WEBVTT 00:00:02.840 --> 00:00:06.339 Welcome to the Kingdom Family Podcast, where 00:00:06.339 --> 00:00:09.640 we rediscover our identity as sons and daughters 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:13.039 of Yahweh and learn to live the life of the Kingdom. 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:17.559 Let's jump in to today's episode. Welcome back. 00:00:17.859 --> 00:00:21.559 Week four, Rethink and Hail. This week, we are 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:25.359 diving into fire in scripture. And I want you 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:30.719 to ask the question, is fire destroying? or is 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:37.420 fire refining? Think about that question. What 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:42.579 if, wrestle with this, what if fire in the Bible 00:00:42.579 --> 00:00:46.299 is not primarily about destruction, because does 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:50.619 fire destroy things? Certainly. But fire also 00:00:50.619 --> 00:00:55.439 purifies. So what if fire is not primarily about 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:00.509 destroying, but it's primarily about purification. 00:01:01.990 --> 00:01:05.010 So just think about this as we go through this 00:01:05.010 --> 00:01:08.769 episode. So we're going to talk about, let's 00:01:08.769 --> 00:01:10.590 start with this. Let's talk about the fire as 00:01:10.590 --> 00:01:15.930 God's presence first. And we'll start in, let's 00:01:15.930 --> 00:01:18.950 start in Exodus chapter three, and we're going 00:01:18.950 --> 00:01:21.879 to look at verses one through three. And it says, 00:01:22.099 --> 00:01:24.739 one day Moses was tending the flock of his father 00:01:24.739 --> 00:01:28.219 -in -law Jethro, the priest of the Midian. He 00:01:28.219 --> 00:01:30.879 led the flock far into the wilderness and came 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:35.079 to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:37.340 of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire 00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:40.939 from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. 00:01:41.379 --> 00:01:44.099 Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it did 00:01:44.099 --> 00:01:48.719 not burn up. This is amazing. Moses said to himself. 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.239 Why isn't the bush burning up? I must go see 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:56.359 it. So one thing that I learned just probably 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:59.840 if I had to put a time timetable on it It was 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:03.859 probably within the last two to three years When 00:02:03.859 --> 00:02:07.319 looking at this story again is that it would 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:12.020 not have been uncommon in the desert for a bush 00:02:12.020 --> 00:02:16.879 to catch fire that that would not have been what 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:20.259 would have gotten Moses' attention. That it was 00:02:20.259 --> 00:02:23.259 not uncommon to see a bush with that heat in 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:26.219 the mountain because it's so dry. It was not 00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:29.379 uncommon for a bush to just burst into flames 00:02:29.379 --> 00:02:33.879 and burn down. But what got Moses' attention 00:02:33.879 --> 00:02:40.000 was that though it was on fire, the bush remained. 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:46.020 Now think about that. Just think about that There 00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:48.879 was and I will I cannot remember for the life 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:53.379 of me Who said it word? I remember I just know 00:02:53.379 --> 00:02:56.560 there was a video that I saw several years ago 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.680 That talked about being on the altar And it said 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:03.719 God is our God is the only one who can kill you 00:03:03.719 --> 00:03:07.120 and let you live simultaneously simultaneously 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:12.319 at the same time think about that in reference 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:16.270 to this story of this burning bush where the 00:03:16.270 --> 00:03:19.289 bush is on fire which was not uncommon in those 00:03:19.289 --> 00:03:22.590 days and from what I've understood it would not 00:03:22.590 --> 00:03:26.009 be uncommon even in today's world in those types 00:03:26.009 --> 00:03:30.389 of areas but what was uncommon and unnatural 00:03:30.389 --> 00:03:34.810 was that this bush was on fire yet it refused 00:03:34.810 --> 00:03:41.800 to be burned down So that's what caught Moses's 