Our God= Fire

[FineLinen]

Our God is a consuming Fire

Fire Is A Beneficient Agent

How shallow is the common view of "fire" as only or chiefly a penal agent. Fire, in Scripture, is the element of....

"Life"....Isa. 4:5

"Purification"....Matt. 3:3

"Atonement"....Lev. 16:27

"Transformation".....2 Pet. 3:10

And never ever of preservation alive for purposes of anguish.

And the popular view selects precisely this latter use, never found in Scripture, and represents it as the sole end of God's fiery judgments! If we take either the teaching of Scripture or of nature, we see that the dominant conception of fire is of a beneficent agent. Nature tells us that fire is a necessary condition of life; its mission is to sustain life; and to purify, even when it dissolves.

Extinguish the stores of fire in the universe, and you extinguish all being; universal death reigns. Most strikingly is this connection of fire and life shown in the facts of nutrition. For we actually burn in order to live; our food is the fuel; our bodies are furnaces; our nutrition is a process of combustion; we are, in fact, "aflame to the very tips of our fingers." And so it is that round the fireside of life and work gather: when we think of home we speak of the family hearth.

Fire Is The Sign Of God's Being

And what Nature teaches, Scripture enforces in no doubtful tone. It is significant to find the Great Source of life constantly associated with fire in the Bible.

Fire is the sign, not of God's wrath, but of His being.

When God comes to Ezekiel there is a "fire unfolding itself" (Ezek. 1:4, 27) and "the appearance of fire." (Ezek. 8:2)

Christ's eyes are a flame of "fire" (Rev. 1:14).

The seven lamps of "fire" are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4:5). So a fiery stream is said "to go before God," His throne is fiery flame, its wheels are burning fire (Daniel 7:9,10). His eyes are lamps of fire (Dan. 10:6); He is a wall of fire (Zeph. 2:5). At His touch the mountains smoke (Psl. 104:32). And God's ministers are a flame of fire (Psl. 104:4...Heb. 1:7). It is not meant to deny that the Divine Fire chastises and destroys.

Purification, Not Ruin Is The Final Outcome

It is meant that purification, not ruin, is the final outcome of that fire from above, which consumes--call it, if you please, a paradox--in order that it may save. For if God is Love, then by what but by love can His fires be kindled? They are, in fact, the very flame of love; and so we have the key to the words, "Thy God is a consuming Fire," and "Thy God is a merciful God" (Deut. 4:24-31). So God devours the earth with fire, in order that finally all may call upon the name of the Lord (Zeph. 3:8,9)--words full of significance.

So Isaiah tells us of God's cleansing the daughters of Zion by the spirit of burning (Isa. 4:4)--suggestive words. And, so again, "By fire will the Lord plead with all flesh." (Isa. 66:16) And Christ coming to save, comes to purify by "fire." (Mal. 3:2).

Fire A Sign Of Favourable Response?

Let us note, also, how often "fire" is the sign of a favourable answer from God; when God appears to Moses at the Bush it is in "fire:" God answers Gideon by "fire;" and David by "fire." (1 Chron. 21:26) Again, when He answers Elijah on Carmel, it is by "fire;" and in "fire" Elijah himself ascends to God. So God sends to Elisha, for aid, chariots and horses of "fire." So when the Psalmist calls, God answers by "fire." (Psl. 18:6-8)

And by the pillar of "fire" God gave His law. And in "fire" the great gift of the Holy Ghost descends at Pentecost."

Fire Is The Portion Of All

These words bring us to the New Testament. There we find that "fire," like judgment, so far from being the sinner's portion ONLY, is the portion of all. Like God's judgment again, it is not future merely, but present; it is "already kindled," always kindled: its object is not torment, but cleansing. The proof comes from the lips of our Lord Himself. "I am come to send fire on the earth," for it is certain that He came as a Saviour. Thus, coming to save, Christ comes with fire, nay, with fire already kindled. He comes to baptize with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Therefore, it is that Christ teaches in solemn passage (usually misunderstood, Mark 9:43) that everyone shall be salted with fire. And so the "fire is to try every man's work." He whose work fails is saved (mark the word saved), not damned "so as by fire," by consuming what is evil, saves and refines.

The antient tradition that represents Christ as saying, "He that is near Me is near fire," expresses a vital truth. So Malachi, describes Christ as being in His saving work "like a refiner's fire." And so, echoing Deut 4:24-31, we are told that "our God is a consuming Fire," i.e., God in His closest relation to us; God is Love; God is Spirit: but "Our God is a consuming Fire"--a consuming Fire, "by which the whole material substance of sin is destroyed."

When, then, we read (Psl. 18:12) that "coals of fire" go before God, we think of the deeds of love which are "coals of fire" to our enemies. (Rom. 12:20) Thus, we who teach hope for all men, do not shrink from but accept, in their fullest meaning, these mysterious "fires" of gehenna, of which Christ speaks (kindled for purification), as in a special sense the sinner's doom in the coming ages. But taught by the clearest statements of Scripture (confirmed as they are by many analogies of Nature), we see in these "fires" not a denial of, but a mode of fulfilling, the promise--

"Behold, I make all things new."

