The Fire of God!

Text: Exodus 3:1-2: Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. Vs 2: And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Moses was the son of Amram and Jochebed, and brother of Miriam and Aaron, of the tribe of Levi. He led the Israelites out of Egypt. He was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son and she called him “Moses”, because she had drawn him out of the water.

The Word of God says when Moses was grown, he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens, and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren and he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When Moses realized this thing was known, he feared, and when Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to slay Moses and so Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian for forty years (Exodus 2:11-25).

It was there, in Midian when Moses saw this awesome sight of the burning bush.

·       Exodus 3:2: And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Vs 3: And Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt”.

This angel of the LORD was God Himself! Hebrews 12:29: Our God is a consuming fire.

·       Vs 4: And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses, Moses”. And he said, “Here am I”. Vs 5: And he said, “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stand is holy ground”. Vs 6: Moreover, he said, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Bush in this verse is ceneh’ meaning to prick, a bramble. The nature of a bramble bush is that it is typically thorny and dense, often growing in dry or rocky areas. Brambles are known for their ability to survive in harsh environments, and their thorns can make them difficult to approach or handle. In biblical times, the bramble was considered a lowly and common shrub, symbolizing humility and often associated with wilderness or desolation.

The nature of this bush (the ability to survive in harsh environments; humility; wilderness or desolation) in which Moses awed with the “fire of God burning the bush and the bush wasn’t burnt”, was exactly what God was preparing him to experience but yet God would give him the strength to endure!

What did God say to Paul in Acts 9 (Saul’s conversion): vs 4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecute thou me”? Vs 5: And he said, “Who art thou, Lord”? And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecute: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”.

Prick in Webster means a tiny puncture made by a sharp point; to pain sharply; to raise the ear erect; to listen closely. Pricks in Acts 9:4, is the Greek word ken’tron from (kente’o) (to prick); a point (center), a sting (poison) or goad; (fig) divine impulse. This was the prompting and conscience “stings” Saul felt before conversion, and I believe what Moses felt before yielding to God.

The place Moses went to after killing the Egyptian was Midian, meaning in Hebrew, brawling, contention, quarrel, discord, strife. I believe these things were going on within Moses as he battled in his mind or a “kicking against the pricks” when God said to him:

·       Exodus 3:9: Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Vs 10: Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. Vs 11: And Moses said unto God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt”? vs 12: And he said, “Certainly I will be with thee: and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: “When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain”!

I’m sure, you and I have had those same prickly feelings (by way of fear) as Moses and Saul experienced, a “kicking against the pricks” when it was our turn to step out and obey God!  LORD HAVE MERCY! But the same God that was with Moses and Saul, that same God was and is with us now and that same “fire” is still burning!!

But how many know that God always win!!

·       Luke 9:23: And he said to them all, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me”.

·       Luke 14:27: And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

God appeared also unto Abraham in Genesis 22:11: And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham”: and he said, “Here am I”.

***Exodus 3:2b: And he (Moses) looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Fire here is the root word esh (aysh), meaning fire; burning; fiery; flaming; hot. In its first Biblical appearance, the word “esh” (aysh), represents God’s presence as a torch of fire. Hebrews 12:29: For our God is a consuming fire.

This same fire is on the inside of us burning out of us everything that’s not like Christ!

What is fire? According to the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, it is represented as the symbol of Jehovah’s Presence and the instrument of His power in the way either of approval or destruction.

Fire stands for cleansing and purification. In its true essence it is the fire of Spirit, or the divine energy which never ceases its life-giving purifying glow.

When its cleansing work is completed in man’s mind and body there is no more error to be consumed, and it then manifests in purified man as his eternal life.

What is eternal life? It is knowing God and the Son, Jesus Christ! “And this is life eternal, that they might know (ginos’ko) [to know absolutely [completely; entirely; perfectly]; understand; be aware of] thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

This fire has always been around even since the beginning, from Genesis to Revelation. How long has God been around, and He is fire! Deuteronomy 4:24: For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God. This same word is confirmed in Hebrew 12:29: For our God is a consuming fire.

Besides being a consuming fire, our God is Spirit (St. John 4:24), life, love, substance, power, intelligence, Truth. John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life”!

Fire symbolizes a positive, affirmative mindset, contrasting with the negative or watery (liquefied) state of mind.

On the norm, water can put out fire. But let me tell you, water can’t put out this fire because it’s the fire of God Himself.

I could start a fire with the lighting of a match and throw water on it, and it puts the fire out. God’s fire stood and can stand the test, 1^st Kings 18. Elijah challenges four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of the grove who ate at Jezebel’s table.

