God's Holy
Fire
by George
Kirkpatrick
Vital Words to the Body of Christ
Freely We Have Received, Freely We Give
E-mail:
Vitalwords@aol.com
http://www.newfoundationspubl.org/titles.htm
God's holy fire appears throughout the whole Bible. Three times, the Bible states God is a consuming fire. When Moses explained he would not pass over to their promise land with them, he related to the people:
"For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24
Their God was a consuming fire, even a jealous God, and the children of Israel were to serve Him alone.
When Israel was about to enter into their promise land, they were afraid because of the giants in the land, but God gave them assurance.
"Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is He which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire He shall destroy them, and He shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee." Deuteronomy 9:3
Israel had nothing to fear because their God was a consuming fire. God assured them His consuming fire would go before them to destroy their enemies.
When Paul was assuring the Hebrew people of the coming Kingdom, he related the same message Moses' had related to the ancient Hebrew people:
"For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29
This is the same assurance God gives His people today.
When we think of fire we think of a red, orange flame. A red, orange flame shows there is impurities in the fire. But God's holy fire is a bright, white because there are no impurities in it.
The first instance of God's holy fire in the Bible was the burning bush Moses saw. The Bible tells us the bush was not consumed:
"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the mist of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed." Exodus 3:2
At this time, Moses was in the wilderness attending Jethro's sheep. We can be assured he had witnessed many burning bushes. What made this one different? It was the brightness of the fire:
"And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." Exodus 3:3
Moses had never witnessed a fire such as this. In his wonderment, he had to see what it was all about:
"And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the mist of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." And He said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Exodus 3:4-5
God watched Moses to see what his reaction would be to the burning bush. When Moses turned aside, it was then God spoke to him to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground. We need to observe Moses was not on holy ground because of the bush, but because of the fire.
Today this fire is still burning, but most of God's people will never see it, because they refuse to turn aside from the way they are going. Because of this, many will miss God's calling in this last hour.
God sent Moses to deliver His people from their Egyptian bondage, but it was not without God's help. As Israel traveled in the wilderness, Gods presence and glory was always with them:
"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:" Exodus 13:21
At night Israel had God's holy fire, His brightness. And in the day time they had God's cloud (His glory) which protected them from the extreme heat of the desert. As long as we are obedient, we will always have God's light (His presence) and His glory to cover us. This miracle is spoken of throughout the Bible. Nehemiah spoke of this miracle:
"Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go." Nehemiah 9:12
God led His people through the wilderness in the day by a cloud and at night by His holy fire, His presence. Again Nehemiah reminded the people:
"Yet Thou in Thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go." Nehemiah 9:19
God was always there for His people. The Psalmist Asaph wrote of this also:
"In the daytime also He led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire." Psalm 78:14
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul also reminds us of this miracle:
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." I Corinthians 10:1-2
Everything Moses did was by God's direction and anointing. When he led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, it was another of God's supernatural miracles. This miracle had a purpose - - - and that was to show Israel the importance of water baptism in their walk with God.
The prophet Isaiah gave all who dwell in Zion, the same hope God gave ancient Israel:
"And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence." Isaiah 4:5
All who are part of God's Holy City, New Jerusalem are under His cloud (His glory) and His flaming, all consuming fire.
God's holy fire has four purposes: for judgment, for cleansing, for protection, and for defense.
The next instance of God's holy fire was when God wanted to speak to the children of Israel and give them His ten commandments:
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes. And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people from Mount Sinai." Exodus 19:10-11
The children of Israel needed to prepare themselves for this meeting with the Lord. First, they were to sanctify themselves. The word sanctify means "to be set apart to consecrate themselves totally unto God." They were to wash their clothes. There was to be nothing unclean next to their bodies.
When they did this, the Lord would appear to them on the third day in the sight of all the people. We have this same promise today. God will appear again on the third day to all those who are sanctified unto Him and have purified themselves for this meeting with their God. Moses continued to prepare the people:
"And He said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount." Exodus 19:15 & 17
When the third day came, Moses brought the people to the foot of Mount Sinai. They were not to touch the mount, and they were to await the appearance of the Lord.
"And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." Exodus 19:18
The whole mountain was covered by God's glorious fire, and the whole mountain shook because of the presence of God.
"And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel." Exodus 24:17
When God spoke, all the children of Israel could see was God's consuming fire.