00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:46.000 attention I believe and even says why isn't this 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.060 bush burning up? So it wasn't why is this bush 00:03:50.060 --> 00:03:54.500 on fire? It was why is this bush not burning 00:03:54.500 --> 00:03:59.979 up? So Moses in this in this story is encountering 00:03:59.979 --> 00:04:06.280 God in a burning bush It just was not destroyed 00:04:06.430 --> 00:04:11.129 So God's fire does not always destroy. Sometimes 00:04:11.129 --> 00:04:17.129 it sustains while it is transforming. Think about 00:04:17.129 --> 00:04:19.889 that. And I think that's important for us to 00:04:19.889 --> 00:04:23.310 note when we consider verses like Hebrews 12 00:04:23.310 --> 00:04:27.910 -29 that says, For our God is a holy devouring 00:04:27.910 --> 00:04:33.470 fire. He is a consuming fire. So if God is a 00:04:33.470 --> 00:04:37.060 fire, what? Is he consuming? That's important 00:04:37.060 --> 00:04:41.699 for us to stop and ask these questions. Again, 00:04:42.100 --> 00:04:44.279 that's a verse that I grew up hearing that our 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:47.500 God is a consuming fire. There are songs written 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:51.519 about this. But when do we stop and ask the question? 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:56.839 If he is a consuming fire, what is he consuming? 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:02.860 Maybe he's consuming our false self. Maybe he's 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:07.259 consuming our false identities. Maybe he's consuming 00:05:07.259 --> 00:05:11.160 anything that is false, anything that is corrupt, 00:05:11.420 --> 00:05:15.879 anything that is destructive. Maybe that is what 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:19.360 his fire is actually aimed at destroying. And 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:24.300 while destroying that, he is purifying us. Let 00:05:24.300 --> 00:05:30.079 that sink in. Fire you see fire is a refining 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:37.339 process Malachi chapter 3 Verses 2 & 3 says but 00:05:37.339 --> 00:05:41.779 who can endure the day of his coming? Who will 00:05:41.779 --> 00:05:44.300 not fall down and worship when the Lord is unveiled? 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:49.759 For he will carry out a purifying process He 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.300 will be like a refining up pay attention to the 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:55.339 language here. He will be like a refiner's fire 00:06:15.730 --> 00:06:19.589 So we'll read you just some notes here from that 00:06:19.589 --> 00:06:23.069 verse out of the passion translation and it says 00:06:23.069 --> 00:06:27.970 this This purifying process is described by means 00:06:27.970 --> 00:06:33.569 of two similes, likening the messenger to a refiner's 00:06:33.569 --> 00:06:37.209 fire and a launderer's bleach. The image of a 00:06:37.209 --> 00:06:39.850 refiner's fire is taken from the process of the 00:06:39.850 --> 00:06:42.670 melting and the heating of metal in a furnace 00:06:42.670 --> 00:06:46.629 to purify or refine it. As the metal is melted, 00:06:46.970 --> 00:06:49.730 the impurities either burn away or come to the 00:06:49.730 --> 00:06:55.100 surface where they can be skimmed off. So think 00:06:55.100 --> 00:06:58.519 about the scripture here uses silver you can 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:01.519 even consider gold They put what do they put 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:04.639 these things in they put them into fire They 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:09.199 expose them to heat why to remove the impurities 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:12.660 so that the the more Impurities that are moved 00:07:12.660 --> 00:07:18.620 the pure the substance is So when this gold is 00:07:18.620 --> 00:07:22.720 in and understand this When those are purities 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:26.300 are removed what is left is what the gold has 00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:31.680 been all along I catch that So when that fire 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:35.319 when that gold is exposed to the fire and exposed 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:39.540 to that measure of heat it pulls out the impurity 00:07:39.540 --> 00:07:45.120 so again either either they Burn away, or they 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.720 come to the surface so that whoever's doing this 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:52.959 can can skim those impurities off of that Think 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.660 about this because this is important apply it 00:07:55.660 --> 00:07:59.860 to our own life The second