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Hebrews 12:25-29 “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For 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:”

(26) Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. (27) And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.”

(28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (29) For our God is a consuming fire.”

A Consuming Fire?

Or Just The Man Behind The Curtain?

Deuteronomy 4:23-24 “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. (24) For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

Deuteronomy 4:23-24 “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. (24) For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

Deuteronomy 4:23-24 “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. (24) For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

In Spite Of This Truth… Israel disrespected God.   They treated God as though He were muzzled, tamed, and passive. To Israel, God was manageable and could be manipulated to their own advantage.  There was no sense of awe, no reverent fear, and no real concern when they came into His presence.

II Chronicles 26:1-23 Uzziah was a very successful King with God’s help, but his success went to his head.   Pride filled his heart so that there was no place for God. Thus, Uzziah dared to violate God’s command, entered the temple, and undertook the rights that belonged only to the priests.  

V.17 Azariah and 80 other priests “valiant men” attempted to stop him. But he had so disregarded God and puffed himself up that he boldly and presumptuously disobeyed and paid a terrible price. V.21 “And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death.”

 He was like the occasional tourist who thinks Panda bears are so cute & safe that she ignores the warnings!

 He was like the foolish person who just wants to know what its like to swim with polar bears!

What message does the church need to be reminded of today? It would be that God is a consuming fire; a jealous God!   Too many people have trivialized God. When hearing Matthew 7:21-23? They pay no attention as though these “thunderings” come from the “little man behind the curtain.”

When We Hear… “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” II Corinthians 5:10

When We Hear… “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

When We Hear… “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17

A Consuming Fire?

Or Just The Man Behind The Curtain?

If We Can Get God Right, Women’s Role In The Church? No! Most of our problems would disappear! Women’s Role In The Church? No! Baptism’s Essential Nature? No! Instrumental Music In Worship? No! We have failed to emphasize and consequently have forgotten that God is a consuming fire!

If We Can Get God Right, How else do we explain that when we gather to worship, instead of hearing “awe” in the realization of His greatness, we sometimes hear “yawns of boredom?” Instead of God being a consuming fire having the power to refine and even destroy, we have reduced Him to a safe flickering candle barely providing any light at all!

If We Can Get God Right, God is so much more than “the little man behind the curtain.”    He can’t be manipulated.   He can’t be marginalized.   He can’t be tamed.   And he can’t be put in a box of our making. He isn’t manageable.  

God Is God! He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent.   In spite of revealing himself to us, he remains a mystery. Consequently, we should worship and obey him with awe, caution, and reverent fear.   “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:3).

A Consuming Fire?

Or Just The Man Behind The Curtain?

God’s Simple Plan HEAR (Romans 10:17) BELIEVE (John 8:24) REPENT (Luke 13:3) CONFESS (Rom.10:9-10) BAPTIZED (Gal. 3:27) ADDED TO THE CHURCH (Acts 2:41,47)

Are You Wayward? “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (Acts 8:22) “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)