-Christ Triumphant-

I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days took His throne. His clothing is white as snow, and the hair of His head is like pure white wool. His throne is a blaze of flames and His wheels are burning fire. A River of fire streams and issues forth from His presence. Thousand thousands minister unto HIm, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him.

[FineLinen]

Thank you, Fine Linen. This is a subject that I began to "ponder" just this morning. Admittedly, your posts are frequently "too deep" for me, but God used you this morning to clarify my "murmuring ponderings." May I save and share with others the wisdom God gave to you for this post?

Hi there GraceFull. The entire post is the work of Thomas Allin, but reflects precisely what I grasp. You can find this post (page 200-203) and a whole lot more in the remarkable work by him in the following link....

Christ Triumphant by Rev. Thomas Allin

HERE

[FineLinen]

Our Father's Essence Is Fire

Our usual thought of fire has been that it is a purely negative force, working only destruction and loss. But our God is a consuming Fire and, I would remind you, the very same God is Creator and is Life and is Love.

A recurring word throughout the Scriptures is, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is ONE. -Deut. 6:4-

*** one=echad= compound unity 

What does it mean that God is One? It means infinitely more than that God is merely one person, for one in the numerology of Scripture means unity, united, unfragmented, undivided.

It means that every aspect of God's being and nature is moving in harmony; His justice is not warring against His mercy, His judgment is not pitted against His grace, His wrath is not striving with His love. Every part of the plan, purpose, will and nature of God is ONE unified, united, harmonious, in perfect accord and agreement, all moving toward the same end, the one complementing the other.

The God of love and the God of judgment is the same God and both His love and His judgment are unified to accomplish the same purpose. This is why the Scriptures declare that God is both the "Saviour of all" and the "Judge of all". He is not the Saviour of some and the Judge of others. The very same God who is the Judge of all is also the Saviour of all. He judges all and He saves all! Can we not see by this that His judgment and His salvation are unified and harmonious, working together to effect the same end the restoration of all into God. His judgments are thus unto salvation.

There Is No Conflict: God is One

All the consecration of the Royal priesthood is connected with Fire, for all three sacrifices were accompanied with fire, and perfection is promised through fire. O my brother! My sister! I am afraid there is a great deal of comfortable Christianity that wants to be saved, converted, delivered, Spirit-filled, blessed, prospered, healed, and continually made happy; but it is not the Christianity of Christ.

Many Christians who love the blessings, the gifts and the thrills would like to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit without the baptism of Fire. But what God has joined cannot be sundered. "He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and Fire" -Matt. 3:11-; there is the promise, what will you do with it?

One Baptism

There is only one preposition in the original, not two as in the English, to show the identity of the two baptisms, or rather that there is but ONE. The Holy Spirit and the Fire are not two items, they are one, for our God is a consuming Fire. Wherever the Spirit descends he brings Fire in His train. "There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost". -Acts 2:3-4-

Fire Is A Symbol Of Purification & Transformation

It consumes the dross and tin of self, the wood, hay and stubble of ignorance and folly. "The Fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." Everyone shall be salted with fire, baptized in Fire and in the Holy Spirit. Hence the Spirit came upon the disciples in a fiery form because they needed purification, purging, change and transformation. Those baptized with this baptism will know not only the glory and blessing and power of God, but the subduing, melting, abasing, refining, transforming, elevating effects of the Spirit's Fire.

Living Sacrifices

Therefore, to present our bodies and our lives a living sacrifice unto God, is offering ourselves as a burnt offering unto Him. Then the Fire from heaven can come down and consume that which has been presented unto Him and set it aflame and make us a fiery minister of God. -Hebr. 12:29- Our God is a consuming Fire! If we faithfully present ourselves unto Him upon the altar as a continual sacrifice, God will consume the whole life and make us an able minister to manifest His Life unto the world. "He makes His ministers a flame of Fire." -Hebr. 1:7-

The Royal Priesthood -J. Preston Eby-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is an interesting fact that brimstone in the Hebrew text is tyrpg, transliterated as gophriyth, which figuratively means the breath of Jehovah. And, to add to this imaginative picture, we find in the New Covenant, as you have so clearly presented, brimstone linked with purification. And so the Greek defines brimstone as theion, and lo and behold theion is rooted in Theos. So the Lake of Fire is the Lake of Theos radiating with His breath and Presence. Escape the Lake? Perhaps we would like to escape our God who is consuming fire.  :mblush:

Brimstone=

Gophriyth= The breath of Jehovah

qei'on/ theion = Divine incense with the power to purify

Theion/ qei'on rooted in qei'o/Theios

Theios=

Used by the Greeks in reference to the only true God.

Theios rooted in qeov/ Theos

Theos= The Supreme Deity from which we get Theology. 

