WHEN THE FIRE FALLS (I Came to Cast Fire on the Earth)

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled.”

Luke 12

The plane was an hour late and I was getting worried. When at last my friend Marcus came through the arrival door, his face was ashen.

“It must have been a rough flight,” I said as we hurried toward baggage pickup.

“The flight was okay,” said Marcus, “but what I heard on that plane is frightening. The guy sitting behind me was talking to his wife in a low voice, but I could hear every word. He seemed to know the markets like the back of his hand. He says they’re about to tank.

We’re just staggering to our feet after a pandemic, and now a crash? It will push the world over the edge.”

“What if he’s wrong?” I asked.

“What if he’s right?” said Marcus. He was thinking of millions unemployed, unrest on the fringes of society and chaos overseas. I tried to cheer him up. But Marcus could see nothing ahead but doom.

Two days later Wall Street took a dive, followed by markets around the world. Panic is everywhere. Governments are trying to mitigate the crisis, but things are still unraveling.

________________________

When God speaks, and no one pays attention, he waits his time. Then comes the fire.

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled.

I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am constrained until it is accomplished.

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”

Luke 12

When the fire falls, it does four things:

It awakens.

It redeems.

It divides.

It consumes.

The fire awakens

And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Eli'jah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and 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.

Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that thou, O LORD, art God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back."

Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God."

I Kings 18

The fire that fell on Elijah’s sacrifice was a sign of things to come. Many times over the centuries the fire of heaven has shaken us out of our slumber.

“The Lord, he is God!’” is heard as the fire spreads.

Spiritual awakenings are never created by us. They come from God alone. We are now seeing the beginning of an awakening, as once again, God’s fire spreads across the earth.

“The Lord, he is God!”

“Show us the way to Zion!”

“Jesus is Lord!”

We will be hearing more of this in the days to come.

The fire redeems

People who never gave God a second thought suddenly see the light. They rise from their slumber, abandon themselves to the Master, and begin to live as sons and daughters of God.

To the awakened ones Jesus is no longer a “religious symbol”. He is Lord. He has raised them from the dead. He has opened their eyes to the glory of God.

But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD.

Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 3

The fire that fell on Jesus at Calvary has burned up the evil which cursed us all. And now the fire redeems us from evil, refines us, cleanses our souls. All we have to do is repent, open our hearts, and walk in the light.

“The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who hear shall live.”

John 5

The fire divides

Even now fire of heaven is dividing the earth.

On one side of the divide are those who turn to God and begin to walk in God’s mercy.

On the other side are those who despise the awakened ones and persecute them.

“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Luke 12

When the fire falls on our slumbering churches, they turn into war zones. Those who answer the Master’s call to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow, are opposed by hecklers and persecutors right inside the church walls.

“You’ve become a fanatic. So go be a fanatic somewhere else! We don’t need fanatics in this church!”

Jesus calls us to burn our bridges and follow him into God’s World. Some answer his call. Others turn away. Wherever the fire falls the human race divides.

The fire consumes

Yes, the fire redeems, but it also judges. The Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet (the Unholy Trinity) in John’s Revelation vision are finally thrown into the Lake of Fire. These angelic beings used their freedom to become hideous and grotesque deceivers, spreading misery across the earth. They destined themselves for the fire.

But the masses who followed them, are they destined for the fire too? Who knows what abuse they suffered as children? Who can understand why they stumbled into the path of darkness. Is it fair to send these fragile humans into the Lake of Fire?

C. S. Lewis reminds us that each of us is growing into the likeness of the Lord we follow. Ultimately each of us will either shine with the glory of the risen Lord, or we will take on the hideous likeness of the Prince of Darkness and share his fate.

Whether it suits our taste or not, Jesus tells us that he will one day have to say to the “goats”,

“Depart, you cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink….

…Inasmuch are you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.”

Matthew 25

When God speaks, and no one pays attention, he waits his time. Then comes the fire.

Even now it burns across the earth,

calling us to wake up,

redeeming all who follow the Lamb,

dividing light from darkness, truth from lies, bringing down the mighty from their seats and raising those of low degree,

consuming evil, until it is gone from the earth.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe;

for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12

REB- January 2021

Prayer-  Holy Lord, Your ways are just and perfect. You alone are worthy. You are a consuming fire and we need to be kindled by it now. Prepare us for when your fire falls.  Awaken us with your fire, turn our hearts back to you as we see your mighty hand at work… until we cry out… You are God, You are God. We yield to your holy refinement so that our offering to you is as pure as you deserve. Oh Lord we desire to be on your side of the divide, the side of sacrifice, the side of mercy, the side of perfect love. So divide and burn the darkness from our souls.  Precious Lamb, may we reject the insidious evil that deceives us into turning away from your gentle ways, that calls us to embrace a hideous beast instead.  Lord keep us reflecting your glory, and trusting in your unshakeable kingdom even as the world burns around us, for you are a Holy Fire.