Have you
noticed the phrase in scripture 'an offering made by fire'? It's used
19 times in Leviticus and Numbers to describe the Old Testament offerings
with which Israel was to approach God. The offerings prefigured Christ,
and have been fulfilled by him, but they still have a purpose to believers.
One purpose is this: to show us the character of the offerings we are
to give and the sacrifices we are to make. I don't have time to go into
them here, but there is one small point that I believe God wants me
to raise. Because our offerings (money, time, worship, works etc.) are
only acceptable by fire, the fire must be kept burning (Lev 6:9).
Long ago,
the fire died out in many Christian churches - and I'm not just referring
to the 'easy' targets of mainstream denominations. Some readers will
be familiar with the observation made by Dr Mark Stibbe (and others)
of a decline into 'charismatic liberalism' by many modern, or 'new'
churches. We need the fire, brothers and sisters! 'Never be lacking
in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour' (Ro 12:11). The Greek for
'fervour', dzeho, means 'to boil with heat' or to 'keep on the boil'.
This is by fire, friends, not by spiritual microwave. There are no easy
routes to the God-filled life. Likewise, we are to be lamps and lights
in the world (Jn 5:35, Mt 5:14) - not battery-powered but on fire!
Lev 6:9
tells us to keep the fire burning 'on the altar'. There are no altars
today, because an altar is for the shedding of blood, and the blood
of Jesus has been shed once, for all. The 'altar' today is our life
- dying to self, living to God, counting the world as rubbish, but burning
with holy flame for Jesus. Lev 1:7 reinforces the message: 'The sons
of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on
the fire'. Today's sons of Aaron, today's priesthood, are you and me,
the church, all believers. Have you made 'arrangements' for adding fuel
to your fire, daily? What is your 'wood'? We may allegorise, theologise,
hypothesise, or simply use our eyes - God provides fuel for his fires
- but make sure there's some fuel being added!. What arrangements do
you have, and are you keeping to them?
We use
a saying 'don't rest on your laurels', referring to the laurel victor's
crown in ancient Greece. Lev 6:10 shows by another metaphor that we
need to press on, new acceptable offerings and new victories every day.
Old offerings and old victories were good, but they should be replaced
daily. Just as our God is always doing 'a new thing (Is 43:19), so should
we. Remove the ashes! And friends (let me say this gently), don't think
that you can fake a fired-up life. Outward hype isn't fire, just as
clothes don't make the man. If you're carrying around 'ashes' in your
life, don't hypocritically wear priestly outer garments of pseudo-Christian
words or works. Get really fired up for Jesus. An ash-carrying life
isn't befitting a member of the royal priesthood of Christ. People will
see through the faking, and the name of Christ will be tarnished. Let
the fiery, consuming, love of God burn in every part of you as you approach
him. Live the life. Light the fire. Fan the flame - and keep it burning!
