Fire is used multiple times in the bible to describe or represent the Lord. Fire is also symbolic of hell. The fire symbolic of hell, is the fire of God's judgement. Secular society associates fire with Satan, ( but somehow they do not realize they should be associating judgement with Satan...the enemy does not control the fire as many cartoonish versions of hell are portrayed, but the fire controls him) The bible only talks about the lake of fire which will imprison him. All other references to fire describe the Lord.

In Exodus chapter three, Moses encounters God in the burning bush...a flame that burns but does not consume. God was found in a pillar of fire that gave the Israelites light and protection. God required that the fire on the altar must be forever kept burning to represent His eternal flame. In Leviticus chapter 9 "fire came out from his presence." In 2Kings a chariot of fire came for Elijah to take him to heaven. Isaiah chapter 30 says, "and his tongue is a consuming fire". In Jeremiah God refers to his word as fire. In Daniel four men "walked around in the fire". Malachi states that the Lord " is a refiners fire". In Matthew the Holy Spirit descended as fire. In the book of Acts tongues of fire that separated fell on those speaking. ( I believe that I have made my point)

It is not until the bible speaks of judgement that fire is something which destroys. What fire destroys is sin...the imperfect... the dross of life. When a refiner is clarifying silver or gold, the dross is burned away until pure metal is all that remains. The enemy will be cast in a lake of eternal fire (Jude1:7) The lake of fire is called the second death (Rev20:14) In the end even the elements will be destroyed by fire (2Peter 3:10)

God is Holy...set apart...pure. God is a constant Holy flame. Many will be consumed and rebuked and punished when the end of time comes as we know it, but take heart, for God has saved us through Jesus His son, from this fire of judgement.

"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The lord said to Satan 'The Lord rebuke you Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?'Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing near him,'Take off his filthy clothes.' Then he said to Joshua 'See I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you." - Zechariah 3:1-4

God takes us, and even while the enemy stands accusing us of our sinfulness, the Lord himself rebukes him because he has chosen us (no other reason than God's amazing character...a totally wonderful gift to us!) and he pulls us from the burning flames (where we belong) and takes away our sin and covers us with new clothes fit for his royal children.

In Jude 1:17-22, we are commissioned to do the same: "But dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord foretold. They said to you, in the last times, there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you dear friends,build yourself up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them, to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."

Are you near the holy fire of God, having been saved, but still being refined?...or are you set aside even now, for an eternal fire of judgement that will keep you in torment? God will come and judge...the day IS coming...are you like a stick already burning in the fire? If you ask, He will pull you out and put rich new clothes on you...he will cover you in the blood of Jesus the perfect sacrifice...He will give you eternal life or you may choose eternal torment.

I don't know about you, but the first time that I read Zecheriah chapter three and realized that I was an already a burning stick in the fire, and that God reached in and pulled me out by the means of His merciful love...that he then took my filthiness and covered me in rich garments meant for the heirs of his throne, for royalty...I was undone. Yes, God is good, there is no reason why I will ever deserve his favor, but He gives it to me and I am made new, forever!