"And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." Exodus 20:18-19
Like Israel, many today do not want to hear God's voice. Let Him speak to the preachers, and let the preachers tell us what God expects of us. With this attitude, many will not turn aside to see the burning bush or Mount Sinai to hear God's voice. This, too, was spoke of throughout the Bible. The Psalmist David wrote:
"The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel." Psalm 68:8
In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul related:
"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." Hebrews 12:25-26
God is going to shake all those who refuse to hear His voice. First He will shake their earth (their flesh realm), then He will shake their heaven (their spiritual realm). God intends to have a people who know His voice. Jesus spoke to His disciples:
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27
Those who do not know Jesus' voice will not be part of His coming Kingdom age.
The next time we witness God's holy fire was when Elijah returned to Israel after the three and one-half year drought Elijah spoke into existence. Elijah met Ahab:
"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel. And he (Elijah) answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim." I Kings 18:17-18
How true this is for our day. Ahab was married to Jezebel, and the Jezebel spirit ruled the house of Ahab. They worshiped Baal, the god of increase and plenty. Today this is the same god many worship. Many men have taken a back seat to the spirit of Jezebel who rules their house. These men have taken on the spirit of Ahab. Elijah gave Ahab a challenge:
"Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table." I Kings 18:19
At Ahab's command, when all Israel was gathered on Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged the people:
"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." I Kings 18:21
Elijah put it straight to the people. How long would they vacillate between the true God and Baal, the god of increase and plenty? Elijah stood alone, but the prophets of Baal were four hundred and fifty. The challenge Elijah gave to the prophets of Baal was as follows:
"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: and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let Him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken." I Kings 18:23-24
"Let the God who answers by fire be the God Israel would serve." The prophets of Baal called on their god from morning till noon. Then they leaped on the altar. They cried to their god. They cut themselves until their blood gushed out - - - to no avail. The prophets of Baal continued to prophesy from midday until the evening sacrifice.
Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal. Then, at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah repaired the Altar of the Lord which was broken down. We live in the day of the evening sacrifice. Truly the Altar of the Lord has been broken down in our day. Faith, trust, and praise have been all but forgotten. But Elijah gives us hope:
"And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the Word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water." I Kings 18:31-34
After Elijah prepared the altar, he laid the pieces of the bullock on the altar. He proceeded to pour twelve barrels of water on the sacrifice. This was one barrel for each tribe of Israel:
"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." I Kings 18:36
The evening sacrifice represents the end of this present age. Elijah declared he did all these things by the Word of God. Then Elijah cried out:
"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. 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." I Kings 18:37-38
The fire of God not only consumed the evening sacrifice, but the wood, the stones of the altar, and the twelve barrels of water. Elijah did not do this for his own glory, but to prove God to the children of Israel. Today we witness the same thing in the earth. God's peoples' hearts have turned away from God. When the people saw the holy fire of God, they fell on their faces and cried:
"The Lord, He is the God; the Lord He is the God." I Kings 18:39b
Today God's people need to understand God's holy fire is about to be sent upon the earth because they have turned their backs on Him. By Jesus' words we know:
"I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?" Luke 12:49
God's holy fire has already been kindled. It is man's weapons of mass destruction. When these weapons are unleashed upon mankind, then the people will fall on their knees and cry out for mercy - - - and they too, as Israel, will proclaim "The Lord He is God! The Lord He is God!" This will bring to pass the revelation given to Paul which he proclaimed to the Romans and the Philippians:
"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Romans 14:11
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." Philippians 2:10
All will proclaim Him to be God, but it will be too late. Their lives have sealed their fate.
As we look again, to those who have the Ahab spirit, we are told of his death. At his death, Ahaziah reigned in his stead:
"And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease." II Kings 1:2
Ahaziah sent messengers to enquire of the false god Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, asking him to recover him from this accident:
"But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the King of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron?" II Kings 1:3
God sent Elijah to head off these messages. Elijah was to ask them, "Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baalzebub?" Elijah told these messengers of Ahaziah, he would not come down from his bed, but that he would die. When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, the king asked why they had returned. When the messengers told them they had met a man, the king asked what manner of man this was. His messengers told the King:
"And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite." II Kings 1:8
King Ahaziah knew Elijah. He therefore sent fifty of his soldiers to bring Elijah to him:
"Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the King hath said, Come down." II Kings 1:9
King Ahaziah ordered Elijah to come down unto him.
