A Consuming Fire

“And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.”—Isaiah 33:12

After seeing God burn up His enemies in our text, the question is asked,  “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” (Isa. 33:14). Good question!

Here is an interesting truth:  Fire cannot consume fire. Fire only consumes that which is is NOT fire.  If you put a burning stick into a fire, it will continue to burn until the fire consumes the stick. Only the fire will remain.   The only way to survive a devouring fire is to become fire.

Hebrews 12:29 says, “God is a consuming fire.”  What does His fire consume?  Anything that is not like Him.  When we face a fiery trial from God, He is only burning away anything in our life that is not like Him.

At the judgment seat of Christ, the wood, hay and stubble will be consumed by God’s fire of judgment (1 Cor. 3:11-15). Only the gold, silver and precious stones will remain.  Why?  Because those are things that are associated with God (1 Chron. 29:1-3).

Will your life survive the consuming fires of God?