Scripture:
Exodus 3:1-2:
1: Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of
the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2: And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and,
behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Theme:
The Fire Inside
Introduction:
- The scripture is extracted from Exodus, the second book of the bible and the second book of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the law of Judaism.
- The main character is Moses. Moses was born the son of Amram and Jochebed, the brother of Miriam and Aaron. But, later, by way of an ark of bulrushes, pharaoh’s daughter who unwittingly/unknowingly paid Jochebed to nurse her own child adopted him into the house of pharaoh.
- The years of the life of Moses are divided into three forties over the 120 years of his life:
- the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh’s court
- the second as a shepherd in Midian with his father-in-law Jethro.
- the third as a king in the Jeshurunian wilderness, leading the Isrealites toward the Promised Land.
- Our scripture is at the pivotal point between the 2nd and 3rd periods of Moses’ life:
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.”
- This is the first appearance of God to Moses
- This seems a poor employment for a man of his parts and education, yet he rests satisfied with it; and thus learns meekness and contentment
- Satan loves to find us idle; God is pleased when he finds us employed
- “Horeb” is the name of the mountain range containing the famous summit known as “Sanai”
- the same place at which the Israelites encamped after three months of their exodus
- the same place where they remained encamped for about a year
- the same place was about 150 miles from the Red Sea
- the same place where the 10 commandments were given
- the same place where the last 22 chapters of the book of Exodus, the entire book of Leviticus and the first 11 chapters of Numbers took place.
Body:
- “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”
- The angel of the Lord appeared in a flame of fire
- The bush was burning without fire to kindle it…
- HAD TO BE GOD…know it exists but can’t explain why…gets our attention.
- Common uses of fire (4)
- For sacred purposes — Genesis 8:20, “And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”
- For domestic purposes — such as baking, cooking, warmth, etc. But, on Sabbath no fire for any domestic purpose was to be kindled.
- For punishment of death by fire — was inflicted on such as were guilty of certain forms of sexual misconduct and incest (Leviticus 20:14 & 21:9)
- For the destruction in war or battle – Jericho, Hazor, Laish, Caananite war-chariots, house of Baal, etc.
- Symbolic uses of fire (5)
- Figuratively, fire is a symbol of God’s presence and the instrument of his power — 1Kings 18:38, “Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”
- God’s word is also likened unto fire — Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
- an emblem of severe trials or misfortunes — 1Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
- an emblem of eternal punishment — Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
- The influence of the Holy Ghost –
- Change the soul — Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”
- Change the person — Acts 2:3, “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.”
- “the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” — The bush burned, and yet did not burn away.
- The bush was burning without fire to kindle it…
God proves and purifies his people — 2Corinthians 4:8-10,
”We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
- THEN…FIRE is an emblem of the church in bondage in Egypt.
- NOW… FIRE is the church in every age, under its severest persecutions kept by the presence of God from being destroyed.
- BUSH represents the NATURAL MAN – Natural creation that has a beginning and an end.
- God can use whoever and whatever He wants to do His Will.
As the hymn “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah” cries unto God:
”Even me, even me! Let your Spirit fall on me!”
- God uses common folk, with common things, to give a common approach, to a common gospel, to bring about a common understanding.
Conclusion:
Outside and Inside
- Once you have accepted Christ into your life, the fire of biblical history and symbolism has the same effect on your life:
- Baptism with water cleanses and purifies the outside…Baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire cleanses and purifies he inside.
- God makes himself known through outside occurrences in nature with fire but through inside occurrences in life with the Holy Spirit
- Metaphors for eternal punishment will be from an external lake of fire later…but from the internal conviction of sins during this life.
- The Word of God is an external influence that becomes an internal impetus as well as an internal impetus that becomes an external influence on others…both toward a changed life and shared joy.
Jeremiah 20:9 says,
“Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”
- The Holy Spirit IS that fire the burns in the believer’s life…can’t you see it “All working together for the good”!
- Kindling
- You need something before the fire that is available to quickly be consumed by the fire
- Sinful past
- Without kindling the fire can’t get started
- Galations 5:19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:”
- Wood
- You need something that takes time to be consumed…will gradually burn over time
- Available present
- You need something that can be added to the fire to prevent its going out
- Unpredictable future
- This allows the fire to last as long as the season requires
- Deuteronomy 6:5, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
- Match
- The instantaneous experience that catches on to make the actual fire
- Salvation … can you remember that time?
- Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
- Air
- Fire needs oxygen to exist. It feeds off of the oxygen that is everywhere.
- We need our omnipresent God everyday…every hour
- The hymn says, “I Need Thee Every Hour”
- Flame
- Outward indication of the existence of fire…a product of the fire
- We should have a flame or light that indicates the existence of fire in our lives.
- Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
- Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
- Heat
- The power of fire and its influence.
- His Spirit dwells within only to overflow with obedience, growth, and communion with God.
- SHOULD be felt by others just as others see the light.
- As David said in Psalm 23:5, “my cup runneth over.”
- Kindling
THE FIRE INSIDE is THE HOLY SPIRIT
#21