"And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty." II Kings 1:10
Today the popular teaching is we must obey the government in everything they say. Elijah did not obey the government agents. He simply called down fire upon their heads, and the fifty with their captain was consumed.
King Ahaziah had not learned his lesson, so he sent a second contingent of fifty to bring up Elijah to him:
"Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the King said, Come down quickly. And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty." II Kings 1:11-12
By now, King Ahaziah, had lost two captains, and one hundred soldiers. The king began to get the message. He had no power against the God Elijah served. When the King sent the third fifty, they had learned a few manners:
"And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight." II Kings 1:13
Elijah went down, but not as the conquered, but as the conqueror. When he went into King Ahaziah, he told him that because he had inquired of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, he would surely die. King Ahaziah died, and his son reigned in his stead.
The next time we witness God's holy fire is in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden idol, and all the people were to bow down to this idol when they heard the music the king chose to play. Those who would not bow down to the king's idol or his music would be cast into a furnace of fire. But Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego would not bow down to the king's idol, nor to his music. Then the people accused Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego before the king:
"There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the gold image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king." Daniel 3:12-13
Nebuchadnezzar was very upset at Shadrch, Mechach, and Abednego for disobeying his word. But these three Israelites refused to obey the governmental proclamations:
"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego did not fear what the government could do unto them. They feared what God would do to them if they bowed down to Nebuchadnezzar's gods. What a lesson for God's people today who fear the government more then they fear God.
"Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated." Daniel 3:19
Nebuchadnezzar made the fire as hot as man could make it. This is our example of the nuclear hell man has created to destroy the earth. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had no fear of the fire.
Next Nebuchadnezzar commanded his servants to bind the hands and feet of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego and cast them into this fiery furnace.
"Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." Daniel 3:22
The men who put Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego into the fire were consumed by the fire. And when Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, he was astonished to see four men walking in the mist of the fire unhurt, and one was like unto the Son of God. Nebuchadnezzar called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the fire:
"And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed. Neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them." Daniel 3:27
As we view this miracle with Spiritual eyes, we discover God surrounded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with His glorious fire. This was the same fire Moses witnessed at the burning bush. God's total protection was upon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - - - and nothing the government put them through could destroy them.
Praise the Lord! The fourth man in the fire was Christ Jesus (the Holy Spirit). God's people today are made the same promise of surviving the nuclear hell that is coming upon the earth. Isaiah gave us this promise:
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Isaiah 43:2
When Israel went through the Red Sea, the waters did not overflow them, but all of Pharaoh's army was destroyed by this same water. And when we walk through the fire, we will not be burned, and there will be no smell of smoke upon our clothes, because God's holy fire will be our protection
We discover in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's case, there were only two things destroyed in the fire - - - the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire - - - and the bondage government had put on God's people.
If we are unwilling to bow down to the idols the government has set up for us to worship. And if we refuse to bow down to the music the government has allowed to destroy the minds of our youth. Then, we too, can walk through the nuclear hell they have created to put us through.
The next time we encounter God's holy fire is on the Day of Pentecost. When the one hundred and twenty were gathered in the Upper Room . . .
". . . suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:2-4
This time God's holy fire came as cloven tongues of fire. This time fire came not to consume, but to cleanse His holy vessels, to make them ready for His Kingdom work. These cloven tongues of fire were prophesied over four hundred years before Jesus came to earth. The Holy Spirit prophesied this cleansing fire through the pen of Malachi:
"But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap: 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." Malachi 3:2-3
We are living in that day, and God is working as a refiner's fire in the lives of those He is preparing for His Kingdom age. Malachi continues:
"And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saith the Lord of hosts." Malachi 3:5
God's holy fire is not only a cleansing fire, it is also the fire of His judgment.
God's holy fire has five purposes in our lives. His holy fire will cleanse, it will consume, it will protect, it will be our defence, or it will harden us, skimming off all the dross of sin and the world.
Yes, God is going to turn up the heat in our lives to bring our sin nature to the surface, so we can deal with it. If we refuse to deal with it, then it will settle again throughout our whole being, until this undealt sin permeates our every action.
When God turns up the heat, and our sin nature is made known to us - - - if we will deal with that sin - - - then God will forgive us - - - and His holy fire will have done its work. We can be clean, through and through; and the cloven tongues of fire will have done its work, and God will have a clean vessel He can work with. Those cloven tongues of fire are still at work today, cleansing and making us useful vessels of honor, fit for the Kingdom.
