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3) Examples of the consuming fire
Elijah
Elijah also demonstrated the Creator's power and judgement using fire. When King Ahaziah was sick and sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he would recover of his illness, Elijah met the messengers along the way and gave them the message that Ahaziah would die. He wanted to know why the king enquired of Baal-zebub and asked, 'Is there no God in Israel?' The king, in response, then sent a captain and his fifty to Elijah who was located on top of a hill. Elijah was ordered to come down fron the hill. He then called upon Yahweh, '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.' This was done to a second captain and his fifty also.. (2 Kings 1:10) This should have been a powerful lesson to the king and to Israel that their God demanded reverence and obedience.
Sodom
And let us not forget the judgement that annihilated Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness and immorality. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is used frequently in the Bible as a warning to disobedient nations. Luke uses it in his recording of the Messiah's words. 'As it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted and they builded'. ( Does that sound like life today?)...'But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.' (Luke 17:28-30) Doesn't this send out warnings to the inhabitants of the twenty-first century? Mankind is preoccupied with the commercial world, living a life of ease and condoning immorality. Violence and lawlessness are widespread. This generation is warned here that it will, like Sodom and Gomorrah, have to face its judgement.
Psalms
The Psalms also depict God as 'a consuming fire.' Psalm 21:8-9.
'Thine hand shall find out your enemies: your right hand shall find those that hate you. You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger: Yahweh shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.' In Psalm 50:3 it states, 'Our God comes, he does not keep silence, before Him is a devouring fire, round about Him a mighty tempest.' In Psalm 97:1-6, there is a vision of Yahweh reigning over the earth in righteousness. 'Justice is the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries... the earth sees and trembles... The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the people behold His glory.'
Isaiah
Compare what Isaiah says with the words of the Psalmist. 'Behold, the name of Yahweh comes from far, burning with his anger... His lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire.' (Isaiah 30:27) “Behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and with his chariots like whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will Yahweh plead with all flesh: and the slain of Yahweh will be many.' (Isaiah 66:15-16)
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