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Introduction

Gold is the most precious of the precious metals. It is instructive that, in scripture there are four common, or base metals; four being the number signifying ‘the whole’ of the earth, and there are two precious metals, two being the number of God’s witness to the ‘four,’ to the whole of mankind.

The four base metals are lead, tin, iron and copper, and the two precious metals are silver and gold.

Num 31:22  Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Num 31:23  Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

Gold’s first mention in scripture

Gen 2:11  The name of the first [is] Pison: that [is] it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
Gen 2:12  And the gold of that land is good: there [is] bdellium and the onyx stone.

“The gold of that land is good.” What does that tell us? Why is that statement even in the Bible? Does God want us all to know that South African gold  isn’t as good as gold from the land of Havilah? No, those who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear know that this word, as all words of scripture, is a spiritual word. As with every word of scripture, the word ‘gold’ has nothing at all to do with gold except for the spiritual lessons that are to be gleaned from the physical properties of gold.

“The gold of that land is good” is just God’s way of telling us that even gold has both a good and an evil application in His Word.

Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

What are the properties of gold that God wants us to understand?  Why is God so insistent that the only metal that is to be seen in the holy place and in the holy of holies, is gold? Here are several of the properties of gold which I have cut and pasted from a website entitled Indygems, constructed and maintained by a Keith D. Suskind, a graduate gemoligist and a member of the Gemological Institute of America. The scriptures are my insertions.

What gold is from a jeweler’s and gemologist’s perspective

Gold is one of the most precious metals in the world. It is present in the rivers, seas, and the earth’s crust and trace amounts are present in plants and animals. It is, however, difficult and expensive to extract. In modern mining operations approximately 3 tons of ore are needed to extract one ounce of gold. The many desirable qualities found in gold, along with its scarcity, have made it the most popular metal for use in jewelry today.

[Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,
Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: (Added by author)]

Properties of Gold

Gold in its pure state: The Properties of Gold

Gold in its pure state has a melting point of 1945 degrees Fahrenheit (1063 degrees Celsius). When alloyed (chemically combined) with other base metals the melting temperature of the resulting alloy is changed. 18K yellow gold has a melting point of 1675 degrees Fahrenheit and 14K yellow gold has a melting point of about 1550 degrees Fahrenheit. 24 karat gold is pure gold, 18 karat gold is 75% pure and 14 karat is 58% pure gold. 12 karat gold is 50% gold and 50% alloyed metal.

• Has a specific gravity of 19.33. It is relatively heavy compared to most metals, such as silver (SG 10.7) or iron (SG 7.8). A notable exception is platinum (SG 21.4).
• Is more malleable than any other metal and can be hammered into foil so thin that it is almost transparent.
• Has a unique ductility property allowing it to be drawn into wire so fine it can barely be seen.
• Is deep yellow in color. Its great reflectivity properties help keep its brightness and color from fading with time.
• Will not rust, tarnish or corrode. Gold jewelry recovered from ancient Egyptian tombs is in the same state as when placed there over 4000 years ago.
• Is softer than most other metals. On the Mohs scale of hardness (which is a measure of a gemstone or mineral’s resistance to scratching), gold has a hardness value of 2 to 2.5. Diamond has a value of 10. Pure gold may easily be scratched. Fortunately, gold becomes harder when alloyed with other base metals.
• Is relatively scarce and therefore expensive. It is estimated that only 125,000 tons of gold have been mined the world over since the beginning of time
• Gold will alloy with nearly all base metals (Cu, Pb, Ni, etc.); different colors of gold are produced by alloying with different base metals. Common alloys are Ni and Cu.

What gold is from God’s perspective

If we apply the principle of Rom 1:20 to the human race, we might have some idea as to just how rare are those who make up the holy place and the holy of holies where God dwells in His people.

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

“Three tons of ore are needed to produce one once of pure gold.” That three tons has to be put into a furnace with temperatures of 1945 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just witness the fiery, smelting context of  Rom 1:20:

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men [1945 degrees Fahrenheit!], who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Gold is mentioned 361 times in the King James Version. Silver is mentioned 282 times.  Brass, a translation given Copper, is mentioned 142. These may not be accurate, considering there are other ways the Greek and Hebrew names of these metals, are translated, but these numbers serve to demontrate how much emphasis God places on a metal in relation to its physical value. It is the physical value of each metal that reveals to us what God’s valuation is of that part of our walk. Gold is the metal toward which God is bringing us all. There is nothing in God’s temple but gold. That is what God wants and desires in each of us. It takes time and a lot of heat to produce gold, but when those three tons of dross have been burned away and that one once of gold is all that is left, it is a very valuable and greatly prized and useful and desirable metal for us in God’s tabernacle.

The tabernacle is of gold only

God had Moses take an offering of Israel to construct a court and a tabernacle “That I may dwell among them.” Israel was not permitted into the tabernacle. Only priests could enter the tabernacle. The materials for the construction of both the court and the tabernacle were furnished by the people. We have covered the court and all of its instruments of copper, with the copper pillars of the court being banded with silver bands with silver hooks to hold the curtains of the court.

Now we will look at the construction of the tabernacle itself and all of the instruments within the tabernacle, and we will learn that they were all “overlaid with pure gold.”

Exo 25:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3  And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
Exo 25:4  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ [hair],
Exo 25:5  And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
Exo 25:6  Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
Exo 25:7  Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
Exo 25:8  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exo 25:9  According to all that I shew thee, [after] the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make [it].
Exo 25:10  And they shall make an ark [of] shittim wood: two cubits and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
Exo 25:11  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
Exo 25:12  And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put [them] in the four corners thereof; and two rings [shall be] in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
Exo 25:13  And thou shalt make staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exo 25:14  And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
Exo 25:15  The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
Exo 25:16  And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
Exo 25:17  And thou shalt make a mercy seat [of] pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: [even] of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
Exo 25:21  And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which [are] upon the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exo 25:23  Thou shalt also make a table [of] shittim wood: two cubits [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
Exo 25:24  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
Exo 25:25  And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
Exo 25:26  And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that [ are] on the four feet thereof.
Exo 25:27  Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
Exo 25:28  And thou shalt make the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
Exo 25:29  And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: [of] pure gold shalt thou make them.
Exo 25:30  And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.
Exo 25:31  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
Exo 25:32  And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exo 25:33  Three bowls made like unto almonds, [with] a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, [with] a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:34  And in the candlestick [shall be] four bowls made like unto almonds, [with] their knops and their flowers.
Exo 25:35  And [there shall be] a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:36  Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it [shall be] one beaten work [of] pure gold.
Exo 25:37  And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
Exo 25:38  And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, [shall be of] pure gold.
Exo 25:39  Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
Exo 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Gold has all the properties God finds desirable. None of the other metals can resist becoming tarnished and corrupted. Only gold has the qualities that show us what we are to our Father. We are the most precious of the precious metals, and God wants us very much:

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job 23:11  My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
Job 23:12  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and  what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Job 23:14  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.