THE FURNACE OF LIFE 

I PETER 1:3-9 

          Peter here talking to Christians who because of persecution have been scattered throughout Greece and Italy reminds them in verse 5 that they are being kept by the power of God and that that power would continue to keep them until the promised salvation occurred.  He also states that because they know that deliverance from the cares of this world would come, in spite of their persecution they could still rejoice.  These Christians were enduring hard trials.  They were being chased from place to place and when captured by the Romans they were tortured.  In fact their everyday life was so hard that Peter compares their trials to the suffering of gold being tried in furnace.  Sometimes Christians today feel the same way.  It seems that on every side we are facing trials, temptations and tribulations.  We feel surrounded by flames trying to consume us.  In fact we sometimes feel that life itself is a giant furnace.  However, we must keep in mind that a furnace can be used for several reasons.  The Bible speaks of the furnace being used as a torture chamber.  We know the story of the Hebrew boys who were cast into the furnace because they refused to worship a Babylonian idol.  When used as a vessel of torture I see the furnace as a quick experience; last but a short while, is normally provoked by the enemy and generally has nothing to do with furthering God’s plan for our lives.  In dealing with these experiences we must simply hold on to what we believe, continue obeying the will of God and trust in the deliverance of God.

          But then there are those long term furnace experiences; things, events, problems that just seem like they will not go away.  When we have a number of these problematic experiences going on at the same time or back to back, it begins to feel like life is a furnace.  This is probably the case for Joseph in the Book of Genesis.

GENESIS 37:2-11

          Joseph was a tattle-tail.  He was the favorite of his father and Joseph used that to his advantage. He received special treatment and privileges.  Joseph was arrogant.  He really did think that he was better than or more important than his brothers.  Joseph probably was a spoiled rotten brat and his brother had great dislike for him.  Knowing that they hated him, why would Joseph relay a dream to them telling them that one day they would serve him?  Joseph thought he was special and he was rubbing their faces in it. 

PROVERBS 17:3

          When God looked at Joseph He saw someone with the potential for great service.  But He also saw someone that needed refining, purging and to be molded into a vessel fir for service.  This molding, refining and purging would be done in the furnace of life.

GENESIS 37:12-36 (Tell this)

          Brothers see Joseph coming and plot to kill him.  Reuben, the oldest, says lets just through him in a pit.  He intended to come back later on and get him.  They put Joseph in a pit. (Imagine Joseph’s reaction). While Reuben was gone the other brothers see a caravan of Ishmaelite coming and Judah says let’s sale him.  They sold Joseph into slavery and went back and told their father that they found his bloody coat on the way home.

GENESIS 39:1-6

          Though Joseph is now a slave and cannot go home to his father, things could be worse.  At least his master is a kind man who recognizes that Joseph has favor with God.  Recognizing Joseph’s special abilities, he gave him charge over his house and all his affairs.  Life is looking okay.  It’s not home but it is okay.

GENESIS 39:7-18 (Tell this)

          The master wife starts making eyes at Joseph.  Then one day she invites him into her bed.  Joseph, being a man of God says no.  He respects his master and would not do such a thing.  She kept bothering Joseph and he kept saying no.  One day when she was alone in the house with Joseph She grab him and tried to make him lay with her.  Joseph ran as she pulled his clothes off.  She being mad because of his continual rejection accuses Joseph of trying to rape her.

GENESIS 39:19-20

          Joseph probably thought, surely God will make the truth be known and I will be delivered from prison.  For I have done no wrong.  Imagine his disappointment when he ended up in prison.  We are not told Joseph’s reactions to the events in his life.  But I can imagine that he had a host of emotions including hurt, disappointment, and anger.  Though we are not told that he prayed, I am sure that he did.  What would God say to Joseph at a time like this?

I Tim 6:12; Psalms 34:15

GENESIS 39:21 – 23

          Even in prison God allowed Joseph to be favored.  Though times may be hard, with God on our side things will not be as bad as they could get.

GENESIS 40:1-13, 16-19 (Tell this)

          King’s baker and butler put in prison.  They have dreams that Joseph interprets.

GENESIS 40:14-15

          Knowing that the butler is going to be returned to his position, Joseph begins to feel hopeful that he too will get out.  He asked his friend to speak to the king concerning him.

GENESIS 40:20 – 23

          Joseph was mistreated once again.  Try to imagine the frustration and disappointment he is feeling.  I know that he had to cry out to God just to maintain his sanity and his will to go on.  What would God say?

Psalms 27:10, 2 Cor. 4: 8-12 – Yes the furnace of life is hard.  We do often feel troubled, perplexed, persecuted and cast down.  But Paul what will keep us from becoming distressed, in despair (totally depressed), feeling forsaken and destroyed is our keeping in mind the death of Christ and the great price he paid for us.  His death always reminds us of God’s love for us.  As long as we Christians live, parts of us will be dying in the furnace of live, so that Christ can live in us.  But our dying to self brings the opportunity of eternal life to others.

GENESIS 41:1, 6-16

          It has been two years since the butler was restored to his position.  Finally Joseph is brought before the Pharaoh.  He is no longer arrogant, but rather is a broken man, recognizing that his abilities come from God and looking for an opportunity to better his state in life.  He interprets the Pharaoh’s dream and his interpretation pleases Pharaoh.

GENESIS 41: 37-46

          Joseph is 30 years old when this furnace experience comes to an end.  Now surely God could have delivered him sooner that that.  But He did not.  In our lives as we go through these long furnace experiences, we are certain that God can deliver us.  Our greatest struggle sometimes is with the fact that God does not choose to deliver us when we would like him to do so.  We struggle because we know that he can, but he will not.  We often do not understand this.  We try to hold on as best we can often quoting Romans 8:28 to ourselves (And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.)

What is God’s purpose in all of this?  Joseph may have initially thought that he was being tortured and his life to him must have felt like one long torture chamber.  But God used the furnace of life as a refining pot for Joseph.  He used it to purify Him like a goldsmith would purify gold.

PROVERBS 27:21

          Higher quality of gold and silver come from more difficult refining processes.  The purest gold and sliver must remain in the pot longer and must endure greater temperatures.  Likewise the praise, and complements from other about your character and lifestyle will result from your furnace experiences.

          How Joseph behaves when he finally has contact with his brothers again is recorded in chapters 42-45 in Genesis.

GENESIS 45:1-8, 15

          When Joseph’s brothers came to him they could have found him to be an angry, bitter man who wanted revenge on those who had so badly mistreated him.  But in the furnace of life God had taught him forgiveness, mercy, and how to have power but not abuse it.  God refined his character and molded a man fit for the purpose he had in mind.

EPHESIANS 2:10

          As Christians we are the workmanship of God.  He is forging in each of us the character necessary for his divine calling for us.  How does God do this shaping and molding?  He uses the furnace of life. (Matthew 13:41-43.)