Tide vs. Fuller’s Soap

Scripture:

Mal. 3:2 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;
Mal. 3:3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

Observation:

A prophetic voice about the coming Messiah. The highway of holiness would be the new way ushered in by the coming Messiah and for those who would journey on the path he would provide for purification. The fire of the refiner is used to remove impurities. Fuller’s soap was used to clean and bleach new wool so that it could be made in to fresh garments. The priesthood of Levi would be made clean and pure so that they could serve in faithfulness and righteousness before God.

Application:

In the New Testament we are invited to the great wedding feast and are to wear our new garments. New garments are clean and fresh — made from bleached wool. The bleached wool is only possible because of the Fuller’s soap. This soap made with alkali was used in the Fuller’s field just outside of Jerusalem. The people all knew what Fuller’s soap was used for — it was the instrument which made the wool white and clean so that new garments could be sewn.

Jesus Christ is the instrument — he is the Fuller’s soap.

Clothing doesn’t just wash itself. Clothing cannot make itself clean. There must be something that works the process and this is the soap.

Yesterday I was shopping for laundry soap here in my neighborhood. I was shocked to discover that Tide Laundry Detergent is a hot commodity! At my local Walgreens they have had to put alarm devices on the laundry soap. At the check out I asked what the issue was with the soap. I was told that the management can’t put out more than three bottles of Tide at a time because it is almost always stolen.

I did a little “google” search to see if there is any news on the Tide “grime wave” and yes, there is. Evidently there is great prestige in using Tide laundry detergent (it’s why the other brands did not have alarms on them). Drug dealers are willing to take Tide in exchange for drugs. Why? Because it is so highly valued and they can sell it back to retailers at an enormous price. Therefore people steal Tide, trade it for drugs and the drug dealers sell it back to the stores.

Just as Tide is highly valued, Fuller’s soap was valued in Malachi’s day. This illustration helped people to understand the power of the coming Messiah. He would be the instrument of cleansing and purity — he would be the one who could set things right again.

150 ounces of Tide sells for nearly $20 today. It’s an amazing commodity!

Sadly Tide is purchasing all the wrong things — those which will only bring momentary satisfaction and ultimately destruction. What we need is the Fuller’s soap — the work of the Messiah in our lives to cleanse us and purify us from the ravages of sin.

Which would we prefer in our lives?

Fuller’s Soap — What Jesus has done for you and me — priceless!

Prayer:

Lord, may you do your work in me.  Amen.