We need to discover what these cloven tongues of fire will do to prepare God's people for their Kingdom reign. The Psalmist writes:
"Who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire:" Psalm 104:4
God will make His ministers a flaming fire. This is the same word the Holy Spirit spoke to Paul in his letter to the Hebrews:
"And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire." Hebrews 1:7
Who are the ministers God has made flames of fire? These are those who have turned away from the downward path they were going, and who have faced the burning bush, and have received their marching orders from God, Himself. These are the watchmen on the wall. These are those whose trumpet (prophetic voice) give a certain sound. These are those who are being sent to warn God's people of His coming judgment and wrath.
And who are these ministers of fire sent to warn? As Malachi stated, these ministers of fire are sent to warn the sorcerers, the adulterers, the false swearers, those who oppress the hirelings, the widow, and the fatherless, those who turn aside the strangers, and those who fear not God. These ministers of fire are to warn all of these, so when God's wrath comes, they will stand before him, without excuse.
Beloved, God has warned us and warned us throughout His Word concerning His coming judgment. And also today, there are many ministers of fire who are warning God's people of His coming judgment. But these ministers of fire have been scorned, called prophets of doom, fear mongers, and other unsavory names.
Ministers of fire, don't stop warning God's people of His coming judgment. For, indeed, it is in the earth today. We are truly in the beginning of sorrows: The prophet Isaiah wrote:
"And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones." Isaiah 30:30
God has shown His anger with lightnings. Many of the fires today have been caused by lightning burning thousands of acres, plus expensive homes and businesses. The Supreme Court of California declared Sodomite marriages was Ok. Because of this, Proposition Eight was placed on the ballot, where the people of California voted "No" to sodomite marriages. After this decision, the Sodomites staged massive protests. Six days after the election, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a speech on behalf of the Sodomites, telling them, "Do not give up!" He stated his office as Governor would attempt to overturn Proposition Eight to give the Sodomites the right to marry. The latest fires in California came when he made this statement. After this speech, it began to happen. Fires from lightning began to break out. In Monticito, one hundred multi-million dollar homes were burnt. Then other fires broke out in the San Fernando Valley, and over one thousand homes were burned. These fires were whipped by high winds.
These were only a few instances of the lightning down of God's arm punishing those who live in California. When Governor Schwartzenegger signed the bill allowing boys, who thought they should be girls, to use the girls' bathrooms, this time fire broke out in numerous places in California.
God's judgments are sure. If California does not quit sinning against God, it will become an ash heap. California is not the only guilty one. There have been devastating fires in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina, and elsewhere - - - all started by lightning. Yes, we are indeed, in the beginning of sorrows.
God's judgments come in many ways. Looking again at Isaiah, chapter thirty:
"And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones." Isaiah 30:30
God's judgment also comes with scattering. The word scattering is the Hebrew word NEPHETS and means "driving storms." Storms in this nation are getting more severe. Hurricanes and tornadoes are more frequent. Winters are longer, with more snow accumulation. Power outages are more often. Why are all these things happening with the colder winters and the severe storms?
There are also unprecedented changes taking place in our sun. NASA scientists are marveling because the sun is slowly starting to dim, and there were no sunspots at all for two months. That has never happened before. Scientists are saying that the sun is now on a dimmer switch; solar winds have weakened, and the sun is cooler and less dense. It is as if our sun is beginning to die early. Truly God's anger is shown in many ways upon this sinful, godless nation.
Isaiah also said tempests would show God's anger. The word tempest is the Hebrew word ZEREN and means "overflowing floods of rain and downpour." The word overflowing also has to do with our oceans. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts are having more violent storms.
On election night, massive fifteen foot waves began to pound the coast of Maine at low tide. The residents of Boothbay Harbor thought it was the end of the world as three separate rounds of crashing, giant waves came from nowhere and began to rip docks apart. The horrified residents were heard to cry out, "Oh my God, is this the end?" Scientists have been unable to explain the unusual event!
