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Keep in mind that the following was written as a book chapter...
GODFIRE
I keep coming up against fire in the Bible as being part of God’s plan and even of His essence, so this chapter will be a word study on fire and related words: fire, firebrand, firebrands, firepans, fires, flame, burn, burned, burneth, burning, burnings and burnt. Most instances did not bear on the subject, but enough did to carry the theme. Instances of natural fire will get little attention, as we will focus on supernatural fire, or as I shall call it, Godfire.
We see fire for the first time in Genesis 3:24 – it mentions a flaming sword which prevents Adam and Eve (flesh) from access to the Tree of Life. It is a theme we will see again, especialy in the NT, where it is formally stated that flesh and blood cannot inherit in the Kingdom.
We see fire next in Genesis 15:17 – the smoking oven and burning lamp which pass between the divided carcasses Abram had laid out before God. It was a sign of Abram’s coming inheritance.
In Genesis 19:24, Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire and brimstone, aka, sulfur. In ancient times, sulfur was used as to drive evil spirits away, so they believed, and as a general fumigant. Along with fire, it was a purifying agent. In fact, the Greek word for “fire” is transliterated as “pur.”
Then in Exodus 3:2-5, we see the Burning Bush, from which God spoke to Moses. That bush may be there yet, but the important thing to note is that the Fire did not consume it. Moses was forbidden to approach, so again, flesh was denied access.
As part of the ten plagues on Egypt, there was (Exodus 9:23-24) hail, thunder and fire...but note that the damage was by the hail, not the fire.
On the way out of Egypt, God gave Israel a pillar of fire at night, not only to lead them, but to give them light (Exodus 13:21-22). So you see, it was a good thing. Later, the same pillar was not good for the Egyptians who were pursuing Israel through the gap in the Red Sea, as we see in Exodus 14:24. Mind the gap!
In Midian, back home for Moses, and probably in the vicinity of that special bush, God descended on His mountain with smoke and fire, as we see in Exodus 19:18. No threat was expressed or implied – it was just how the presence of God was manifested.
Exodus 24:17 states that “...the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire...in the eyes of...Israel.” Note that this verse does NOT say it was a devouring fire, but that it simply appeared so to those who saw it.
The very last verse of Exodus mentions the cloud and the fire above the Tabernacle, and it was simply the presence of God.
The Book of Leviticus mentions fire many times, always in connection with the natural fire of the Tabernacle, but it is worth mentioning that the altar fire was never to go out, as we see in 6:13. Looking at the whole system of animal sacrifice in Leviticus, it becomes clear that it shows us the way for flesh to come to God: it must go into the fire.
Also, among all the many mentions of fire having to do with sacrifices, we have Leviticus 9:24, describing a supernatural fire consuming the offering and the fat. Then, in 10:1-2, we see Nadab and Abihu coming before God with incense and “strange fire,” and God answered with fire, killing both of them. The account says they were “devoured,” but their dead bodies had to carried outside the camp.
Later, more were devoured. As we move on to Numbers 11:1-2, we see that when God became angry with Israel, He sent among them the same fire that killed Nadab and Abihu, but Moses intervened, as he often did.
Later still, 250 followers of Korah were devoured by fire from God, as we see in Numbers 16:35. Rebellion or not, the fires in the censers of the 250 were said by God to be holy (verse 37). This fire is mentioned again in Psalm 106:18.
We see something of interest in 31:22-23, in which metals are purified
with water like other things, but are also purified with fire – because they can endure the fire. Compare this with First Corinthians, chapter 3, verses 12 thru 15.
GODFIRE
I keep coming up against fire in the Bible as being part of God’s plan and even of His essence, so this chapter will be a word study on fire and related words: fire, firebrand, firebrands, firepans, fires, flame, burn, burned, burneth, burning, burnings and burnt. Most instances did not bear on the subject, but enough did to carry the theme. Instances of natural fire will get little attention, as we will focus on supernatural fire, or as I shall call it, Godfire.
We see fire for the first time in Genesis 3:24 – it mentions a flaming sword which prevents Adam and Eve (flesh) from access to the Tree of Life. It is a theme we will see again, especialy in the NT, where it is formally stated that flesh and blood cannot inherit in the Kingdom.
We see fire next in Genesis 15:17 – the smoking oven and burning lamp which pass between the divided carcasses Abram had laid out before God. It was a sign of Abram’s coming inheritance.
In Genesis 19:24, Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire and brimstone, aka, sulfur. In ancient times, sulfur was used as to drive evil spirits away, so they believed, and as a general fumigant. Along with fire, it was a purifying agent. In fact, the Greek word for “fire” is transliterated as “pur.”
Then in Exodus 3:2-5, we see the Burning Bush, from which God spoke to Moses. That bush may be there yet, but the important thing to note is that the Fire did not consume it. Moses was forbidden to approach, so again, flesh was denied access.
As part of the ten plagues on Egypt, there was (Exodus 9:23-24) hail, thunder and fire...but note that the damage was by the hail, not the fire.
On the way out of Egypt, God gave Israel a pillar of fire at night, not only to lead them, but to give them light (Exodus 13:21-22). So you see, it was a good thing. Later, the same pillar was not good for the Egyptians who were pursuing Israel through the gap in the Red Sea, as we see in Exodus 14:24. Mind the gap!
In Midian, back home for Moses, and probably in the vicinity of that special bush, God descended on His mountain with smoke and fire, as we see in Exodus 19:18. No threat was expressed or implied – it was just how the presence of God was manifested.
Exodus 24:17 states that “...the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire...in the eyes of...Israel.” Note that this verse does NOT say it was a devouring fire, but that it simply appeared so to those who saw it.
The very last verse of Exodus mentions the cloud and the fire above the Tabernacle, and it was simply the presence of God.
The Book of Leviticus mentions fire many times, always in connection with the natural fire of the Tabernacle, but it is worth mentioning that the altar fire was never to go out, as we see in 6:13. Looking at the whole system of animal sacrifice in Leviticus, it becomes clear that it shows us the way for flesh to come to God: it must go into the fire.
Also, among all the many mentions of fire having to do with sacrifices, we have Leviticus 9:24, describing a supernatural fire consuming the offering and the fat. Then, in 10:1-2, we see Nadab and Abihu coming before God with incense and “strange fire,” and God answered with fire, killing both of them. The account says they were “devoured,” but their dead bodies had to carried outside the camp.
Later, more were devoured. As we move on to Numbers 11:1-2, we see that when God became angry with Israel, He sent among them the same fire that killed Nadab and Abihu, but Moses intervened, as he often did.
Later still, 250 followers of Korah were devoured by fire from God, as we see in Numbers 16:35. Rebellion or not, the fires in the censers of the 250 were said by God to be holy (verse 37). This fire is mentioned again in Psalm 106:18.
We see something of interest in 31:22-23, in which metals are purified
with water like other things, but are also purified with fire – because they can endure the fire. Compare this with First Corinthians, chapter 3, verses 12 thru 15.