Wednesday, March 3, 2004 (8)THE LORD REVEALED AS A LORD OF FIRE. Fire, like light is a characteristic of the Lord whom we love and serve. Most assuredly fire is not God. However, the Lord has been consistent in revealing Himself in a
fire that is singularly His. The Lord ratified His covenant with Abraham by fire. A smoking furnace symbolizing the very furnace of affliction through which Israel would pass in Egypt. Deut. 4:20 The burning lamp, the light of His presence while they went through the sufferings of Egypt. The lamp typical of the salvation of the Lord and their release from bondage. Isa. 62:1 The fire of the Lord and the light of the Lord sealed and verified the
promises of the Lord.
THE CALL OF THE LORD TO MOSES. The angel of the Lord is always a theophany of the Lord Jesus, the Logos, the living Word. It was He who appeared to Moses in a flame of fire. While it appeared that the bush and the mountain were burning, they were not on fire, for it was not consumed. The fire was in the person who had come to meet with Moses. It was not the ordinary kind of fire but that which is very God, Himself. For our God is a consuming fire. Heb. 12:29 The most wonderful thing about this encounter between the Lord and Moses was that the fire, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses and remained on him so that it became necessary for him to veil his face from the people Israel. Ex. 34:30, 35
THE PILLAR OF FIRE AS A PROTECTION AND GUIDE. Notice carefully that it was much more than a miraculous manifestation of a pillar, it was the Lord Jehovah who accompanied them in their journey, enabling them to travel night or day. Ex. 13:21 The pillar had personality. We have already seen that it was the Lord. It was also called an angel who was to guide them on their journey and to conduct them to a place prepared for them. Any place prepared By the Lord is going to be excellent. Ex. 23:20 However that angel was not an ordinary angel for He carried the name of the Lord. They were to fully obey Him and not to provoke Him, for He would not pardon them. There is only one sin that is unpardonable and that is the sin against the Holy Spirit. The responsibility of the pillar was to stand between the Israelis and the Egyptians. In that manner the two camps were separated. To Israel, the pillar was light by night. While to the camp of the Egyptians it became a cloud of darkness to them. Amazing, how one object could have two entirely different manifestations to the two groups who were so close. Ex. 14:20 The Lord looked through the cloud at the Egyptians and threw them into utter confusion. He removed the wheels of their chariots causing them to stall and become stuck in the mud and then to drown as the waters closed in over them. Ex. 14:23-26 They had no chance for they were fighting against the Lord.