Zech 13:8,9    declares the LORD , "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, `They are my people,' and they will say, `The LORD is our God.' "

     

Considering these are random choices, there is a sense of direction here. Yesterday we considered the remnant of Israel that remained faithful and who would not be blamed, and now we see how the remnant will be saved. The ungodly majority were judged and perished but the one third remnant will be purified by the Lord. The Lord's objective is always to create a holy people, a people for Himself, those who can become like Him. Yet these people, this remnant, have lived through the period when the majority remained unbelieving and having gone through that time means the remnant has been tainted by it. This remnant needs to be purified if they are to truly be the holy people of God, separated off from their past.

 

We see this sort of thing happening in times of revival. Yes there are people turning to the Lord for the first time at such times, but so often we also see that the believers who have known the Lord for a long time also come under conviction. Things they once tolerated now become unbearable. Whenever we've been through ungodly times, we need purifying from things we've tolerated or picked up that are unrighteous. Refining is a natural part of revival times.