Is gold the greatest of treasures listed in the Bible?

on Aug 15, 2025

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: Is gold the greatest of treasures listed in the Bible, and what does the verse mean when it says that we shall come forth as gold? – P.G.

A: Gold that is found in rocks is challenging to retrieve. It takes a lot of work to get it out. This is called refining work. The gold is heated until melted, and when chemicals are added, they cause any other metals mixed in with the gold to separate from it. What’s left is pure gold.

Fire is mysterious and fascinating; it can purify or destroy. It can glow or rage. It can dance on a wick or snuff out a life. And when fire purifies gold – when all the impurities are gone – the result is 24-karat gold, the highest grade.

Like gold that must change to become most valuable, our faith in God gets stronger as we see how He takes care of us in the midst of our problems if we look to Him. Our faith becomes something beautiful and useful to Him, pure like gold.

Life’s problems can point us back to the right path. King David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Psalm 119:67, NKJV). Our problems can be used to refine us and make us more like Jesus! “When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10, NKJV), and the Bible tells us that our faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is far more precious than mere gold (see 1 Peter 1:6–7).

Revelation 21:21 paints a picture of Heaven with the street of the city paved with pure gold. Instead of walking on asphalt and gravel, we’ll walk streets of gold. Yet God has redeemed us not with corruptible things, like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ (see 1 Peter 1:18-19), and those who belong to Him will one day be with Him forever.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)