Malachi 3:1-3 English Standard Version
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 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 fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
Before we explore the fire and the fuller’s soap, let us point to those being purified. Who are the sons of Levi? Levi was the son of Jacob, then named Israel, that was assigned no portion in the inheritance of land but their portion was God Himself. They became the priest of Israel. What does that mean to us?
1 Peter 2:4-5 English Standard Version
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The priesthood by the law has been surrendered to Jesus our high priest (Hebrews 7:17) and as such He dwells in our hearts by faith, we are His temple and we offer up spiritual sacrifices that are required to be burnt by fire.
Now we can explore the fire and the soap.