A CONSUMING FIRE by F. D. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 29, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 22.

A CONSUMING FIRE.

By F. D. Starr

THAT is what the Lord is said to be, as stated in Heb. 12:29. It is His design to consume our dross, to burn out all that is unholy in our natures. See Isa. 1:25. He does not intend that we shall be devoured in the consuming fire. Isa. 43:2. But if we do not submit to the refining process, then we ourselves shall be consumed. Josh. 24:20; 1 Sam. 12:25. The same manifestation of God’s power may be either a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. 2 Cor. 2:16.

There is a remarkable illustration of this in Lev. 9:23, 24; 10:1, 2. By the consuming fire that burned up the offering that the people had brought, they knew that God accepted of them, and they were filled with rejoicing at what they saw and felt. But the very next incident recorded is that of Nadab and Abihu bringing an offering of incense to the Lord, but in such a manner (with strange fire) that He did not accept of them. The terrific consequence was that these sinners were consumed by fire from the same source from which the fire came that consumed the sacrifice, causing such rejoicing. This is an object-lesson to every one of us. Shall God’s purposes and ordinances which He has ordained unto life be allowed to serve their original and legitimate design, or shall we permit them to be unto death to us? The result will depend upon the course we take.

God raised up Pharaoh that He might show forth His power in him. He raised up Saul of Tarsus for the same purpose. It was His choice to manifest His power in the salvation of these men, and thru them the salvation of other people. One of these men allowed God to carry out His purpose in him; the other stubbornly refused to do this, and so the power of God was manifested in him to his destruction, and also that of many others who were misled by him.

Sometimes the prayer is offered to God that He would cause us to be to Him as clay in the hands of the potter. That is very well, but let us remember that He Himself says that is just where we are anyway. “Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in Mine hand, O house of Israel.” Jer. 18:6. The subsequent verses show that what becomes of us, the clay, depends upon the course we take. It is not merely what we are passively, but what we are actively, that determines how we shall be affected by the consuming fire.

Oakville, Ontario.

F. D. STARR.