Malachi 3:2-4

2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. 4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years.

On the day of His coming and appearing, who can stand before Him? The answer is none. All of us will burn before His consuming fire. We are filthy rags before Him, there is nothing that qualifies us to stand upright before Him.

Therefore, during our time on earth, God is like a refiner’s fire and like a clothes detergent who purifies us from all stains of sins and uncleanness. If we do not let him refine us now, then we will not be able to stand before Him in the day of His appearing.

The Refiner patiently sits and waits before the open furnace. He watches the process of purification. He will not under heat or overheat the precious metal. He waits to see all the dross being burnt away. And when He sees His own image clearly reflected on the metal, He knows it is time to remove it from the furnace.

Our Refiner is not an uncaring person who just let us burn for the sake of burning. There is a divine purpose in all His dealings. We can entrust ourselves into His loving hands.

The Refiner targets the sons of Levi. Why? The Levites are in charge of the temple of God. They are to bring before God offering of righteousness. They are a representation of God to the people at large. Therefore, in order for the Levites to truly represent God, they must first be purified thoroughly so that they will bring forth the fruit of righteousness to glorify God before men.

1 Pet 2:9, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.