense falling short of Christ. He has habitually
before him how greatly he fails, even of that which he desires in his ways before God. But when
he looks at his brother in Christ and sees him as a beloved one of Christ, in full acceptance in, and
the object of, the Father’s tender affections, this draws out both love and self-loathing. Thus, if
grace is at work, what is Christ-like in another saint rises at once before the heart, and what is
unlike Christ in himself. So that it is not a question of striving to cultivate high feelings about
one’s neighbors and to think them what they are not, but really believing what is true about them,
and feeling rightly about ourselves too. If one thinks of what a saint is in Christ and to Christ, and
what he will be through Christ, then one’s heart takes in the wonder of His love, and how much
the Lord makes of him; but when the eye is turned to oneself, all the unworthy ways and feelings

and shortcomings come up in humiliating remembrance. So, in considering "thyself, lest thou also
be tempted," it is not so much looking at what we have been as at what we have to fear and watch
against.

(From Lectures on Galatians.)

The quality of meekness, the eighth in the list of the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22,23, is
closely allied with several other spiritual qualities. In 1 Cor. 4:21 it is joined with love; in 2 Cor.
10:1 with gentleness; in Eph. 4:2 with humility, longsuffering, and love; in Col. 3:12 with
gentleness, humility, longsuffering, love, and peace; in 1 Tim. 6:11 with faith, love, and patience;
in 2 Tim. 2:25 with gentleness and patience; and in Titus 3:2 with gentleness.

Meekness is commonly_both in Scripture and in present day usage_linked with humility. The
Lord Jesus describes himself thus:"I am meek and lowly [or humble] in heart" (Matt. 11:29).
Humility is thinking low thoughts of oneself. It is not, as suggested by some, making ourselves
small when we are great; but rather it is esteeming ourselves small, inasmuch as we truly are
small. J. N. Darby goes even further and suggests that humility is "not thinking of ourselves at
all" (Collected Writings 12:197). This definition effectively deflates the Uriah Keeps who proudly
go about proclaiming their humility. Humility or lowliness, then, is the opposite of pride or having
high thoughts of self.

Meekness, while similar to humility, has more to do with our response and attitude toward God
and man rather than our thoughts about self. Meekness is the attitude which receives reproof or
insult or injury without defending self and without retaliating or avenging the offense. But more
than this, it is an attitude of heart which goes out to the person who may have been the offender
and seeks to draw that person back to the Lord. Meekness is the attitude implicit in the fulfilling
of Matt. 5:44 and Rom. 12:14-20:"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." "Bless
them which persecute you; bless, and curse not. . . . Recompense to no man evil for evil. . . .
Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I
will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."

The meekness of David is seen in his attitude toward Shimei when he cursed and threw stones at
the king (2 Sam. 16:5-13). David took this offense quietly as chastening permitted by the Lord,
and thus left it to the Lord to avenge him. Moses was declared to be a meek man (Num. 12:3),
the only one in Scripture besides Christ so labeled. This quality particularly shone out in the
instance of Miriam’s and Aaron’s complaint against him. It is beautiful to see how he not only left
it to the Lord to vindicate him before his sister and brother, but he also interceded for Miriam,
"Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee" (Num. 12:13), when the Lord smote her with leprosy for
her sin. And the Lord Jesus Himself is no doubt the supreme Example, giving ample illustration
in His life of one who was truly "meek and lowly." For instance, "When He was reviled, [He]
reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that
judgeth righteously" (1 Peter 2:23).

When a Christian is overtaken in a fault, his spiritual brethren are exhorted to restore him in a
spirit of meekness, considering that they are liable to fall into the same, if not a worse sin (Gal.
6:1). It is only the truly meek man or woman who can effectively carry out the instruction in Matt.
18:15:"If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him

alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." In many cases, sadly, the person
offended or trespassed against completely messes up his opportunity to gain his brother by
responding to the offense in an equally offensive and sinful way.