When we wonder why these things are happening, it's because they have been prophesied. Jesus related to His disciples:
"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;" Luke 21:25
Truly the nations are perplexed. The scientists cannot explain what is happening. An unknown Psalmist wrote:
"Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling His Word:" Psalm 148:8
God's Word will be fulfilled. It will take fire, hail, snow, vapours, and stormy winds - - - but God's Word will be fulfilled. Both the Psalmist and Isaiah mentioned hail. Throughout this nation and the world, there are reports of giant hailstones, the size of softballs. These large hailstones damage cars, crops, kill small animals, and break windows. But these are nothing, if we consider the word Jesus gave us for the last day:
"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Revelation 16:21
Hailstones that weigh one hundred pounds! These hailstones will kill large animals, damage buildings, and anything in their way. Yes, they will even kill people if one of these giant hailstones hits them.
The Psalmist speaks of snow. Snowfall in the last year set all time records. As we read the prophets, we realize they have informed us of every event this nation and the world is facing. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied:
" . . . a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed." Jeremiah 50:37c
The sword upon her treasure is all part of God's judgment upon sin. When we look around, we need to ask, "What part of the financial world is not broke?" California, who snubs their nose at God is broke. They want the government to bail out their nine billion dollar debt. The auto industry is broke. The airline industry is broke. The insurance companies are broke. The credit card companies are broke. Many cities are ready to file bankruptcy. Twenty-four banks have gone out of business, even after the seven hundred billion dollar bailout. The real estate market is in chaos. The government had to put a halt to foreclosures. God's sword of judgment is indeed upon her treasures.
God has warned the people over and over what they can expect if they do - - - or do not - - - follow His Word. He recorded in Deuteronomy:
"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth." Deuteronomy 28:1
When this nation began, it was founded on the Word of God. Because of this, God set this nation on high, above all nations on earth. The Bible was taught in the schools, and the church was the center of all activities. God was honored in all meetings, and a prayer was offered, and God was thanked for all His blessings. The founding fathers of this nation feared God, and gave Him reverence. When this nation walked with God, they received the promise:
"And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:" Deuteronomy 28:13
God truly made this nation the head. But after the Second World War, this nation began its down hill trek. In the `sixties it took prayer out of schools. In the `seventies, it began legal abortions. Since that time, sin has been on a rampage, and its transgressions are coming to the full. But God has also promised:
"But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:" Deuteronomy 28:15
Then God listed all the curses, one could expect if he did not follow His Word. Everything one does, everything one touches will be cursed. Then God declared:
"He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail." Deuteronomy 28:44
This nation now operates on borrowed money. The wars in Iraq and Afganistan are financed with borrowed money. All the bailout money is borrowed. The stimulus money is borrowed. China has threatened to flood the market with our dollars they hold, which would further ruin our economy. God's Word is coming true. Moses writes in Deuteronomy:
"Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded thee." Deuteronomy 28:45
God's curses have overtaken this nation, and it is being destroyed economically because it has forsaken Him. Its final collapse is eminent. There is no recovery. They can band- aid it together for a short time, but the hand writing is on the wall. God's holy fire is about to be poured out in all its fury. Now the tail is wagging the dog.
But what about God's people? How will the fire affect them?
Isaiah makes us this promise:
"And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense." Isaiah 4:5
God is going to protect his people, just as He protected Israel in the wilderness. God's glory will be our defense. But what about the wicked? God has promised through the pen of Zephaniah:
"Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zephaniah 1:18
All the money the wicked have accumulated will not save them from God's wrath. The fire of His jealousy will destroy them in that day. Zephaniah continues:
"Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the Kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy." Zephaniah 3:8
God's holy fire is for our protection, but He is also the consuming fire for the destruction of the wicked. God's holy fire will have an effect upon every person on earth.
We need to ask ourselves,
"Do we want to walk with Christ Jesus through the fire?
Or, do we want to be destroyed by those men who put us in the fire?"
God's holy fire is absolute. We need to answer the question Elijah put to Israel, "If God be God, serve Him. If Baal be god, serve him!" We need to know God will answer this question by fire. Our God will be victorious!
In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul described The Lord's coming for the wicked:
"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:" II Thessalonians 2:8
The Lord's coming will be as a consuming fire. His brightness is the same brightness Moses saw at the burning bush. It will be His white, hot fury.
But He also promises His saints what they can expect:
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." II Timothy 2:19
Paul warns all those who call themselves by the Lord's name to depart from iniquity. The word iniquity means "unrighteousnesss of heart and life." If we use the name of Christ, then we need to repent and turn back to His Word. The Day of Judgment is at hand. The day of playing Church is over. We need to get our lives in order for the coming day of the Lord.
Vital Words to the Body of Christ
Freely We Have Received, Freely We Give
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