Homilist Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire. 1. Fire is the most powerful agent in the world. It supplies heat, which is the source of life and existence in all nature. It destroys all vegetable substances, and resolves them into their original elements. It purifies all corruption, and removes all impurities. 2. But fire cannot destroy or injure the valuables of the mineral kingdom. Gold and silver are purified by its influence, their impurities are destroyed, but they themselves are uninjured. The excrescences are removed, but the substance remains. 3. This image is introduced to represent the influence of God's Spirit. What does it consume? Not the precious gold or the valued stones, but the more worthless substances — hay, straw, stubble, &c. I. ALL MEN MUST PASS THROUGH THE FIRES. That is, they must be subject to the scrutiny of God's righteous judgment. This is as a refiner's furnace. II. THE RIGHTEOUS, BEING AS PURE GOLD, SHALL COME OUT OF THIS FIRE BEAUTIFUL AND UNINJURED. The dross of their characters shall be removed, their corruption shall be destroyed, and their hopes, confidence, and prospects enlarged. III. THE WICKED, BEING LIKE THE CHAFF, SHALL BE CONSUMED IN THE FURNACE. Their hopes — being as a spider's web — shall be carried away. IV. OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE. 1. TO His people this is a welcome thought; for He shall consume all that is hateful and repulsive to them. 2. To the sinful it is a thought of terror; for He shall destroy all that upon which they trust, and leave them helpless, desolate, lost. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: For our God is a consuming fire. |
    |