Fire and Soap

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“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.” (Malachi 3: 1-4)

Advent. The anticipation of Christmas. The waiting for when “the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come.”

    For a fabulous rendition of the central parts of this passage, wonderfully recorded, put on your headphones or ear buds, plug them into the computer and hear Emma Kirkby in Handel’s “But who shall abide the day of his coming,” by clicking HERE. (NOTE: WHEN OPENING A LINK, RIGHT-CLICK ON IT AND CLICK ON "OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW." THAT WAY WHEN YOU CLOSE THE SITE TO WHICH YOU LINKED BRIEFLY, YOU WILL REVERT BACK TO THE BLOG) Be sure to wait for Kirkby through the recitative that introduces it.

    The Malachi text is a poignant prophetic voice promising both judgement and mercy. The central images—the refiner’s fire that purifies ore so the pure gold emerges, and the launderer’s soap that washes away all iniquities—resonates with Christians in the Advent season and is central to the gospel story. Linked to the song of Zecharias in Luke 1: 68-79, it makes for a great and hopeful set of texts for the days of waiting. If you still have your headphones on and would like to lean back and listen to Luke 1 (including Zecharias’ song) being read to you in a deep, resonant voice, click HERE.)

    The Malachi and Luke passages formed the bases for the sermon here at Hively Avenue Mennonite this morning. Our new friend, Brenna, titled her sermon Laundry soap and tender mercy.

    It’s the laundry imagery that brings me a smile every time. I imagine the Children of Israel as a young boy who’s been told to stay out of the mud but disobeys and comes in dirty from head to foot . . . again. God is the mother here: “Now you get out of those dirty clothes and get into the tub, young man. I’m going to scrub you until your red as a strawberry. I’ll lather you and wash you ‘til you’re so clean you’ll never want too be dirty again! Just be thankful I don't throw you into the automatic washer with your clothes!”

    The mother, you’ll notice, doesn’t send him packing. That’s mercy, and that’s a fitting image for advent.

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