all consuming fire

Years from now we’ll look back at the shattered walls, broken windows, and rotten pews of a church of old and wonder… what… happened? This photo brought to reality some disheartening truths that we should be very cautious about. So easily can we cast aside truth in the name of preserving buildings, church programs, or church membership, and inerrant truths like God’s Word and Biblical faith are left collecting dust, crushed under the eventual collapse of some “tower of babel.”

I find myself frequently drawn to Isaiah when meditating on God’s design for church. Despite Isaiah being written to Israel and not the New Testament church, there are still great truths in these chapters. Something I’ve said before: the “problems” or difficulties we face today are not new. They’re not surprising God as if he hasn’t dealt with these situations before. The important thing to remember during times of struggle is that God is faithful, even when we’re faithfully not.

I love that Isaiah’s name even means: Salvation is God. Or: God is Salvation.
Thousands of years ago, “religious” people were going through the same song and dance we find ourselves in today. Our practices and our routines measure up to absolutely nothing, despite whatever level of confidence we place in them. Isaiah refers later in his book to our most honorable and righteous acts are as filth to God. We have all become unclean, and ran around with our pants down until God in His love willed that His wrath would burn against us to bring the purity He demands. And the point is: God provides Salvation. Everything else doesn’t matter.

This sounds scary but it screams security!
Despite our sin, God loved us enough that He desired for us to be like him. (Rom. 5:8)

In the past few decades, we’ve made church something that can look like whatever we desire it to be. The quickest thing I do is daydream about the way I think something should be, and sometimes never consider what God designed for it to be. This is dangerous thinking! A funny thing about this line of thinking is that God has already addressed what takes place during these situations. Don’t we believe the Bible has the solution to life? If it does, why is it that I seem to look everywhere else, including my own or others’ insight to find a solution only God can provide? Stupid, right?

So I wanted to look at the end of Hebrews 12.

The writer has just finished talking about the faith of all these great forefathers of their nation. Moses, Abraham, Abel, and Noah all followed the design God had in place for them by faith. And because they are named among us, keep running! Don’t grow weary of discipline, heartache, fatigue, or hunger. Because even these forefathers, who followed God faithfully, “did not receive what was promised.” (Hebrews 11:39) But he clarifies and says that “God had provided something better for us” that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Here’s the reality check that Paul writes about in Philippians 1 when he says “to die would be gain!” but is more necessary on your account that I remain. God’s promise of the promised land was not just to Israel. It was not just to the direct, biological descendants of Abraham. But like we read in Romans 9, it’s the children of God’s promise that are counted as heirs with Christ. Back to Hebrews 12, the chapter is closed by saying God will shake the foundations of earth and heaven and everything in them that can be shaken will be destroyed and turned to rubble. THIS will happen. And once God has spoken, all that remains will be the children of His promise. Those that have followed faithfully in the paths He’s called them to walk. All that we’ve built and accumulated will be turned to dust in the light of His glory and power.

The point here in Hebrews 12 is that God’s Kingdom cannot be shaken. Everything else is, well, meaningless (in Solomon’s words). Are we placing our security in the Kingdom? Or do we hole up inside the closets of our sanctuary, hoping they’ll withstand the destruction of His unrelenting wrath, and never enter the true peace and salvation of His sanctuary? The only one that will remain?

The last words of the chapter:

“For our God is an all consuming fire.”