image compares the 00:07:59.860 --> 00:08:04.600 messenger with launderers bleach And which were 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:08.160 referred to a powerful chemical agent with a 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:11.199 strong cleansing effect that is similar to live 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:15.540 It is thus best described not as soap, but rather 00:08:15.540 --> 00:08:19.759 as a much harsher cleanser such as bleach or 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:23.500 lime. So there's a deliberate wordplay with the 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:26.720 word for covenant and the word for launderers 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:31.000 bleach that is lost in translation. Just important 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:33.840 for us to understand. I'm trying to go through 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.679 some of these notes. A lot of this is not really 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:42.529 important to this. Washing cloth in this cleanser 00:08:42.529 --> 00:08:45.529 was an effective way of removing greasy and oily 00:08:45.529 --> 00:08:48.769 stains. Jesus has come to set this purifying 00:08:48.769 --> 00:08:51.730 fire in our hearts and to cleanse us from the 00:08:51.730 --> 00:08:54.070 deepest stain of sin and shame. I know we're 00:08:54.070 --> 00:08:56.429 talking about fire, but it's important to make 00:08:56.429 --> 00:08:59.679 note here. anybody who's ever washed any clothes, 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.419 for example, that have oil stains or some sort 00:09:03.419 --> 00:09:07.419 of grease. Many times you have to add additional 00:09:07.419 --> 00:09:11.740 some some sort of additional cleaning agent because 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:16.059 it's a harsher. I don't know the proper terms 00:09:16.059 --> 00:09:19.460 for this, but there's a harsher item substance 00:09:19.460 --> 00:09:21.840 on these clothes that needs something more than 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:24.480 just your regular laundry detergent. They need 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:28.399 something extra. There to be able to be scrubbed 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.980 out so they can come back to be clean. I hope 00:09:31.980 --> 00:09:37.360 that makes sense for you Just remember the fire 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:41.000 part is what we're focused on he's a refining 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.340 fire Again when gold is refined think about when 00:09:45.340 --> 00:09:49.409 silver is refined fire removes impurities Gold 00:09:49.409 --> 00:09:52.669 remains. And here's the thing. The more impurities 00:09:52.669 --> 00:09:56.049 that are removed, the value of that gold increases. 00:09:56.789 --> 00:10:01.009 So fire reveals what is true by removing what 00:10:01.009 --> 00:10:07.149 is false. God's fire is not about some sort of 00:10:07.149 --> 00:10:13.629 revenge. God's fire is about restoration. That's 00:10:13.629 --> 00:10:18.389 important. Then we have first Corinthians chapter 00:10:18.389 --> 00:10:21.549 3 and we're going to start in verse 12 It says 00:10:21.549 --> 00:10:25.429 the quality of materials used by anyone building 00:10:25.429 --> 00:10:28.330 on this foundation Will soon be made apparent 00:10:28.330 --> 00:10:30.750 whether it has been built with gold silver and 00:10:30.750 --> 00:10:35.210 costly stones or wood hay and straw Their work 00:10:35.210 --> 00:10:37.470 will soon become evident for the day will make 00:10:37.470 --> 00:10:40.049 it clear because it would be revealed by blazing 00:10:40.049 --> 00:10:43.950 fire and the fire will test improve the workmanship 00:10:43.950 --> 00:10:47.669 of each builder If his work stands the test of 00:10:47.669 --> 00:10:50.269 the fire, he will be rewarded. If his work is 00:10:50.269 --> 00:10:53.370 consumed by the fire, he will suffer great loss, 00:10:53.750 --> 00:10:56.809 yet he himself will barely escape destruction 00:10:56.809 --> 00:11:00.049 like one being rescued out of a burning house. 00:11:00.769 --> 00:11:04.529 So again here Paul is using Paul's language seems 00:11:04.529 --> 00:11:07.710 to be anticipating his next subject, which is 00:11:07.710 --> 00:11:12.350 the church as God's true temple. There is Dr. 00:11:12.509 --> 00:11:14.590 Simmons would say there is here an allusion to 00:11:14.590 --> 00:11:17.870 the temple of Solomon which was built using gold 00:11:17.870 --> 00:11:21.750 silver and costly stones Wisdom will build her 00:11:21.750 --> 00:11:25.070 house with divine substance gold Redemption's 00:11:25.070 --> 00:11:28.169 fruit which is silver and transfer transformed 00:11:28.169 --> 00:11:33.110 lives Which are costly stones? Wood hay and straw 00:11:33.110 --> 00:11:35.529 are emblems of the works of the flesh the building 00:11:35.529 --> 00:11:39.009 materials of men not of God They grow up from 00:11:39.009 --> 00:11:42.009 the ground which God cursed. It is both quality 00:11:42.009 --> 00:11:46.570 and durability that God commands. Fire will cause 00:11:46.570 --> 00:11:49.850 the better material to glow brighter, but the 00:11:49.850 --> 00:11:54.529 inferior material will be consumed. How we build 00:11:54.529 --> 00:12:03.149 matters to God. Note that it is possible to build 00:12:03.149 --> 00:12:06.330 on the true foundation of Christ, but with wrong 00:12:06.330 --> 00:12:11.559 materials. We need God's work done in God's way. 