The Lake Of Fire= The Lake of Theos

[FineLinen]

The Baptism Of Fire

Such is the reason for salvation by the cross, that is through death; but the great illustration here as elsewhere is to be found in the law, that appointed "shadow of good things," (Heb. x. 1.) which in all its varied forms of sacrifice asserts the same great truth, that only by the fire of God and through death can the earthly creature be changed, and so ascend to God. The offerings were indeed of different kinds, some of a sweet savour, which were offered on the altar in the tabernacle; (Lev. i. ii. iii.) while others not of a sweet savour were burnt on the earth, in some place outside the camp of Israel; (Lev. iv. v. vi.) figuring the varied relations in which men's works and persons might stand to God, and the varying place and manner of their acceptance to Him. But in either case, whether offered in obedience voluntarily, or required penally for trespass and disobedience, the offering was made by fire, and so perished in its first form to rise in another as pillars of smoke before God. If then all this was "the pattern of things in the heavens," (Exod. xxv. 40; Heb. ix. 23.) we have another witness that a transformation wrought by fire is yet being carried on in the true heavens, that is the spiritual world. For no Divine change can be wrought even on God's elect, save by "passing through the waters and through the fires" which are appointed for us, waters and fires as real, though not of this world, as those which burnt on the altar of old, or moved in the laver of the tabernacle. Our Lord can no more spare our nature than the animal was spared of old by the priest who offered it.

And as He in His own body, made under the law, did not shrink from, but fulfilled, the types of suffering, so will He fulfill the same in the bodies of those who are His members, that "being made conformable unto His death, they may attain unto the resurrection from among the dead." (Phil. iii. 10, 11.)

The Way For All Is Through the Fire

In any case the way for all is through the fires, for fire is the great uniter and reconciler of all things; and things which without fire can never be united, in and through the fire are changed and become one. Therefore every coming of Christ, even in grace, is a day of judgment. Therefore there are fires even for the elect both now, (1 S. Pet. i. 7, and iv. 12.) and in the coming day; (1 Cor. iii. 13, 15.) for "our God is a consuming fire;" (Heb. xii. 29.) and to dwell in Him we must have a life, which, because it is of the fire, for fire burns not fire, can stand unhurt in it. Therefore our Lord "came to cast fire into the earth," and desired nothing more than "that it should be already kindled;" (S. Luke xii. 49.) therefore He says, "Everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt." (S. Mark ix. 49.) For this is the very "baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire," (S. Matt. iii. 11.) that "spirit of judgment and burning," promised by the prophet, "with which the Lord shall purge away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and cleanse the blood of Jerusalem; after which He will create on every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and on all her assemblies, a cloud of smoke by day, and the brightness of flame of fire by night; and upon all, the glory shall be a defence; (Isa. iv. 4, 5.) for "He is like a refiner's <page 82> fire, and like a fuller's soap; and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He shall purify the sons of Levi as gold and silver are purged, that they may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousness." (Mal. iii. 3). And as by the hidden fire of this present life, shut up in these bodies of corruption, we are able by the wondrous chemistry of nature through corruption to change the fruits and flesh of the earth into our blood, and from blood again into our flesh and bone and sinew; so by the fire of God can we be changed, and made partakers of Christ's flesh and blood. In and through Christ we have received this transmutation; (Rom. v. 11.) and through His Spirit, which is fire, is this same change accomplished in us.

NOTE

It is surely a significant fact, that the two words used in Hebrew to express destruction, signify also, and are used to express, perfection; and that the word for a sacrifice by fire in Hebrew is the same as that for a bride or wife; e.g. Numbers xxviii. 6. By this double sense a veil covers the letter, veiling yet revealing God's purpose; for His purpose to the creature is through destruction to perfect it, and by fire to make it a bride unto the Lord. For a kindred reason some of the angels are called Seraphim, that is burning ones; for like the Lord, whose throne is flames of fire, (Dan. vii. 9,10.) they also are as fire; as it is written, "He makes His angels spirits, His messengers a flame of fire." (Heb. i. 7, and Psalm civ. 4.)

As With The First-Fruits, So With The Full Harvest

And as with the first-fruits, so with the harvest. The world to be saved must some day know the same baptism. For "the Lord will come with fire," and "by fire and by His sword will He plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many." (Isa. lxvi. 15, 16.) The promised baptism or outpouring of the Spirit must be judgment, for the Spirit cannot be poured on man without consuming this flesh to quicken a better life;

HERE

[Kept]

Finelinen I love when you share what God has made a 'fire' in your bones!
I loved getting to talk to you face to face and see that fire in your eyes....

great stuff brother  :thumbsup:

kept

[FineLinen]

Finelinen I love when you share what God has made a 'fire' in your bones!
I loved getting to talk to you face to face and see that fire in your eyes....

great stuff brother  :thumbsup:

kept

Hi there Kept. It was a pleasure meeting with you face to face and partaking together of God's great goodness.

How difficult it is expressing what in many ways is truly inexpressable in words. St. Paul writing of the majestic outcome of the Last Adam's reconciliation in Rom. 5 uses Greek compounds that are translated into English as "how much more" & "much more then" and cannot express the magnitude of that which goes beyond beyond.

[FineLinen]

1 Cor.3:11-17

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so by fire.

"Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 

In the plan of God, fire has a very outstanding place. Even in the natural world fire is the greatest known purifier. Disease and filth may resist water and any type of disinfectant or fuller's soap, but nothing can withstand fire. The garment in Israel wherein was the plague of leprosy was to be burned with fire, -Lev.13:52-, because that was the only sure way to destroy the disease, and the house wherein was the plague of leprosy was to be pulled down and carried away to an unclean place outside the city, presumably the gehenna of fire. -Lev. 14:24-

Fire in scripture is often, if not always, a symbol of God.

