Gold Mines of Heaven!

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

Revelation 3:18-19

You can hear and see the advertisements encouraging you to buy gold anytime of the day or night. Gold is being promoted as the only investment that “has never been worth nothing.” Truthfully, the price of gold does fluctuate greatly at times, but the buying power of an ounce of gold has pretty much stayed the same for many years. Some financial advisors would tell you that if you want to become rich you should buy gold!

In Revelation 3 God tells you what to buy so you can become rich. He says that you should buy “gold refined in the fire.” I don’t think I am assuming too much to say that this recommendation is not talking about the yellow metal that can be dug from the ground. I believe the “gold” mentioned in this verse is the precious truth of God that is hidden in the gold mines of heaven. When you buy this gold be sure that it has been through the fire so that nothing but God’s truth remains!

There are many people who find a golden nugget of truth and mix it with a whole bucket of falsehood. Then the fires of suffering and even persecution come to burn away everything except the gold!

The riches of this earth bring with them many troubles as well, but it is not the same as the riches of heaven. Earthly riches pull your heart toward this world and the things of this world. Heavenly wealth pulls your heart toward heaven and the things of heaven.

It is certainly an oversimplification to say that suffering is for the purpose of purging your life of the dross. But that is certainly a part of the process of affliction.

The advice of Revelation 3 is to buy gold that has already been through the fire. Be careful, very careful about accepting something as true. Check to see if it has passed the test of going through the fire. If it has you may avoid that bit of suffering.

The Bible assures us that for every believer there will still be plenty of suffering!