CONTINUAL FIRE

CONTINUAL FIRE

Lev. 6:13 “The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.”

In America we have a couple of times taken this token to display at memorial figures that have impacted this country. Here is where they picked up on this memorial. It’s kind of hard to deny that our country has its heritage and roots in the Bible when we see evidence everywhere like this. But here is the actual meaning it represented.

This was a reference ahead to the account of the consecration of Aaron and his first exercise of the priestly office will show that this fire was originally supernatural (Lev. 9:24). It came out from before Jehovah. This was the fire which was to be kept burning, by being constantly provided with fuel. Thus, the fire was from God, but it was maintained by man. The responsibility for the carrying out of this instruction rested upon the priests. A glance back at Lev. 3:5 will remind you that fire was the symbol of the holiness of God in different activities, making possible life in His presence, consuming all contrary to Himself in nature, and so purifying all like Himself from alloy. Here then we are reminded of the necessity for the perpetual maintenance of the action of that holiness. It comes from God. Man has no holiness other than the holiness he receives from Him. But in order that its flame may burn continually, and its heat accomplish the Divine purpose, the fire must he fed. That demands ceaseless vigilance. The unworthy things must be handed over for destruction. The things of worth in service and fellowship must be yielded up to the fire for purification. Neither day nor hour nor minute passes which has no need of this cleansing fire. We may be comforted by the certainty that, as we bring the fuel, the fire will continue to burn, accomplishing all its purposes, whether of destruction or purifying.

The “continual burnt offering” (Exodus 29:42) symbolized the continual relationship of Israel to their God, never to be allowed to die out, even when the nation was journeying. Wood was kept on the altar (Leviticus 6:12) ready to consume the sacrificial animals as they were presented for burnt offerings.