Hebrew Word Study – Tin – Badal – Beth Daleth Lamed  בָּדל (baw-dal’)

Isaiah 1:25: “I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all they tin.”

I’m a little hunk of tin,

Nobody knows what I’ve might have been

Got four wheels and a running board,

I’m a Ford a Ford a Ford,

Honk, Honk, Rattle, 

I watched a documentary on Henry Ford and saw pictures of his Model T traversing a primitive road.  I was amazed that such a flimsy contraption did not fall apart. When compared to other luxury cars of the day, such as the Duesenberg, Ford’s Model T appeared to be nothing but a hunk of tin. The word for “tin” in the Hebrew is “badilik” from the root word “badal” meaning to cause a separation, to depart or make a division, hence you have the word evolving to mean tin as tin is a very unreliable metal.  Anything put together with tin will quickly fall apart or separate. The above nonsense song was intended to be a real slam at Ford in the early 20th century and how cheaply it was built. How many of us as Christians feel like we are an old Model T Ford or “Tin Lizzie” as they were called?  

You see automakers in 1929 did not lack the skill or technology to develop a first-class automobile. I mean look at the 1929 Duesenberg, it was solid, hand craft with amazing engineering for its day. The problem was that in 1929 few could afford it. Henry Ford made his fortune by mass-producing an automobile that most people could afford although it was just a rattle trap. People were willing to settle for a “hunk of tin” as that was all they could afford. (Just to be fair, Henry Ford used steel and good quality steel). The sad thing is that too many Christians are willing to settle for being a Model T when God stands ready to make them into a Duesenberg.

When God “turns out his hand” it is for one of two purposes, either to inflict punishment or to offer help and protection. Sometimes both, to inflict punishment on those He is protecting. It would seem, however, in this case, that God is “turning” his hand to inflict some form of punishment.   The word turn is shuv which has the idea of turning in the sense of restoration or renewing. The word itself has a paragogic Hei and thus it has the idea of a complete and total restoration, like being born again. Despite the fact that God’s hand is used in this case for punishment, we see from the Hebrew shuv that this turning of his hand is meant for restoration for renewing us from a hunk of tin to a Duesenberg. Of course, the only way a Model T can become a Duesenberg is to be born a Duesenberg or be born again.

Curiously the writer says esterop kavar which is rendered as “purely purge away.”   Literally, this means to “refine to purity – esterop in abundance – kavar.  Again the writer is showing that this transformation that God performs in the refining process is a complete transformation.  

In this process, he will take away all our “tin” or that which easily falls apart and separates us from God. The word for “take away” is sur which is in a Hiphal form with a paragogic Hei and thus it would mean that he will bring about events that will remove every trace of that which tends to separate us from God.

No matter what happens, no matter what type of refining process we are going through ultimately God is removing everything in us that would separate us from Him.  He is removing all our tin. He is renewing us and changing us from a “hunk of tin” or a Model T Ford into a Duesenberg so when the evil one starts chasing us we will not fall apart even when he chases us into rough terrain. 

Oh sure, you can settle for being a cheap Model T and avoid the refining fires. However, when the enemy comes after you, you will wish you had gone through the esterop kavar or the process of having all that tin, that which separates you from God, removed. It is worth those refining fires to be transformed from a Model T into a Duesenberg of God.

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