fire

is mentioned over 500 times in the bible (KJV). I was reading in Hebrews 1:7  and the passage states;

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

and I was struck at the idea of being a minister or servant of a flame of fire. I mean – when we read the bible fire is used in a lot of ways – to symbolize many things – but the meaning I get from this is that among the many different ways fire is used (not to mention the hell reference) there is apparently a friendly fire. When I look at my own life I use fire to serve my heating and cooking needs…but don’t want it to run rampant and burn my house down. So an uncontrolled fire would be undesirable and destructive, no doubt I want it put out asap. Since fire has good uses, perhaps the heavenly description of purification by fire is only to be feared by those that are only dross or have nothing good that would remain by the purification of fire. Maybe being purified by fire has little, less or no pain by those that have little, less or no dross. Perhaps the works that are destroyed by fire are the things that are impeding our actually living – kind of a surgical, geo-spiritual experience. It sounds like Paul is saying here in 1 Corinthians 3:12 that many will survive, or be saved – but their works will be destroyed by the fire. Here the important thing is what we are building on. Hot tip – build on the firm foundation of Christ.

Luke 3:16 , talks about being baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire… this can mean a lot of things – one thing I know is this; I have seen a lot of water baptisms, but I have never seen a fire baptism service. I once read an interesting spiritual reference to fire – as George MacDonald said – the fire is hotter the further we are away from God. It is interesting that something so near – and so prevalent, can be something so comforting and so terrifying depending on our relation to it.