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:15.639 Also have here, I'm going to read the mirror 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:19.340 translation or the mirror paraphrase out of First 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:21.899 Corinthians 312. It says, imagine the contrast 00:12:21.899 --> 00:12:25.460 in building materials, one build with gold and 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:28.539 silver and precious stones, while another uses 00:12:28.539 --> 00:12:32.159 wood, hay and stubble. And Francois Dutoy would 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:34.620 say, by comparison, the teaching of the cross 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:37.139 and its glorious effect in the believer's life 00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:39.700 is like building with gold, silver, and precious 00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:42.580 stones. Whereas the wisdom of this world system 00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:45.440 based upon religious good works and not faith 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.899 is like building with wood, hay, and stubble, 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:53.500 which is nothing but fuel for the fire. So the 00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:56.360 fire will test what kind of work each person 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.659 has done. Again, another important distinction 00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:03.620 for us to pay attention to. It is works that 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:07.960 burn and people that remain. Scripture clearly 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.779 shows us that the work is burned, but the person 00:13:11.779 --> 00:13:15.860 is saved. That's something for us to strongly 00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:18.960 consider and to wrestle with in our modern day 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:25.220 understanding of hell. Then we can look at Isaiah 00:13:25.220 --> 00:13:29.250 chapter 33, verses 14 through 15. And it says 00:13:29.250 --> 00:13:32.389 sinners in Zion are afraid and the godless are 00:13:32.389 --> 00:13:35.570 gripped with panic saying who can dwell with 00:13:35.570 --> 00:13:41.509 such an all -consuming fire? Who can live in 00:13:41.509 --> 00:13:47.730 the presence of the never -ending flank? Only 00:13:47.730 --> 00:13:50.750 those who walk with integrity and speak what 00:13:50.750 --> 00:13:54.379 is true. Who despise even the thought of cheating 00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:58.399 the poor and do not accept a bribe nor plot violence 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:04.700 nor talk nor contemplate doing evil again When 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:08.080 I first read this verse I began to notice something 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:12.600 and I had to stop and think Because we are taught 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:17.100 that who burns in this flame in this eternal 00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:21.490 fire It's the wicked. It's the ones who never 00:14:21.490 --> 00:14:24.110 repeated the prayer and never had a relationship. 00:14:24.210 --> 00:14:26.850 But if you look at what Isaiah is saying here 00:14:26.850 --> 00:14:31.289 in chapter 33 verse 14 and 15, who can dwell 00:14:31.289 --> 00:14:35.289 with such an all consuming fire and who can live 00:14:35.289 --> 00:14:39.190 in the presence of the never ending flame? Only 00:14:39.190 --> 00:14:42.889 those who walk with integrity and speak what 00:14:42.889 --> 00:14:49.490 is true. Think about that. I have this note here. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:54.100 The Hebrew word for sin here fundamentally means 00:14:54.100 --> 00:15:02.879 to miss the mark. Ask the question. Let me see 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:13.399 this. Did I put the wrong notes in this? No, 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:15.320 so the Hebrew word for sin here fundamentally 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:17.779 fundamentally means to miss the mark. Ask the 00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:23.169 question. What is the mark? Ask the question. 