For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire... -Deut. 4:24-.

"Did ever people hear the voice of God out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?" 

"Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He showed thee His great fire, and thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire." -Deut.4:33,36- 

Ezekiel saw the Lord as a fire enfolding itself. -Ezek.1:4-

John in his Patmos vision, beholding the Lord Jesus Christ, saw His head and hair white like wool and His eyes a flame of fire. -Rev.1:14-

At the revelation of Christ from heaven with His mighty angels, He will come "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting (aionian) destruction (olethros) from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power." -1 Thess. 1:7-9-

When John the Baptist spoke of the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he likened the Spirit to a fanned fire, saying,

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. -Matt.3:11,12-

When God appeared to Israel in Sinai, the sight of the Lord was like devouring fire. -Exod. 24:17-

When the Holy Spirit fell upon the waiting host at Pentecost, He appeared unto them in cloven tongues like as fire, which sat upon each of them. -Acts 2:4-

The number of places throughout the holy scripture in which fire is mentioned in connection with the Lord are numerous.

Fire is a symbol of the Glorious One

We should also be aware of the difference between natural fire, with which we are all acquainted, and the fire of God, which is spiritual and descends from heaven. The fire that burned in the bush of the wilderness in Moses' day was not the same kind of fire that now destroys our forests, or burns in our hearths, and the fire that fell upon the altar of God in the wilderness, was not the same fire that was offered by Nadab and Abihu. -Lev.10:1,2-

Neither is the fire that fell on Pentecost to be confused with the bonfire the barbarians made when Paul was shipwrecked on the Island of Melita.

The Fire of Pentecost and the Lake of Fire are identical in substance. Both are related to God, the only difference being in their purpose and work, the Lake of Fire to consume all dross and corruption, and the fire of Pentecost to sanctify, fill, and empower that which is being purified.

There is an illuminating passage in Numbers 31:23 that appears to be a type of the judgement we are considering.

Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation; and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

In verse 22 we are told what things were to be committed to the fire for purification. The gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead--all these things were to be purified by fire when they were brought back by soldiers from battle, but those materials which could not endure fire were to be cleansed by water.

What we must understand is that the way into the Presence of the Glory Being is by fire. We cannot escape it, nor do we desire such a road, for we long to know Him! The way into the Tree of Life is through the fiery swords flashing/swirling in every direction. The experience of baptism in both water, and the Spirit, is to bring us to an end of ourselves, where we enter into newness of life, the Life of God Himself. The way to life is by way of death. It is God's way. All of us must pass through the flaming swords of His Presence if we are to dwell with Him.

[Michele]

Hey Fine linen.....great post!!

You know...I've heard it said before that each of us have aspects of our personality that cannot exist on the other side.  I think for some of us this sounds kind of sad, but when you really get to thinking........it's a blessing because all that is Good cannot be harmed by God.

I was lighting one of my scent diffusers the other day, and I was looking at the flame and noticed that the colors of the rainbow reside in the flame.  To me it just reminded me of the promise that was shown in Noah's rainbow also exists in the flame.  Another thing that I thought which is really symbolic for me is that the hottest part of the flame is a sort of a pale royal blue, which symbolizes the Throne as being the hottest part with the most extreme intensity.

Anyway, for those that are left all alone in the wilderness or on some desolate island.......Fire is probably the most precious thing to have (other than food and water) because it brings warmth, protection, and lifts your spirits when you're all alone.  I think the same is true for God.  We feel that we need Him most when we've been deserted by everyone else and we're all alone trying to survive.

[vagabond]

Two big thumbs up for finelinen and sharing these thoughts :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

For we actually burn in order to live; our food is the fuel; our bodies are furnaces; our nutrition is a process of combustion; we are, in fact, "aflame to the very tips of our fingers." And so it is that round the fireside of life and work gather: when we think of home we speak of the family hearth.

Oh and thanks for the Rev.Thomas Allin link, i'll be checking that out. :bigGrin:

It's surprising sometimes in the ways God chooses to kindle a purifying fire.

James 3:5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.


This is showing fire in a negative view, however without such contention how could love grow and overcome?

Romans 12:21
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

[vagabond]

Hi stained glass i really enjoyed your take on fire in relation to the throne, also:

Anyway, for those that are left all alone in the wilderness or on some desolate island.......Fire is probably the most precious thing to have (other than food and water) because it brings warmth, protection, and lifts your spirits when you're all alone.  I think the same is true for God.  We feel that we need Him most when we've been deserted by everyone else and we're all alone trying to survive.

When i read this i thought of a few things:
When the heat of the sun warms up the air in the morning, creating a wind and even dew as the frost thaws.
How the Spirit of God brooded over the cold dark face of the deep.
How staring into a fire is so hypnotizing in a warm and familiar way. As if we are looking into a window of our past and future at the same time.

[GraceFull]

Fire is probably the most precious thing to have (other than food and water) because it brings warmth, protection, and lifts your spirits when you're all alone. 

For me personally, being near and gazing at fire results in a calming rest.

