Deuteronomy 4:21-24 -

God a consuming fire.

"The Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." This is no obsolete sentence. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews quotes it, and urges the truth it expresses as a reason for serving God "with reverence and godly fear; for," he adds, even "our God is a consuming fire." Perhaps the first impression which these words would convey to the earnest and thoughtful mind would be that of terror. Perhaps, too, some may even almost shudder at such a representation of God, and may at once declare that it belongs to a past age, and to a decaying order of ideas. But others who are more cautious would be likely to say, "We must be quite sure that we understand the phrase before we say that." Doubtless we say with pleasure, "God is light," "God is love," but who can delight in saying, "God is fire?" Is it possible that any one can go even further, and delight in saying, " Our God—the God who is in covenant relation to us—is a consuming fire"? Does not the phrase act as a repellent force, and inspire one with dread? No doubt it may have that effect in many cases, specially if men have carelessly fastened on one aspect of things, or where they have been misled by a popular misquotation, "God out of Christ is a consuming fire." For whatever the phrase means, it is just as true that God in Christ is a consuming fire, as that God out of Christ is so. The phrase is one which should be thoughtfully and devoutly studied in the general light of Scripture teaching, in order that in God's light we may see light. It may be, if thus we try to feel our way to its meaning, that it opens up views of God with which we would not willingly part.

I. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE PHRASE IN THE TEXT ? It must have often struck an attentive reader of the Bible how frequently the figure of" fire" is found therein, both in connection with man's offerings to God, and with God's manifestations of himself to man (cf. Genesis 3:24 ; Genesis 8:20 ; Genesis 15:17 ; Exodus 3:1-22 .; 19.; Isaiah 4:1-6 .; Isaiah 31:9 ). Now, whatever may be the attribute of God here set forth under the figure of fire, it, like all God's attributes, must he twofold in its action in a sinful world . The action of fire is according to the object on which it acts.

1. There is a terrific action of fire . It tries what is bad ( 1 Corinthians 3:13 ). It consumes (Le Deuteronomy 10:2 ). It appalls ( Numbers 11:1-3 ; Isaiah 33:14 ). It destroys ( 2 Kings 1:12 ; Luke 3:17 ; John 15:6 ; Psalms 98:3 ; Hebrews 6:8 ).

2. There is a kindly action of flame . It enkindles (Le Deuteronomy 9:24 ). It tries ( 1 Peter 1:7 ; Isaiah 48:10 ). It purifies ( Psalms 12:6 ). It guards ( Zechariah 2:5 ; 2 Kings 6:17 ; Deuteronomy 9:3 ). It escorts ( 2 Kings 2:11 ). It guides ( Exodus 40:38 ). It enlightens ( Psalms 78:14 ). It is as a pavilion of glory ( Exodus 3:2 ; Isaiah 33:14-17 ). Now , widely different as is the action or the meaning of flaming fire from heaven in all these cases, the difference is not in the flame, but in the material on which it acts. The same fire that melts the wax will bake the clay. So the very same attribute of God in which the righteous may glory will be a terror to his enemies.

3. Fire , when spoken of in reference to God , is an emblem of:

4. But we may take another step , and reduce this fourfold conception to a twofold one . There is anger against sin because of spotless purity. There is jealousy which will brook no rival, and a power, that will guard its own because of intensest love. Thus the consuming fire is purity, in which righteousness may dwell, and in which sin is consumed; and love, which is mighty in its active care, and jealous of any rival in the human heart.

5. We may simplify yet again , and reduce the twofold conception to a unity , and say that God is a consuming fire, inasmuch as he is perfect love—pure love, active love, jealous love; so that oar text is but another way of saying, "God is light, God is love." Let us now—

II. LOOK AT THESE THREE FORMS OF THE EXPRESSION " PERFECT LOVE ," AND SEE WHAT THEY INVOLVE .

1. Pure love . God is a flaming fire of infinite purity, and yet a burning flame of tenderest love. He receives the sinner on a basis of righteousness. He makes men who are in covenant relation to him perfectly pure. They are to be tried and purified and made white, till they are without fault before the throne of God. Would we have it otherwise? God's love without its purity would be worthless to us!

2. Active love . God castles his saints in a wall of fire ( Isaiah 4:6 ), while he also destroys their foes as with a tongue of fire.

3. Jealous love . There is a hateful jealousy. There is a rightful one. The first it would be unworthy of a man to possess; the second, a man would be unworthy of himself if he did not. A father would be worth little if he were not jealous for the purity of his child; so would a husband if not jealous for the honor of his wife; or an Englishman, if not jealous for the honor of his queen! Even so, it would be unworthy of God if he were not jealous, in the scriptural sense. Note:

He will not let one be lost who receives him, nor will he let one be saved who trifles with him. To go against Christ is to rush into the consuming flame!

III. WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL USES TO RE MADE OF THIS SUBLIME ATTRIBUTE OF GOD ? (See the use made of it in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Deuteronomy 12:1-32 ; the last three or four verses.)

1. Is God thus a consuming fire? Then let us never attempt to draw nigh unto him without a recognition both of his purity and of our sinfulness. No service is accepted before God which does not take account of sin, and in connection with which there is not "reverence and godly fear."

2. Do not let us think of any mode of recognition of sin which ignores God's own way, viz. that of an atoning sacrifice. God will jealously guard the honor of his dear Son. "If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven."

3. If thus we are penitently making use of the atoning sacrifice of Christ as our only means of approach to and ground of hope in God, then let us glory in this holy, jealous love, which guards us as with a wall of fire, and is our everlasting guarantee that we shall not be put to shame.

4. Let us remember that it depends on ourselves whether the "consuming fire" is a flame at which we tremble, or a pavilion in which we can hide. God cannot deny himself. He will not deal with the sinner on any principle which ignores the great atonement which his Son has effected, or which admits of his accepting the service of a divided heart. It is for us to say whether the great redeeming work of Jesus shall be the means by which we are raised to fellowship in infinite holiness, or whether it shall be to us the savor of death unto death. It must be one or the other. If we receive it, it will bring us to eternal rest in God; if we reject it, it will deepen our condemnation more terribly than if no Savior had been provided! Our God is a consuming fire. If, in Jesus, we draw near to him, that burning, blazing holiness shall be the secret place of his tabernacle in which we are safely hidden. If we neglect this great salvation, as men unpardoned and unsaved, we shall remain, and at the flame of Jehovah's purity we shall tremble forever! Sinner, say, oh say, shall this fire of God's perfect love surround you ever as a wall of protection, or shall it terrify and consume you as devouring flame?

HOMILIES BY D. DAVIES