00:15:23.730 --> 00:15:27.230 Ask yourself the question. What is the mark? 00:15:28.409 --> 00:15:32.419 Genesis answers that humanity Genesis answers 00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:35.919 that humanity was created in the image and likeness 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.779 of God. So from that perspective, sin is more 00:15:39.779 --> 00:15:42.720 than breaking rules. It is living beneath or 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:46.240 contrary to the reality of who God has created 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:49.600 us to be. It is the failing to live in alignment 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:53.019 with our true vocation as God's image bearers. 00:15:53.289 --> 00:15:56.309 So remember, actions flow from what we believe 00:15:56.309 --> 00:15:58.950 about ourselves. So if we believe a lie about 00:15:58.950 --> 00:16:02.129 who we are, we will inevitably miss the mark 00:16:02.129 --> 00:16:05.789 in how we live. So just because we talked about 00:16:05.789 --> 00:16:08.809 sinners and Zion are afraid, I want you to understand 00:16:08.809 --> 00:16:13.269 what sin is again. But who can dwell with such 00:16:13.269 --> 00:16:15.809 an all -consuming fire? Who can live in the presence 00:16:15.809 --> 00:16:18.490 of the never -ending flame? Only those who walk 00:16:18.490 --> 00:16:21.679 with integrity and speak what is true. How do 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:23.899 you begin to walk with integrity and speak what 00:16:23.899 --> 00:16:27.320 is true? You begin to discover that you are God's 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:29.879 image bearer. You are a son or daughter of the 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:32.100 Most High. You've never been separated from Him. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:36.080 You are as, and I know this is going to sound 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:38.299 like heresy here, but I want you to understand 00:16:38.299 --> 00:16:40.879 and grab hold of it, that you are as righteous 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:44.259 as God. You are as holy as God. Why? Because 00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:47.440 of what Christ did and now the Holy Spirit has 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:51.350 come to and dwell within you. You are now joined 00:16:51.350 --> 00:16:57.690 into union with the Trinity. And so because of 00:16:57.690 --> 00:17:01.789 that, you and I can dwell with this all -consuming 00:17:01.789 --> 00:17:04.970 flame. We can live in the presence of a never 00:17:04.970 --> 00:17:10.789 -ending flame. Why? Because we're divorcing ourselves 00:17:10.789 --> 00:17:14.109 from this distorted identity. And we're stepping 00:17:14.109 --> 00:17:18.430 into who we actually are as a child of God, as 00:17:18.430 --> 00:17:23.730 a son of Yahweh. We're allowing the fire in our 00:17:23.730 --> 00:17:27.430 life to become restorative and purify us instead 00:17:27.430 --> 00:17:30.269 of to destroy us. We're allowing the fire to 00:17:30.269 --> 00:17:34.890 destroy everything in us that does not look like 00:17:34.890 --> 00:17:40.750 God. Man, this is good. So fire imagery, it represents 00:17:40.750 --> 00:17:44.730 exposure. It represents purification. It represents 00:17:44.730 --> 00:17:49.380 justice, but it never never seems to represent 00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:51.819 endless torture, at least the way that I'm reading 00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:59.680 this. Pay attention to the story in Isaiah. Who's 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:01.960 living in the presence of the never -ending flame 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:04.859 and dwelling in the all -consuming fire? It's 00:18:04.859 --> 00:18:06.960 not the wicked who never repeated the prayer. 00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:12.619 It's the one who has integrity, the one who speaks 00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:16.019 truth. That is the one who's able to live there. 