God is a Consuming Fire.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. - Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV
We considered yesterday how worshippers approached and entered into the Tabernacle courtyard from the east. The courtyard was formed by a linen curtain fence. This fence surrounded the Tabernacle and created an area of separation between the Israelite camp and the Holy Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting. As worshippers moved from east to west into the courtyard, the first feature they would encounter, was the bronze altar.
It was on this bronze altar that animals, that had been sacrificed, were burned as offerings. Sin cause death, and the penalty for sin is death. In the covenant of Moses’ time, animals were offered as substitutes for the people of Israel. It was a vivid demonstration of the devastating consequences of sin.
As the animal’s bodies were completely consumed by the fire, it provided a deeper illustration of the Holiness and purity of God. Nothing impure can exist in His presence. This fire on the bronze altar was initially ignited by a supernatural act of God (Leviticus 9:24) and He instructed them to keep it burning perpetually. It’s striking that by God’s design, the first image to confront the worshipper approaching the presence of God, would be a perpetual consuming fire.
As we approach God, through faith in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, we too must first confront this reality. As we approach Easter and remember what He’s done, we must start here. Before we can even consider the wonders of God’s love and mercy, we have to accept the devastating destructiveness of our own sin and deeply consider the Holiness of God. Nothing impure, nobody impure, can approach Him without being completely consumed by His Holy justice.
It is only because of the perfect and pure nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, offered up on the cross for the payment of our sins, that we can approach the Holy God without being consumed by His presence. It’s this deep and difficult realisation, that gives true understanding of the amazing grace of the Gospel. To appreciate God saving us through Jesus Christ our Lord, we must first appreciate why we need saving, and what we need saving from. Once we understand this, we can truly appreciate, what He has done for us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9 ESV
The only way to confront this and move past this toward forgiveness and restoration with God, is to confess our sin, and turn away from it - daily. Every time we draw near to God we must start with this humble admission and sincere confession of our sin and it’s devastating consequences. By faith we can be assured of His forgiveness, and that His Holy fiery presence will purify from all sin.
Prayer
Dear Father God thank You for Jesus. Lord Jesus thank You for willingly offering Yourself as the pure and perfect payment for our sin. We praise You Father, Son and Holy Spirit that you are both just and merciful - that though You will not leave sin unpunished - You took the punishment for our sin.
Father please hear our confession. Help us to sincerely confess our impurity before You.
Help us Lord to repent and turn away from this sin, and please purify us from all our sin.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow, That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my pardon this I see-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my cleansing this my plea-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Nothing can my sin erase, Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, 'tis all of grace-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my hope and peace-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Even in this time of isolation, perhaps especially in this time, we struggle with sin against God and each other. Today let’s take time to really confront our sin, confess it to God and ask for His help to repent and turn from it. Let’s focus on one or two areas of sin, and make a concerted effort to be aware of it today, and by God’s power, to fight against it, and turn from it - especially as it relates to those whom we are sharing a limited space with.