The Work Of The Fire Of God

By James Weidner (added by Mary for testing purposes)

Deuteronomy 4:24: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

Deuteronomy 9:3: “But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a consuming fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you…”

Our God is a consuming fire that goes before and consumes all in His path. 

Numbers 9:15-16   15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 

In the wilderness, the people of God were getting a Master’s class on who God was, how He revealed Himself, how He chose leaders, how sacrifices were to be made, how He responded to rebellion, and lots more. There were many signs and wonders the Lord did to provide, protect, and correct His people. One sign that was most consistent and always before them was the fire of God.

The Tabernacle was covered in the Presence of the Lord. The appearance of God’s presence was as of fire. God’s presence and His glory were represented by a cloud that burned like a fire. The Presence of the Lord did not leave. The Lord led the people with fire. 

The cloud of fire rested on the Tabernacle, the fire came forth from the Lord and burned on the altar, the fire consumed the sacrifices, and the fire would come forth and consume people who rebelled against Moses. The Priests were instructed to bring wood every morning and evening to keep the fire burning.

We sometimes think we are different. Though Jesus did correct His Disciples when they proposed calling fire down from heaven. Yet, our God remains an all-consuming fire and is not to be trifled with.  

Numbers 11:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched.

Our God is a consuming fire. This response could seem pretty severe when viewed through the wrong lens. The question is not why did the *Lord burn among them* in this way, but rather how are we all not consumed. God’s perpetual, all-consuming fire is restrained only by His mercy and by His covenant with His people. Now revealed to us through Christ.

The Refiner’s fire separates and consumes. To be in God is to be in the fire. When fires spring forth in our life, it is because we live and move and have our being in the Fire. Times of peace is a blessing of the Lord. Times of testing are times of refining from the Lord.

1 Pet 1:6–7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Zech 13:9 I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”

The work of refining is holy, is to be expected, and is to be welcomed. The remnant are refined. The unbelieving world is consumed. Consumed with lust, with the pursuit of pleasure, consumed with intense cravings that they must satisfy, and in the end consumed with fire.

The refiner’s fire describes God’s purifying work on his people through affliction and testing. A refiner’s fire purifies by melting precious metal, separating out the impurities that ruin its value, burning them, and leaving the silver and gold intact. The furnace of affliction. 

Ps 66:10 For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.

Prov 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.

Isa 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Burning out the intense cravings of the flesh, leaving only a craving for God. 

1 Cor 3:12–15 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Your work will be tested by fire for your saving.  Some of the work might be burned as fuel for the fire. The refiner’s fire, takes his people into the fire in order to purify and cleanse them of impurities. A refiner’s fire creates the condition where the pure and impure parts of the metal can no longer coincide and must become separate, with impurities burned away, leaving only the pure.

The process carries both warning and hope. The burning happens now so as not to be too late later. Our faith tested by fire is much more precious than gold that perishes, and may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ 

The testing of faith produces patience, which has its perfect work so that believers may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.