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FLAMES OF GLORY

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THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FIRE AND THE VOICE OF GOD

In the earliest records we have of God revealing Himself to humans, He appeared to people in fascinating ways. He had this interesting modus operandi of revealing Himself in fires. Besides Moses seeing the burning bush at Mount Sinai[1], God lead the Israelites through the wilderness with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.[2] This was something the people of God long remembered and reflected on as a reminder of His faithful intervention in time of need.[3] God even appeared to the Egyptians through these same pillars, to show them He would protect His people from their harm.[4] Later, we see Moses mention many times to the people how “the Lord spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire.”[5]

When God wanted to cut covenant with His people through Abram, He waited until Abram was in a deep sleep and it was completely dark.[6] Scripture doesn’t say this, but I believe God did it this way to make it abundantly clear that the covenant would not, and could not, be upheld by human means. If one party is asleep while the covenant is being formed and doesn’t even hear the terms, they’re certainly not going to uphold it by their own strength. A helpless and comatose Abram had prophecies spoken over him about the mighty things God would do and the promises He would keep in his life. To seal His word, God came in “a smoking fire pot and flaming torch” to pass through the animals He had asked Abram to bring. In that time, this practice (passing between the halves of sacrificed animals) symbolized a binding oath on those who participated. By walking between the sacrifices, one was accepting the same destruction if they broke their end of the vow. But Abram never walked that path—only God did. His presence came in a fire to vow that His covenant is never contingent on any kind of His followers’ ability.

Later, God passed before Elijah with fire right before He spoke to Him in a low whisper.[7] Isaiah prophesied that God would “come in fire and His chariots like the whirlwind.”[8] When David wrote a song of praise to God for delivering him from his enemies, he sang about a “consuming fire and burning coals coming from His mouth.”[9] He described the brightness of God’s presence by saying it “kindled fire before Him.”[10]

God’s voice is not only a sound—it’s an element. It is its own element, indescribable with English terms or human language. The phrase the Hebrew used for “still, small voice” was probably the closest the writer could get to describing it.

I’m sure you’ve heard the estimations from researchers about how “70-90% of communication is nonverbal.” Similar to how we say a lot to each other with many other means besides just words, God doesn’t always “speak” but He certainly communicates.

Of all the elements He could’ve used, why did God choose fire? It’s undoubtedly a polarizing thing, it can destroy as suddenly as it can bring life. It can scald as easily as it can bring soothing comfort. Much like the Savior who warned us that His coming would be very divisive in the world[11], fire can be terrifying or a great source of peace.

Fire is often spoken about as a symbol of God’s judgment. Talk of hell and flames of torment are not uncommon, and we do see a few references in scripture that make sense of that. But there’s much more to the symbolism of these fires God continued to reveal Himself in, and the connection to His communication with His people.

“Fire by night” meant that He was providing—light for the darkness, warmth for the cold. Since the earliest days of human life, fire has been a provision for life and one of the most necessary means of survival. Fire was also spoken about as a picture of His glory and majesty.[12]

In the New Testament, we see God described as a “consuming fire,” attached to a reminder to celebrate that we’re receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.[13] This fire of consumption is also a symbol of a new life, burning off the old—John the Baptist proclaimed that when Jesus came, He would baptize people not only with water, but with the Holy Spirit and fire.[14]

Jesus’s own eyes are described in Revelation as being “like blazing fire.”[15] My mind can’t imagine how beautiful those must be.

When members of the church of Acts were filled with the Holy Spirit, one of the signs of His movement among them was what they described as “tongues of fire.”[16]

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul even describes the fire of the presence of God and His angels as a source of relief for the troubled.[17]

“Coals of fire” were actually a method of purification—His fire refines and sanctifies, it tests and reveals the quality of anything placed in it.[18] Fire only burns that which isn’t holy. Put something holy in the fire, and it will come out as gold.[19]

In those early days of humans encountering God, the Israelites were amazed they could come into contact with God’s fire and live to tell the tale. Now, we live knowing that under the blood of Jesus and saved from the wrath of God[20], we have access to God’s presence. We have the ability to be transformed into His image and become the righteousness of God, [21] because the sacrifice of Jesus makes us holy. [22] And when we’re holy, fire can only be a good thing.

Autumn Crew is the Managing Editor of FAI Publishing. She lives in the Middle East and serves a number of disciple-making initiatives. She can be reached at autumncrew@faimission.org.

 
 

Autumn Crew