[gatheredfragments]

awesome study

:dsunny:

[hopeful]

For me personally, being near and gazing at fire results in a calming rest.

Same here, Gracefull.  I've always loved fire.  Even more so now.   :HeartThrob:
Yes, I agree GF- awesome study.

[FineLinen]

By Fire

"For behold, the Lord will come in Fire, His chariots shall be like the stormy wind, to render His anger with fierceness, and His rebuke with flames of Fire.

For BY Fire will the Lord execute judgment, and by His sword, upon all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many". (Isaiah 66:15-16 Amplified)

"For, lo, Jehovah in Fire cometh, and as a hurricane His chariots, to refresh in fury His anger, and His rebuke in flames of Fire. For BY Fire and by His sword, doth Jehovah do judgment with all flesh, and many have been Jehovah's pierced ones." (Isaiah 66:15,16) (Young's translation)

There has been much misconception concerning the Fire of God, and while we would not dare to think we grasp all the answers, we would like to present some of the thoughts which God has quickened to our heart by His Sprit. For "BY Fire" will the Lord plead with "ALL" flesh. The word plead (Hebrew, shaphat) is correctly translated by Young as "do judgment," with all flesh. The word "JUDGMENT" actually refers to the corrective processes of God, the training up, the disciplining or girding up, bringing into alignment wayward creation. And in this great process of restoration, the Lord is going to use Fire as part of his dealing with us all.

Let me give you Moffatt's translation for this verse: "On the WHOLE WORLD the Eternal will pass sentence with His Fire and sword." I like the emphasis that is given for ALL FLESH, when he says, THE WHOLE WORLD - for not one person is going to miss the hand of God in this operation. But, the application of Fire is going to be far different than much of our past conception, or shall I say, of traditional teaching of error. For first of all, God has quickened to us the truth which has changed our understanding greatly, when He caused us to know that Fire IS REMEDIAL IN ITS PURPOSE. And through we didn't always understand it that way, thank God for the revelation given by His Spirit. There is a remedy that is wrought out by the process of Fire.

Continued HERE

Consuming Fire by Ray Prinzing

Consuming Fire - that now burns, Devouring all the flesh that spurns The move of God which now returns To fuse us into one with God.

Energy force - His power divine, In perfect balance to align Each soul that thou dost now refine Into the harmony of God.

Restoring to our first estate, Thou didst become the narrow gate Leading into the way that's strait, For our returning into God.

Consuming Fire - this we know, That though we're caught within thy throe, Ere thou dost turn our loss to praise Acceptable unto our God.

A friend, and not a foe, thou art, Thus on the altar of our heart Remain with us, to now impart The glorious triumph of our God.

Until in Christ we, too, shall be Fulfillment of the mystery - A living, bright reality, Consuming Fire of our God! 

[FineLinen]

DEVOUR THE ADVERSARIES

This doesn't say things which many teach, it doesn't say the Fire will eat up all the ungodly. The word "adversary" used here, in the Greek is actually a word meaning CONTRARY, or opposition. If we resist His inworkings, there remains for us a fiery experience that will burn out all the contrariness-- all the rebellion of our self-natures. It didn't say we would be burned up, nor does it imply that we'll stay there for ever, but merely speaks of purging out all the opposition and contrariness.

Fire is Three-Fold

Yes, Fire is three-fold. There are three statements in the Word which define "Fire". First, we read, "Our GOD is a consuming Fire." (Hebrews 12:29). There is no need to look outside the Word of God for answers; the scriptures contain the needed definitions. Amen?

God is spirit-- that is His substance. God is love-- that is His nature. God is also light and Fire, they are His manifestations. We speak of fiery trials, HE IS IN EVERY ONE OF THEM. May we go even farther? He is the source of the Fire in our fiery trial, "HE" is the Fire thereof. You say that God's hand is resting upon you-- you say that He has filled with His Spirit and His anointing is upon your life, guiding you into all truth. Then don't be amazed at the fiery testing that is your also, for with every advancing step into new truth, there needs to be a purging out of error and past traditions which are contrary to pure truth.

The Fire to burn out the dross is the Holy Spirit God has placed within, Your GOD is your Fire. The reason you are conscious of the Fire is because there remains something in resistance to the move of God, but after all is brought into submission, it doesn't matter if the circumstances don't change, for by then you have been so changed you no longer consider them as a Fire in your life. The Lord places you into a situation which almost "burns" you up, and by your unyieldedness to God you are completely miserable. But when you at last begin to yield to His will, you find that all of the situation has become a haven, and learning to be content in whatever state you are in, you are no more adversely affected by the Fire, you delight in it.

God knows the desire of your heart, and He is answering the desire within to be like Jesus. He says, "Lo I am with you always." Where are you, Lord? I'd like a blessing. God says, "Here I am, I'm the Fire which is purging you." HAVE YOU RECOGNIZED HIM AS SUCH? We see Him in the burning bush, don't be afraid, the bush won't be consumed - you aren't gong to be burned up by the Fire, all that is consumed is the opposition to the will of God. His presence, so holy and pure, is Fire to all uncleanness.