00:18:21.109 --> 00:18:24.049 Boy Then we have I'm not going to go through 00:18:24.049 --> 00:18:26.109 the whole story You can go read it later. You 00:18:26.109 --> 00:18:27.589 grew up in church. You probably know it. We got 00:18:27.589 --> 00:18:32.990 Daniel chapter 3 with the fiery furnace You know 00:18:32.990 --> 00:18:37.390 the story As a riot had an eye on Michelle and 00:18:37.390 --> 00:18:39.809 what you would commonly hear to refer to Shadrach, 00:18:39.829 --> 00:18:42.630 Meshach and Abednego I was convicted several 00:18:42.630 --> 00:18:45.329 years ago to not call them that That was their 00:18:45.329 --> 00:18:47.589 Babylonian names and though they were placed 00:18:47.589 --> 00:18:51.789 into Babylon, Babylon never got into them. That's 00:18:51.789 --> 00:18:56.430 another message all in itself. You can be removed 00:18:56.430 --> 00:18:58.849 from Exodus but yet Exodus still remain in you. 00:18:59.390 --> 00:19:02.109 So I will not call them by their Babylonian names 00:19:02.109 --> 00:19:05.089 because they never identified in the place of 00:19:05.089 --> 00:19:08.650 Babylon. So they were forever Hananiah, Azariah, 00:19:08.750 --> 00:19:11.880 and Mishael. That was their Hebrew names that 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:14.759 was given to them, not Shadrach, Meshach, and 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:17.839 Abednego. That was their Babylonian names. But 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:21.000 when they were told that you must bow when you 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:24.640 hear the music played up, and they refused to, 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:26.799 what happens? They're thrown into this fiery 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:31.940 furnace. Who is thrown into the fire? The ones 00:19:31.940 --> 00:19:34.660 who... were obedient the ones who were go back 00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:37.819 to Isaiah the ones who were walking with integrity 00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:40.440 and speaking what is true they were the ones 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:43.259 thrown into a fire that was heated up seven times 00:19:43.259 --> 00:19:48.980 hotter that even killed the ones throwing in 00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:53.240 and when they're thrown into the fire there's 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:57.220 a conversation that begins to happen of hey um 00:19:57.420 --> 00:19:59.900 How many men are in the fire because I know I 00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:03.140 just threw in three But now I see four men and 00:20:03.140 --> 00:20:08.480 the fourth is likened to the son of God Now that's 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:13.579 a whole That they could be a whole podcast episode 00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:16.720 just talking about that story, but I just want 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:20.559 you to understand that these three Hebrew boys 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:22.559 are the ones who entered the fire. They were 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:25.339 not destroyed, but they were preserved. And guess 00:20:25.339 --> 00:20:28.099 what? God was present in the middle of the fire. 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:31.359 Now do I know if they knew that he was there? 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:33.400 Did they see him? I don't know, but everybody 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:39.160 else sure did. Fire did not destroy them. Fire 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:45.839 revealed God's presence. Just important for us 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:51.470 to wrap our minds around. So again, just to repeat 00:20:51.470 --> 00:20:55.910 what has been said previously, fire in scripture 00:20:55.910 --> 00:21:00.890 often times symbolizes judgment. But judgment 00:21:00.890 --> 00:21:04.549 is not always punishment. It's purification. 00:21:04.730 --> 00:21:07.029 Again, I know I've said this repeatedly on previous 00:21:07.029 --> 00:21:09.329 episodes. If you want to know what God is like 00:21:09.329 --> 00:21:12.490 as judge, we have a book in the Old Testament 00:21:12.490 --> 00:21:15.650 that's called Judges. Maybe we should read it. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:21.119 The purpose of God's fire is never at least again 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:24.319 from what I've read The purpose of God's fire 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:27.240 is not some kind of endless suffering, but it's 00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:31.720 about transformation Transformation it's about 00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:37.880 bringing you out as pure gold So God's fire is 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:42.359 not his anger running wild it's not his his wrath 00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:46.309 being poured out His fire is His love refusing 00:21:46.309 --> 00:21:50.009 to leave us unchanged. Why? Because fire removes 00:21:50.009 --> 00:21:53.910 what harms us so that what is true can remain. 00:21:57.029 --> 00:21:59.630 Now I'm telling you, this is good news the more 00:21:59.630 --> 00:22:02.009 that you let this begin to be settled within 00:22:02.009 --> 00:22:06.549 you. Because, you know, up until just a few years 00:22:06.549 --> 00:22:08.569 ago I would probably say that fire is destructive. 