This is the third article the Lord wanted me to write.
In my vision, I saw a Bible, unopened, and fire spilled out from the pages. Then God said, “Open it.” I did so in my spirit and as I opened the Bible, the fire burst into flames and I said repeatedly, “The Word of the Lord is a fire”.
You may question the purpose of ‘fire’ in this article. What can a fire do? How is it relevant?
In Leviticus 13: 47 – 59, fire is used to burn away the clothes stained with mildew – a certain kind of mold or fungus. Verse 55 writes “Burn it with fire, whether the mildew has affected one side or the other”. Scripture advocates clearly that we must clothe ourselves with righteousness because God is a righteous God (Ephesians 6:14). Yet, oftentimes, our clothes of righteousness are stained with mildew. It becomes contaminated and unclean. Our desires or certain circumstances we face create a platform for the mildew to grow. Greed breeds the mildew; selfishness breeds it too. Hatred, anger towards someone has a similar effect. Hence, like in Leviticus 13, we must burn away the clothing and clothe ourselves with new clothes of righteousness. Then will we be clean in the sight of God. The Word of the Lord is a consuming fire that burns our stained clothing, even if only a fraction of the clothing is contaminated. The fire consumes all. This is because mildew can spread; our unrighteous thoughts and acts can multiply if we do not correct them.
In Psalm 119:105, it clearly states that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path. Fire is the source of light that lights our path, keeping us within the path of righteousness. The significance of fire is reinstated in Exodus 25:37, which writes that the light from the Lampstand lights the space in front of it. The light from the Lampstand is an important furniture in the tabernacle because it is the only source of light within the place. The tabernacle is a place of God’s presence. And the Lampstand is just like the Word of God that lights our path. This light keeps us in God’s righteous path.
Hence, we can see that the Word of the Lord is a fire that burns away our stained clothing, and lights our path, keeping us in God’s ways. It is necessary to meditate on the Word of God daily for it is a fire that burns and lights.
When was the last time you read the Bible? Or perhaps, have you strayed from God’s righteous path? Do you yearn to get back yet somehow you can’t? Take up the Lampstand, take up the fire, take up the Word of God, and allow God to grant you new clothes of righteousness that you may be able to enjoy in His presence. In God’s presence there is fullness of joy and at His hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). And this, the world cannot give.
Open the Bible, and you will see the fire burst into flames. And your life in Christ will never be the same again.
Got it? Or rather, done it?