There are other kinds of fierce Fire, wild fire, they only destroy and lay desolate, BUT GOD IS A FIRE THAT PURIFIES AND BRING INTO RIGHTEOUSNESS. God's mighty Fire does not leave you in a state of devastation, He is the same Presence that also BUILDS YOU UP IN FAITH AND LOVE, so that your cleansed life is to His glory. Once the carnal thought and imagination of our mind is purged out, then that same Fire-PRESENCE illumines to your heart to the glorious life-giving verities of God.

Is Not My Word Like As A Fire, Saith The Lord?

Second, we find that the Word, also, is Fire. "Is not My WORD like as a Fire? saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 23:29).

"I will make MY WORDS in thy mouth Fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them." (Jeremiah 5:15).

The Lord is going to plead with ALL FLESH BY Fire, it will be by the Fire of HIS WORD, and all the false and insipid creeds of man will turn into ashes before the mighty burning truth. Truth alone will cause every mighty burning down into nothingness. The anointed Word, given in a spirit of love, is Fire. And such truth needs no defense, for as a Fire it defends itself; mishandle it, and you will surely be burned.

Flashing Fire

Thirdly, and all of these do blend together into one, "Who maketh His angels (messengers) spirits, His ministers a flaming Fire." (Psalm 104:4). Note: they are HIS ministers, not some man's. "Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men." (1 Corinthians 7:23). GOD WILL MAKE HIS MINISTERS A FLAMING FIRE. Also note this word "flaming", it is the same as used in Genesis 3:24, "a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." And it means A FLASHING Fire, speaking of a sudden or startling burst of light.

Think of it-- when God begins to plead with all flesh BY Fire, and into all those dark, secret assemblies, suddenly appear His ministers as a flashing, flaming Fire, to expose and reveal every under-cover, sneaky, corrupt thing of man. What a consternation it is going to produce. In the midst of the gross darkness covering the earth, suddenly a flashing outburst; GOD ANSWERING BY Fire, until all will have to shut their mouths and be still, truth at last prevailing. Amen.

The Purpose? To Purify!

"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall PURIFY the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering into righteousness." (Malachi 3:3). "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10).

The Fire is to try, to assay, prove and purify. The Fire is to try, to assay, prove and purify. "The fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts." (Proverbs 17:3).

HERE

Is Not My Word Like As A Fire, Saith The Lord?

[Cardinal]

 :thumbsup: Good thread!

[Craig]

Good Article FineLinen,

I appreciate the time and effort used in the study.

Though, I do not fully agree with everything you presented. To generalize that all fire mentioned in Scripture is God is a common mistake. It is the same as saying all spirits are God, because God is Spirit (1 John 4:1) . Scripture states, we must test all spirits to make sure they are of God, because false prophets have gone out, that means not all spirits are from God.

It is a bigger mistake to justify it with the root word of fire being THEOS, because that is the root word fallacy.

Example of Root Word Fallacy in Greek:
The word "labour" is: kopiaō, literally means, "exhausting bodily effort"
The the root word  is koptō, literally means, "to cut, strike, smite; to cut from, cut off; to beat one's breast for grief"

So when we read:
Ephesians 4:28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labour, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

So is Paul is actually saying...
He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must cut off his own hands, which is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

It is a penalty in some nations even today, to cut of the hands of a theif; does that simularity mean that Paul was teaching we should cut off the hands of theives? Or was he telling the theif, to stop stealing and start to work for a change, so he can share instead of take from others?

Therefore, not every Fire is God, and not every fire serves the same purpose. The purpose of fire is multifacetted that includes a purpose where of a complete and utter destruction of that which is subject to it.

[FineLinen]

The purpose of fire is multifacetted that includes a purpose where of a complete and utter destruction of that which is subject to it.

:mshock:

[FineLinen]

But the other day I was looking at the farmer parable, about the bad seed taking root in the field, and the field being burned. It immediately occurred to me that when farmers burn a field it is not so that the field is then made useless... it's so that the field then becomes incredibly fertile. A field that has been burned is not destroyed, it's renewed.

In my life, particularly in the past few years, I've gone through alot of changes. Much my old self - my old World-View and the Doctrines I clinged to, have been burned away. My old understandings of God and of who I am in Him had to be literally destroyed before I could begin to be taught new things of the Spirit.

My friend: What a wonderfully terrible thing it is to have one's life, world-view and doctrines burned away by the One who changes worms into butterflies! For the past little while I have been exercised regarding our Lord's words to His follower's "If you save your life you will destroy/apollumi it.....if you apollumi/destroy your life for My sake and the Gospels, you will save it." In destruction there is most assuredly Life, and we can rest with absolute confidence in the One who rends that He may heal.

Our Father's Essence Is Fire

Our usual thought of fire has been that it is a purely negative force, working only destruction and loss. But our God is a consuming Fire and, I would remind you, the very same God is Creator and is Life and is Love.

A recurring word throughout the Scriptures is, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is ONE/ echad (compound unity) -Deut. 6:4-

What does it mean that God is One? It means infinitely more than that God is merely one person, for one in the numerology of Scripture means unity, united, unfragmented, undivided.

It means that every aspect of God's being and nature is moving in harmony; His justice is not warring against His mercy, His judgment is not pitted against His grace, His wrath is not striving with His love. Every part of the plan, purpose, will and nature of God is ONE unified, united, harmonious, in perfect accord and agreement, all moving toward the same end, the one complementing the other. 

