Anne Bradstreet, born in 1612, was the first woman in America to have her poetry published. Her work captures the reality of life in the New World, reflecting on her Puritan faith, family, and the natural world.
I have refined thee; or, I will refine thee. Although I will not cut thee off, or utterly destroy thee, as I now said; yet I will put thee into the furnace, not to consume thee, but to purify thee from that dross which cleaveth to thee, and needs such afflictions to purge it away. Not with silver; or, not among silver; or, not as silver; which is put into and kept in the furnace so long till all the dross be purged away from it. I will not deal so rigorously with thee, for then I should wholly consume thee; in judgment I will remember mercy. I have chosen thee; or, I will choose thee; or, I will yet choose thee, as it is expressed, Isa. 14:1; Zech. 1:17. Or, I will choose thee again, as Zech. 2:12. For it must be considered that God had in a manner rejected Israel, when he sent them into captivity, and given her a bill of divorce, as he saith, Jer. 3:8; see also Isa. 50:1; and therefore it was necessary that God should choose this people a second time, that they might be betrothed to him again, as is expressed and promised, Hos. 2:19, 20. This seems to me the true sense; although it may be thus understood, I will choose thee, i.e. I will manifest by my carriage to thee that I have chosen thee; or, that thou art my chosen people. Things are oft said to be done when they are manifested, as was observed on ver. 7.
Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 2 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 435.
Helps for the Pulpit, Isaiah 48:10
Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
STUDY
affliction (Lat. tentatio, “trial, temptation”) Elements of temptation or difficulty seen as means by which one’s Christian life may be strengthened in faith and obedience. See also temptation.
Donald K. McKim, The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2014), 6.
AFFLICTIONS—common to all (Job 5:7; 14:1; Ps. 34:19); are for the good of men (James 1:2, 3, 12; 2 Cor. 12:7) and the glory of God (2 Cor. 12:7–10; 1 Pet. 4:14), and are to be borne with patience by the Lord’s people (Ps. 94:12; Prov. 3:12). They are all directed by God (Lam. 3:33), and will result in the everlasting good of his people (2 Cor. 4:16–18) in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35–39).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893), 23.
The Furnace of Affliction
There are hundreds of scripture references contained here. I especially like the Sub-Topic entitled BENEFITS OF.
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