·       Vs 23: Let them therefore give us two bullocks and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: vs 24: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, it is well spoken. Vs 36: And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant and that I have done all these things at thy word. Vs 37: Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Vs 38: Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

This same fire followed the Israelites by night in a pillar of fire to give them light and He was a pillar of a cloud by day to lead them the way (Exodus 13:21). Vs 22 states, “He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people”.

Reminds me of Hebrews 13:5, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

Offerings were made unto God by fire:

·       Leviticus 23 (the feasts of the LORD): vs 8: But you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein.

·       Numbers 15 (offerings required of Israel): vs 1: And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: vs 2: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, “When you be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you”: vs 3: And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill-offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock: vs 4: Then shall he that offers his offering unto the LORD bring a meat-offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the forth part of an hin of oil.

This same fire is burning NOW and will forever burn from generation to generation.

Let’s look at four characteristics of this fire. Characteristics are typical traits of a particular person, place or thing. But the “thing” we’re talking about is the “FIRE OF GOD”!

FIRE PURIFIES (removes contamination from):

·       Malachi 3:2: But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: vs 3: 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 in righteousness.

·       Matthew 3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes 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!

·       Revelation 3:18: I counsel thee to buy me gold tried in the fire, that thou may be rich and white raiment, that thou may be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness, doth not appear.

FIRE CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE:

·       Genesis 19:24: Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.

·       Numbers 11:1: And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

GOD’S FIRE IS A PRESERVER:

·       Genesis 3:24: So, he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim’s, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

·       Daniel 3 (the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace):

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had been placed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, and having been given official responsibilities, they had been stripped of their identity and were considered citizens of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzars’ empire had just risen to power and set up an image of gold and at the sound of the musical instruments, all nations, people, and languages should fall down and worship the golden image. But the three Hebrew Boys were determined they would remain true to the living God!

This is what the false church system of today has done to the sons of God (males/females). They want you to bow down to their system: to teach, preach, eat and drink only what they serve and have been serving these meals and drinks for over fifty plus years. But many of you know that we that have been brought out of religion can’t bow to that system, and when you refuse, you (we) are also tried in the fire. Because the Hebrew Boys would not bow down to the Babylonian system they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Not only were they tried by the fire, but they were thrown into it bound. But because they trusted in the True and Living God, the fire burned off the bondage the Babylonians had bound them with, yet they themselves were untouched by the fire. Remember, the fiery furnace was turned up seven times hotter than usual. Seven represents perfection and completeness, typifying the completeness and perfection of God's awesomeness in all He does. This also shows forth how we the church are being  brought to a perfected state in God by His fire yet with the ability to withstand the fiery trials that come to destroy us! The fire preserved the Hebrew Boys but the same fire destroyed the very ones who threw them in. Therefore, don't worry about your haters, your enemies.

·       Isaiah 43:2: When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Vs 3: For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior.

Lastly, this very FIRE IS FRIENDLY:

Are you familiar with the term “friendly fire”? Psalm 104:4: Who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire.

These angels are not those we’ve been told that fly around with wings, but these angels are messengers (prophets; priests; teachers; ambassadors) walking around on two feet that God has empowered and appointed on behalf of Himself that has inhaled God’s very breath and life, that He has made of quick understanding to do what He said to Isaiah:

·       Isaiah 58:1: Cry aloud, spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

These are they that Jesus spoke about in Luke 21:14-15, “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay (antep’o) [refute or deny] nor resist” (anthis’temi) [stand against; oppose; withstand].

His ministers (servants; worshippers) are those set on fire with the Word of God, kindled by the anointing of the Holy Ghost, willing to do whatever God say to do and go wherever He sends them.

·       Matthew 16:24: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Remember what John said, Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes 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”.

Why the Holy Ghost?  Because the Holy Ghost is that which empowers us to do the works that Jesus Himself did.

·       Luke 10:19: I give unto you power (exousi’a) [ability; authority; jurisdiction] to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

·       Acts 1:8: You shall receive power (du’namis) [enablement to perform miracles] after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you to be witnesses unto me.

 why with “fire”? Because the fire is that which purifies and burns out of God’s people everything that is not like Him, just as fire refines gold!

That’s what the trials are for that we go through, to make us like our Heavenly Father, just as Jesus was when He walked the earth. 1^st John 4:17, “As he is, so are we, in this world”!!

Therefore, let the fire light of God burn and so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Evangelist Mary Perry