The November Forest church is always a bonfire on the beach. Not surprisingly, the theme was fire. Fire has fascinated societies and cultures for millenia.
The ancients believed fire was a bridge between the world of humans and the world of the divine. In the ancient view of the world consisting of four elements - Earth, Air, Water and Fire - Fire was the only one humans could actually make themselves; the one way in which humankind could consider themselves a little like the gods.
After a short introduction to these themes people received a handout with a range of biblical verses related to fire. It's a powerful metaphor but it's also a very fluid metaphor meaning many different things at different times. People were invited to read the verses while watching the fire and find one that was relevant to them and meditate on what that was and what inspiration they could take away from it. At the end of the session many people shared how different verses - or time spent staring in the fire - had spoken in a personal way to their own situation.
Here are the verses
1 Kings 19:12 New International Version (NIV)
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
Deuteronomy 4:23-25
23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. 24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Acts 2:2-4
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Exodus 3: 2. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up." 4. When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." 5. "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
Heb 12:18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm … 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.
Exodus 13: 21. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
Exodus 24:16. and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17. To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.
Leviticus 6: 13. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.
Rev: 19.12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
2 Kings 2: 10. "You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not." 11. As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Zech 2:3-5 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’
Hebrews 1:7 In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.”
Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
1 Corinthians 3:13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day of Judgement will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.
Luke 9: 53-6 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.
Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Rev 15:2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God
Song of Songs 8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its ardour unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Alistair McNaught - November 2019
