Burnt Bricks 

Genesis 11:3 - "And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly."

Once on a mission trip, I stopped at a roadside stand to purchase a few souvenirs for people back home. One purchase was a 2 ½ ft clay statue of an African Farmer. Went I arrived back at the hotel I wanted to rinse it off in the shower before packing it, because it was very dirty. When I stuck it in the shower for a second, I noticed that there was a LOT of dirt coming off…it was dissolving! The clay had not been burned to make it water-proof.

In the Scripture above, the people after the flood decided to congregate together and work together to build a tower. It says they were using burnt bricks and slime for mortar; both are for water-proofing. One Jewish historian tells us that this tower of Babel was being built by the people because they were angry at God for flooding the world, so they wanted to build a tower that was water-proof (in case God did it again-even though God promised He would not) that stretched into the heavens so that they could shoot arrows at God.

The point for you and I is that we as believers will be tested by fire. God will prove us. We see this all throughout Scripture.

1 Peter 1:6-7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” 

When Peter is preaching about having your faith tested by fire, he is preaching from much personal experience. In Revelation 3:18, Jesus tells us, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;”

James tells us that we should rejoice in this, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

Jesus wants only the best bricks for His house, Peter tells us so. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

Rejoice in the fact that God is taking the time to strengthen you and perfect you. You are His workmanship in Christ, yield to His hands that expertly shapes and molds. His fire is a cleansing and purifying agent, meant to build us. It is a good fire. If you struggle with this, consider the other fire as your only alternative...the eternal flames of the Lake of Fire, Hell. Which do you choose…a purifying fire that is helpful and beneficial and temporary, or a punishing and tormenting fire that is eternal. Tough choice.

Bricks that God burns are eternal, and He sets His Seal of approval on them.

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