In a similar manner, the servant of the Lord is exhorted to instruct in meekness those who oppose
the truth (2 Tim. 2:25); that is, not using techniques of ridicule, irritation, anger, or threatenings
in trying to convince the opposer.

In Titus 3:2 meekness is linked with speaking evil of no man. This is a guard against merely
putting on a proper front of longsuffering and gentleness when offended, while all the time
inwardly seething, and plotting revenge, and subsequently freely speaking evil of the offender to
all who will listen. The truly meek person will be slow to anger, quick to forgive the offender,
and anxious to seek the spiritual recovery of his brother.

Finally, there is a word to the Christian woman who is seeking to win her husband to the Lord.
"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that if any obey not the word, they
also may, without the word, be won by the conversation [or behavior] of the wives. . . . Whose
adorning … let it be … a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1
Peter 3:1-4). No amount of gospel literature left conspicuously lying around the house, or radio
preaching (with volume turned up), or "chance" meetings between the husband and Christian
acquaintances, or verbal persuasion by the wife will have the effect of drawing the husband to
Christ as will a meek, quiet, loving, loyal, submissive, uncriticizing spirit on the part of the wife.

The Lord grant that the "spirit of meekness" be that which characterizes all of His own.

Oh, patient, spotless One!
Our hearts with meekness train,
To bear Thy yoke, and learn of Thee,
That we may rest obtain.

O fix our earnest gaze
So wholly, Lord, on Thee,
That, with Thy beauty occupied,
We elsewhere none may see.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Prov. 25:11).

Only a word! It was breathed in a whisper,
For the sweet story was tremblingly told,
But in the deep hidden life of the listener
It was embedded like apples of gold.

Fain would we utter "a word fitly spoken,"
We cannot tell what it yet may unfold;
But are our lives like the "pictures of silver,"
Needed to grace the bright apples of gold?

Many around us have heard of the Saviour,
Yet to His love they are lifeless and cold;
Still, as we meet them, we’d joyfully greet them
With His own life-giving apples of gold.

But let our souls be so "filled with the Spirit,"
That we shall neither be bashful nor bold;
Then with a Me that is calm and consistent,
We shall be "framing" our apples of gold.

Though to some friends we can say but a little,
They will believe what their eyes can behold,
And while preserving the pictures of silver,
May we not watch for the apples of gold?

Have we just found in the mine of hid treasure,
Some precious promise that never grows old?
Priceless it is! Might not some fellow-searcher
Welcome it too, as God’s apples of gold?

Oft it may seem we have foolishly wasted
Words that we thought were too good to withhold,
Yet we may find that some mute overhearer
Seized with delight the choice apples of gold!

Lord, we would speak of Thy grace and Thy glory,
More is to tell than has ever been told;
Oh, may our lives be kept blameless and holy-
Pictures of silver for apples of gold!

The first metalworker mentioned in the Bible is Tubal-cain, an artificer of brass (either copper or
bronze, since zinc, a component of brass, was unknown in Bible times) and iron (Gen. 4:22). The
next metal workers mentioned by name are Bezaleel and Aholiab who were to work in gold,
silver, and "brass" and other materials in order to produce the items needed for the tabernacle,
its furnishings, and the priest’s garments (Exod. 31:1-6). Hiram sent a metal-smith from Tyre to
oversee the metalworking for the temple during King Solomon’s reign (2 Chron. 2). Like the
carpenters, the goldsmiths and silversmiths corrupted their art by making idols (Isa. 40:19 and
46:6). However, goldsmiths returned to Jerusalem from captivity and were active in helping repair
the wall (Neh. 3:8,31,32). There is an interesting reference to mining operations in Job 28:2-11.
The only metal workers mentioned by name in the New Testament are Demetrius, a silversmith
of Ephesus, who made silver shrines for Diana (Acts 19:24), and Alexander the coppersmith (2
Tim. 4:14).

Metals and metalworkers are frequently mentioned in a typical or allegorical way in Scripture.
Before citing these references it might be useful to give a brief description of the properties of and
the ancient means of refining the metals mentioned in the Bible, not merely for curiosity but in
order to understand better these passages.