The God of love and the God of judgment is the same God and both His love and His judgment are unified to accomplish the same purpose. This is why the Scriptures declare that God is both the "Saviour of all" and the "Judge of all". He is not the Saviour of some and the Judge of others. The very same God who is the Judge of all is also the Saviour of all. He judges all and He saves all! Can we not see by this that His judgment and His salvation are unified and harmonious, working together to effect the same end the restoration of all into God. His judgments are thus unto salvation.

There Is No Conflict: God is One

All the consecration of the Royal priesthood is connected with Fire, for all three sacrifices were accompanied with fire, and perfection is promised through fire. O my brother! My sister! I am afraid there is a great deal of comfortable Christianity that wants to be saved, converted, delivered, Spirit-filled, blessed, prospered, healed, and continually made happy; but it is not the Christianity of Christ.

Many Christians who love the blessings, the gifts and the thrills would like to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit without the baptism of Fire. But what God has joined cannot be sundered. "He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and Fire" -Matt. 3:11-; there is the promise, what will you do with it? 

There is only one preposition in the original, not two as in the English, to show the identity of the two baptisms, or rather that there is but ONE. The Holy Spirit and the Fire are not two items, they are one, for our God is a consuming Fire. Wherever the Spirit descends he brings Fire in His train.

There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. -Acts 2:3-4- 

Fire Is A Symbol Of Purification & Transformation

It consumes the dross and tin of self, the wood, hay and stubble of ignorance and folly. "The Fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." Everyone shall be salted with fire, baptized in Fire and in the Holy Spirit. Hence the Spirit came upon the disciples in a fiery form because they needed purification, purging, change and transformation. Those baptized with this baptism will know not only the glory and blessing and power of God, but the subduing, melting, abasing, refining, transforming, elevating effects of the Spirit's Fire.

Living Sacrifices

Therefore, to present our bodies and our lives a living sacrifice unto God, is offering ourselves as a burnt offering unto Him. Then the Fire from heaven can come down and consume that which has been presented unto Him and set it aflame and make us a fiery minister of God. -Hebr. 12:29- Our God is a consuming Fire! If we faithfully present ourselves unto Him upon the altar as a continual sacrifice, God will consume the whole life and make us an able minister to manifest His Life unto the world.

He makes His ministers a flame of Fire. -Hebrews. 1:7- 

HERE

[FineLinen]

The way for all is through the fires, for fire is the great uniter and reconciler of all things; and things which without fire can never be united, in and through the fire are changed and become one.

Therefore every coming of Christ, even in grace, is a day of judgment. Therefore there are fires even for the elect both now, (1 Pet. 1:7, and 4: 12) and in the coming day; (1 Cor. 3:. 13, 15.) for "our God is a consuming fire;" (Heb. 12: 29.) and to dwell in Him we must have a life, which, because it is of the fire, for fire burns not fire, can stand unhurt in it.

Therefore our Lord "came to cast fire into the earth," and desired nothing more than "that it should be already kindled;" (S. Luke 12: 49) therefore He says,

Everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. -Mark 9: 49-

For this is the very "baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire," (Matt. 3: 11) that "spirit of judgment and burning," promised by the prophet, "with which the Lord shall purge away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and cleanse the blood of Jerusalem; after which He will create on every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and on all her assemblies, a cloud of smoke by day, and the brightness of flame of fire by night; and upon all, the glory shall be a defence; (Isa. 4: 4, 5) for "He is like a refiner's fire, and like a fuller's soap; and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He shall purify the sons of Levi as gold and silver are purged, that they may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousness." (Mal. 3: 3). And as by the hidden fire of this present life, shut up in these bodies of corruption, we are able by the wondrous chemistry of nature through corruption to change the fruits and flesh of the earth into our blood, and from blood again into our flesh and bone and sinew; so by the fire of God can we be changed, and made partakers of Christ's flesh and blood. In and through Christ we have received this transmutation; (Rom. 5: 11) and through His Spirit, which is fire, is this same change accomplished in us.

NOTE:

It is surely a significant fact, that the two words used in Hebrew to express destruction, signify also, and are used to express, perfection; and that the word for a sacrifice by fire in Hebrew is the same as that for a bride or wife; e.g. Numbers 28: 6. By this double sense a veil covers the letter, veiling yet revealing God's purpose; for His purpose to the creature is through destruction to perfect it, and by fire to make it a bride unto the Lord. For a kindred reason some of the angels are called Seraphim, that is burning ones; for like the Lord, whose throne is flames of fire, (Dan. 7: 9,10.) they also are as fire; as it is written, "He makes His angels spirits, His messengers a flame of fire." (Heb. 1: 7, and Psalm 104:4) 

And as with the first-fruits, so with the harvest.

