Fire

FIRE. God hath often appeared in Fire, and incompassed with Fire; as when he shewed himself in the burning bush, and descended on mount Sinai in the midst of flames, thunderings and lightning. Fire is a symbol of the Deity. The Lord thy God, Deut. iv. 24.says Moses, is a consuming Fire. He shewed himself to his Prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and St. John, in the midst of Fire. The Psalmist describes the chariot of God to us, all in a flame, xviii. 9, 10. God threatens us to appear in the midst of Fire at his second Dan. vii. 10.coming. Daniel says, that a fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him. The wrath of God is compared to Fire, and the effects of his wrath, which are war, famine, and other scourges, are described under the same Idea. Fire is often put for Thunder, Lightning, the Fire of Heaven.

The Angels themselves as the Ministers of God, are compared to a burning Fire. Psal. civ. 4.The Lord, or his Angel, representing his Majesty, led the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness, under the form 2 Macc. i. 19. and ii. 10. Exod. xii. 21. Gen. iv. 4. Gen. xv. 17.of a pillar of Fire, which gave them light in the night-time. Fire from Heaven fell frequently on the victims sacrificed to the Lord, as a mark of his presence and approbation. It is thought, that God in this manner expressed his acceptance of Abel’s sacrifices. When Abraham made a Covenant with the Lord, a Fire like that of a furnace passed through the divided pieces of the sacrifices, and consumed them. Fire fell upon the sacrifices, which Moses offered at Levit. ix. 24. Judg. xiii. 19, 20. 2 Chr. vii. 1. 1 Kings xviii. 38. Levit. vi. 12. 2 Macc. i. 19, 20, and ii. 1, 2, 3.the dedication of the Tabernacle, and on those of Manoah, Sampson’s father; upon Solomon’s, at the dedication of the Temple; on Elijah’s, at mount Carmel; and lastly, on Nehemiah’s, at the return from the captivity.

There was a perpetual Fire kept up in the Temple upon the Altar of burnt sacrifices, which the Priests had the care of preserving, by burning wood continually upon it¹. When Nebuchadnezzar made himself master of Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah took this sacred and perpetual Fire, and being attended by some other Priests, concealed it in a cistern, wherein there was no water. When the Jews returned from the captivity, Nehemiah having sent the grand -sons of those Priests, who had hid this Fire, with orders to search for it; instead of the Fire they brought him muddy water, which he pouring on the Altar, immediately a very clear Fire arose, which consumed the sacrifices that were upon it.

Besides this Fire, which was always burning upon the great Altar of burnt-offerings, Ezek. xlvi. 23, 24.there were several kitchins in the Temple, wherein the provision appointed for the subsistance of the Priests, was dressed; and the peace-offerings, which were offered by the People, and eat by them in the Temple-court before the Lord.

Joseph. de Bello, l. 2. c. 11. seu p. 811. seu 17. in Lat. Nehem. ix. 7. Dan. iii. 11, 12, 13 &c.A great quantity of wood was brought into the Temple, to supply a sufficient stock of fewel for all these fires; and for this purpose was instituted a kind of Feast, called Xylophoria, in Josephus.

The ancient Chaldæans adored Fire, as well as the old Persians, and some other people of the East. Several have been of opinion, that Abraham was thrown into the Fire, because he refused to worship this element. This St. Jerom intimates, where he says, that God delivered this Patriarch out of the Fire of the Chaldæans, instead of saying, that he brought him out of the city of Hur in Chaldæa. Nebuchadnezzar commanded Daniel’s three companions to be cast into the fiery furnace, because they refused to pay adoration to a statue, which he had erected: but God secured them from the effect of the Fire, and the flame did not hurt them.

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