00:22:09.069 --> 00:22:11.269 But even you can go look at the science even 00:22:11.269 --> 00:22:16.920 have how even when there are wildfires, that 00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:21.019 yes, it can be destructive, but it's also purifying 00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:25.779 and it's also restorative. There's a restorative 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:29.420 nature to a fire. There's a purifying process. 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:32.380 Can it be destructive? Certainly, I'm not taking 00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:36.619 that away. But the important question for us 00:22:36.619 --> 00:22:38.920 to ask as sons and daughters when reading the 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:42.559 scripture, and considering the nature of God, 00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:52.220 is what is His fire destroying? It destroys the 00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:58.259 false self. Anything that is false in you, that's 00:22:58.259 --> 00:23:02.059 what it's coming to destroy. Just like His judgment 00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:07.059 is never aimed at you and I. His judgment is 00:23:07.059 --> 00:23:10.680 aimed at whatever interferes between us and love 00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:14.299 Now can that sometimes feel like it's come against 00:23:14.299 --> 00:23:17.720 us certainly, but it's never that's why you have 00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:21.339 to know It's not aimed at me as the son or daughter 00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:29.619 It's good news I'm telling you so this episode 00:23:29.619 --> 00:23:33.930 again another short one we discovered that fire 00:23:33.930 --> 00:23:37.309 in scripture is more about refining and purifying. 00:23:37.730 --> 00:23:42.029 Listen, I'm sure I'm just giving you a broad 00:23:42.029 --> 00:23:45.130 overview. I am certain you can go nosedive into 00:23:45.130 --> 00:23:48.490 a lot of these places and get more treasure and 00:23:48.490 --> 00:23:51.009 more stuff, but I'm not trying to do that. I'm 00:23:51.009 --> 00:23:55.170 just trying to, again, get you to rethink hell. 00:23:56.049 --> 00:23:58.970 You take this journey. You go read some of this 00:23:58.970 --> 00:24:01.329 on your own and go see what you come up with, 00:24:01.329 --> 00:24:04.109 what the Holy Spirit speaks to you. This is just 00:24:04.109 --> 00:24:06.950 about to give you a different perspective and 00:24:06.950 --> 00:24:09.990 giving you permission to think differently than 00:24:09.990 --> 00:24:13.609 what we've grown up here, especially in the West. 00:24:15.650 --> 00:24:18.500 So just... Just think about that. I hope this 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:21.440 is helping you. Again, as I said last week, drop 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:24.200 a comment, leave a review. Let me know where 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:26.359 you're listening from. Is this doing anything 00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:29.059 for you? Do you wish I would just shut up and 00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:33.359 move on with life? Not going to happen. I enjoy 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:37.539 doing this. I enjoy releasing these. So my friend, 00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:40.519 till next time, be blessed. Live the life of 00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:44.500 the kingdom. operate in who you are as a son 00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:48.079 and daughter of God. Remember, you are an image 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:51.279 bearer to the world around you. So release the 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:57.420 kingdom from within you. Be blessed. Thanks for 00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:59.819 spending some time with me today on the kingdom 00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:03.500 family podcast. If this episode spoke to you, 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:06.599 take a moment to share it and help someone else 00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:09.980 rediscover their identity as a son or daughter 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:13.480 of Yahweh. And don't forget, follow the podcast 00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:16.140 so you can stay connected with everything happening 00:25:16.140 --> 00:25:19.319 through Kingdom Family Ministries. Until next 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:23.140 time, live love, live free, and live from the 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:24.140 life of the Kingdom.