But he knows every detail of what is happening to me; and when he has examined me,
he will pronounce me completely innocent—as pure as solid gold!
Job 23:10 Living Bible
So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead,
even though the going is rough for a while down here.
These trials are only to test your faith,
to see whether or not it is strong and pure.
It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—
and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold;
so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials,
it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.
1 Peter 1:6-7 Living Bible
In I Peter 1:7, Peter uses the work of a goldsmith to illustrate what he’s talking about. You see, mining is only the first step in a process that converts gold into a useful product. To form an object, that gold must be cast into a mold. Now gold doesn’t melt until almost 1900 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point the impurities rise to the surface and are burned off. The smith knows the gold is ready to cast when the surface of the liquid becomes mirrorlike and he can see his face in it. David Walls, Finding God in the Dark, c1993, Victor Books