All metals reflect light. Silver is the most reflective and gold second only to silver in this
characteristic. Gold and silver are almost indestructible, although both are wasted by wear and the
latter by corrosion also if in the presence of acid. Gold can be dissolved by only a few substances
and never tarnishes. Silver will not tarnish in pure air, but certain impurities in the air will cause
discoloration. Gold is very soft and is the most malleable (can be hammered into thin sheets) and
the most ductile (can be drawn into fine wires) of all metals. Silver is second only to gold in these
characteristics. Both are heavy metals. Because of these characteristics of brilliance, permanence,
easy manipulation, and solidity plus their scarcity, gold and silver have always been considered
desirable and precious.

Copper is the third most malleable metal. When tin is added, the bronze alloy is harder and
stronger than native copper and more easily cast. Bronze approaches iron in hardness but is less
likely than iron to corrode. Copper is much more chemically active than gold and silver and thus
more likely to tarnish and corrode.

Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Its native strength and hardness are
twice that of gold and it can be alloyed so as to increase its hardness. It is so chemically active that
it is impossible to produce absolutely pure iron. High purity iron is highly lustrous, moderately
malleable and exceedingly ductile.

Gold is always found in the metallic state but is usually mixed with other metals, especially silver
and/or quartz. The gold ore must be ground into a fine powder before the gold can be extracted.
The gold is separated from waste by washing the particles in water. Even after grinding and
washing, the gold is still mixed with silver and base metals. In ancient times this washed gold dust
was melted and purified by heating it along with other substances necessary for the process for

five successive days in clay vessels. In the end all that remained in the vessels was gold from
which almost all traces of the other metals had been removed.

Silver is almost always found chemically combined with other elements. In pre-Roman times the
only method of producing silver in any quantity required the treatment of galena, a silver-lead ore.
If galena is dropped into the fire, the lead will burn away, leaving the silver. The silver can be
purified by heating. The impurities will oxidize and form dross which can be removed, leaving
the silver.

Gold and silver are often used symbolically in Scripture as a standard of value. For example, there
are many references which speak of wisdom as being more valuable than gold or silver. The Word
of God is also spoken of as being better than gold and silver. God is often described as a refiner
of gold or silver and His people as the finished product. His discipline of His people is compared
to the removal of impurities from these two precious metals. Job said, "When He hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold" (23:10). The remnant of Israel will be refined as silver is refined and
tried as gold is tried by being brought through the fire (Zech. 13:9). Peter speaks of our trials
being for the purpose of testing our faith, which is "much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, though it be tried with fire" (1 Peter 1:7). This gains added significance when we
remember that except under extraordinary conditions gold does not perish. God wants our faith
to withstand even extraordinary trials without failing. Gold slowly wears away with use. God
wants our faith to become stronger with time.

Psalm 66:10-12 speaks of God trying His people as silver is tried, but after the affliction, they are
brought out into a "wealthy place." "The Lord trieth [refines] the hearts" (Prov. 17:3). In Isaiah
48:4 Israel is described as having a neck like an iron sinew and a brass brow. (In Scripture iron
and brass are often used metaphorically as indicating extreme hardness. See Lev. 26:19, Deut.
33:25, and Job 40:18.) Therefore, God must refine them in the furnace of affliction in order to
produce something more valuable (Isa. 48:10). A similar thought is expressed in Ezekiel 22:18-22.
The people of Israel had become a mixture of baser metals; therefore, they must be melted in the
furnace. (The "blowing" perhaps refers to the use of bellows to make the fire as hot as possible.)
In the day of His coming, the Lord is going to purge the sons of Levi as silver and gold are
purged, that their praise and worship may be acceptable (Mal. 3:2-4).

Let us review by means of a chart the characteristics of gold and silver and see how these might
pertain to spiritual qualities which the Lord would want to produce in us through trials and
testings:

1. Luster (ability to reflect light)

2. Malleability and ductility (softness,
ease of handling)

3. Resistance to corrosion

4. Weight, solidity