PENTECOST -- A REVEALING BEGINNING "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. " THE FIRE OF GOD IN HISTORY -- Tomorrow:
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And 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 2:1-4)
Devotion 17 of 28
When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, it was by means of a fire that came out from the Lord. "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven" (Gen 19:24).
When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire to the Lord, refusing to take fire from off the altar, as the Lord commanded, "there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD" (Lev 10:2).
Once, when Israel was complaining and murmuring before the Lord, it is written, "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp" (Num 11:1).
When Korah and his cohorts rebelled against Moses, demanding that they be given honor equal to him, the earth opened up and swallowed them. But that was not the end of the matter, lest the rebellion spread further, "there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense"(Num 16:35).
On one occasion, Ahaziah, king of Samaria, sent some men to get the prophet Elijah. Of that incident it is written, "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. 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. 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. 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. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king" (2 Kgs 1:9-15).
During the trial of Job, a servant reported to him the destruction of his sheep. "While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee" (Job 1:16).
Commenting on the history of Israel the Psalmist wrote, "The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage" (Psa 78:63).
When God descended on Mount Sinai, it was anything but comforting. "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" (Ex 19:18).
When God judged Egypt, one of the plagues was a hail that came from heaven, mingled with fire. "So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation" (Ex 9:24).
Even in the most favorable sense, the fire of God was associated with the consumption of an acceptable sacrifice (Lev 9:24; 1 Kgs 18:38; 1 Chron 21:26; 2 Chron 7:1).
Apart from the consumption of sacrifices offered to God, no person acquainted with the Lord ever associated a fire from heaven with blessing! When the fire of God, or fire from heaven, was perceived, it was connected with consumption. In the case of an acceptable sacrifice, that denoted acceptance. In every other case, fire meant rejection and judgment.
There is a single exception to this rule, and it ought to be noted here. When leading Israel from Egypt to Canaan, the Lord employed a "pillar of fire" by night. The purpose of that pillar was to provide illumination. "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" (Ex 13:21).
Although it is not depicted as a fire coming from heaven, Moses once saw a bush that burned with fire, but was not consumed. This was when God called him to deliver Israel from Egypt (Ex 3:2).
On the day of Pentecost, how will this phenomenon be regarded by this band of disciples? There certainly was no Scriptural account of such a happening before. Jesus had not told them they would see fire dividing itself and being distributing among them.
It is obvious from what follows that something has taken place in the heavenly realms – something that has impacted upon God's dealings with men. This fire will not consume, but will rather bring great advantages to men. Instead of fear, men will become bold. They will become strong, not weak.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the marvelous effects of Christ's death and resurrection in heaven itself.