The need for and power of fire is perhaps most powerfully demonstrated in the movie Castaway starring Tom Hanks. After desperate, and painful, efforts he finally got a fire going and shouted joyfully “I have made fire.”

However, that’s a mere flicker of a match to the bonfire that is God. At Mount Sinai God demonstrated his power by appearing as “a consuming fire” on the mountain (Exodus 24:17). Later after seven days of burnt offerings to sanctify Aaron and his sons to serve as priests they began offering sacrifices for the people (Leviticus 9:1-22). God’s presence surrounded the Tabernacle and fire shot out to consume the sacrifices on the altar (Leviticus 9:23-24). Almost immediately Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu dishonored God by using strange fire on the altar of incense and the consuming fire came from the presence of God and destroyed them (Leviticus 10:1-2).

Even today, under the merciful grace of the final sacrifice offered by Jesus, we’re warned to never forget “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).