When quartz crystals, deep underground, are continually exposed to natural radiation from the earth, they darken into a smoky black, golden brown, or fret. These earthy, ethereal crystals come in every form that quartz does, sometimes combining to make smoky amethyst or smoky citrine. Smoky quartz is popularly polished and sold as tumblestones, towers, flames, or specimens, and some rarer specimens occur with smoky quartz and blue-green amazonite combinations. Lighter colored crystals are sometimes irridated by processors to make them darker and thus worth more; if a quartz crystal is all the way black, it has been treated with radiation. Smoky quartz should be kept out of bright sunlight long-term, as it will pale and grey.
Named for its foggy brown tone, like rolling clouds of smoke, this stone invokes imagery of fire and ashes. The smell of smoke is evidence of a fire, marking a person and their clothes when they've been close to flames. To be thrown into a fire and not even smell like it seems impossible, but this is a true story.
In ancient Babylon, while the Jews had been captured by Nebuchadnezzar, three young Jewish men were brought before his court. They were working in a high position for the king, and when they'd refused to worship the king's idol, he threatened to put them to death.
"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them."
Daniel 3:16–27
Later on in history, after Jesus had ascended to Heaven, His disciples didn't know what to do yet, and they all got together. "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4). We see here, and in the following chapters, the disciples of Jesus and all those who've chosen to follow Him ever since Pentecost are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who stood beside Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, also stands beside us and protects our soul in every adversity. He is with us now always, and He protects us from smoke and flames. When the deception of the world confuses us and threatens to pull us back into the person we used to be, we can ask the Spirit for wisdom, and every time He will guide us through the smoke and mirrors if we trust Him.
"When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned."
Psalm 34:17-22
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