OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE

AUGUST 2005






OUR GOD IS A COMSUMING FIRE


One evening, a few nights ago, Pearl and I were in a service at the church, when, as clear as a bell, the words came to me, "For our God [is] a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29

I do not remember the circumstances that might have prompted me to think of that scripture, but I have learned that these things do not just happen without a purpose. It seems that something I had unwittingly said in another public service had made such an impact on one or more individuals as to drastically change the course of their thinking-- for their good. I had not known about it until much later. But, it had re-enforced the conviction that we can do so much more good when we allow the Spirit to "prompt" us in speaking what we are given for any particular situation. That occasion had been one of those times, and I had forgotten about it altogether. Other people had not forgotten, for it had impacted their lives.

The statement, "Our God is a Consuming Fire" comes near the end of the letter written to the Hebrew people, and seems to be the summation of the entire letter. It was written to a people who were enduring much severe persecution for their faith in Jesus, rather than the ceremonies and restrictions of the Law of Moses-- especially the "modern" interpretations of the Law. The persecution was so severe as to cause some of the Hebrew Christians to turn back and return to the Law and traditions of the elders. It involved a ceremony in which they publicly denounced the Blood of Jesus and the Grace of God.
The writer of the epistle called that ceremony Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Then, a couple of verses down, he writes, Hebrews 10:31 [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

In other words, "Be very careful what you do when in times of stress or distress, for-- Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Moses used the term "Consuming Fire" in Deut 4:21-24 when urging the Hebrews to be very careful in their walk with the Lord. In fact, the Lord used His Glory (which was like a Devouring fire Ex 24:17) to subdue rebellion and anarchy in the camp of Israel in the wilderness. See Numbers 14:10 But all the congregation bade stone them with
stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. Numbers 16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. Numbers 16:42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

In the Hebrews letter, they are urged to listen carefully to what God is saying to them, for it is dangerous to let his voice fall on Spiritually deaf ears.

• Hebrews 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God [is] a consuming fire.