The world to be saved must some day know the same baptism. For "the Lord will come with fire," and "by fire and by His sword will He plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many." (Isa. 66: 15, 16.) The promised baptism or outpouring of the Spirit must be judgment, for the Spirit cannot be poured on man without consuming this flesh to quicken a better life;

NOTE:

Isa. 40: 7; and compare Rev. 8: 6, 7, which describes the effect produced by the breath or spirit of the Lord sounding through the trumpets of the heavenly sanctuary, and "His sword, which cometh out of His mouth," (Rev. 19: 13, 15) is that Word, which kills to make alive again. God is indeed "a man of war;" (Exod. 15: 3) but His warfare and wrath, unlike the "wrath of man, which worketh not the righteousness of God," ( James 1: 20) works both righteousness and life, and is set forth in that "warfare of the service of the tabernacle" (See Numbers 4: 23, 30, and 8: 24, 25; margin: and compare 1 Tim. 1: eighteen) by which that which was of the earth was made to ascend to God through fire a sweet sacrifice. 

HERE

One thing I keep wondering is: How can a physical thing like fire cause damage, pain or suffering to a spiritual thing like a spirit or a soul?

[Taffy]

Good  Posts indeed for mine F.L :icon_flower:

Blessings
Taffy

[Cardinal]

One thing I keep wondering is: How can a physical thing like fire cause damage, pain or suffering to a spiritual thing like a spirit or a soul?

:cloud9: Maybe because it's spiritual fire?

[Craig]

One thing I keep wondering is: How can a physical thing like fire cause damage, pain or suffering to a spiritual thing like a spirit or a soul?

When we are talking to others who believe in Universal Reconciliation, using an objection by those who believe in condtional salvation to say the Lake of Fire is literal fire, in not really relevant since they do not believe that. There is many spiritual things, that cause pain and suffering to a soul.

Psalm 39:2-5
But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased.
My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Selah

Was it a real fire that burned within his heart? Or was it a soulish, spiritual fire that burned in his heart? Was it a positive, refining fire? Or was it a painful, anguishing fire that came out of a hurt heart? There is painful fires, that come from within a man.

Isaiah 33:11
You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw; your breath is a fire that consumes you.

Did mankind literally give birth to wheat or flax straw? Is their breath a literal fire that consumes them? No, but that fire was painful, so much so, that they afraid of the continual burning of the chaff they concieve and straw they birth by their own breath!

James 3:6
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by Gehenna.

Is the tongue a literal fire? No, yet it is a world of EVIL, it CORRUPTS, and sets everything around it on fire. It itself set on fire by Gehenna....Gehenna... a literal dump outside Jerusalem... OR, a spiritual fire? Not every fire is God. Not every fire is good.

We can seer our own conscience; does that mean we use an actual hot iron to cauterize it? No, is your conscience even physical? No, it is spiritual.

It is good to rebuttle those who believe in Eternal Torment, that the Lake of Fire is not literal but metaphorical, a spiritual judgment. It is not a good rebuttle to say that all fire is God, and that any fire man is subject to is refining.

[CHB]

FineLinen,

Thank you so much for these post. You are and have been a blessing to me. It was through your post that God has shown me the truth about the second death and the lake of fire.

Keep up the good work.

CHB

[FineLinen]

FineLinen,

Thank you so much for these post. You are and have been a blessing to me. It was through your post that God has shown me the truth about the second death and the lake of fire.

Keep up the good work.

CHB

Hi there CHB, it is a glorious fact that we receive nothing except it be given to us from above. Before I became acquainted with the writings of the man of spirit and life, George MacDonald, a wonderfully terrible experience over 20 years ago, opened my eyes to a great mystery concerning the Lake of Fire. I wish I could convey the majesty of that moment, but alas, these things are for us to come to discover as He unfolds the mysteries of His majestic Presence in His good time.  It is so good seeing you again!  :boyheart:

The Consuming Fire -George MacDonald-

HERE

.....The outer darkness is but the most dreadful form of the consuming fire—the fire without light—the darkness visible, the black flame. God hath withdrawn himself, but not lost his hold. His face is turned away, but his hand is laid upon him still. His heart has ceased to beat into the man's heart, but he keeps him alive by his fire. And that fire will go searching and burning on in him, as in the highest saint who is not yet pure as he is pure.

But at length, O God, wilt thou not cast Death and Hell into the lake of Fire—even into thine own consuming self?

Death shall then die everlastingly,

And Hell itself will pass away,

And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day.

Then indeed wilt thou be all in all. For then our poor brothers and sisters, every one—O God, we trust in thee, the Consuming Fire—shall have been burnt clean and brought home. For if their moans, myriads of ages away, would turn heaven for us into hell—shall a man be more merciful than God? Shall, of all his glories, his mercy alone not be infinite? Shall a brother love a brother more than The Father loves a son?—more than The Brother Christ loves his brother? Would he not die yet again to save one brother more?

As for us, now will we come to thee, our Consuming Fire. And thou wilt not burn us more than we can bear. But thou wilt burn us. And although thou seem to slay us, yet will we trust in thee even for that which thou hast not spoken, if by any means at length we may attain unto the blessedness of those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Brimstone=

Gophriyth= The breath of Jehovah

Brimstone=

qei'on/ theion =

Divine incense with the power to purify

Theion/ qei'on rooted in qei'o/Theios

Theios=

Used by the Greeks in reference to the only true God.

Theios rooted in qeov/ Theos

Theos=

The Supreme Deity from which we get Theology. 

The Lake Of Fire= The Lake of Theos