a volume of _photospheric-ethereal_, or SPIRIT-FIRE; that it is the
source of all that we can comprehend of _light_ and _heat_; we have
also stated our belief that it is an _attribute_ of the Eternal
One--possibly an agency of _creative power_--we believe we shall be
able to make this plain to every reflecting mind, in our further
contemplations of the revelations which God has made of himself, as we
find them recorded in the Bible. These revelations are plain, and we
believe the time in the history of our world has come, when we should
more fully comprehend them--even the nature of His manifestations, and
thus comprehend more our own relations to Him, and by this means be
enabled to "come to a knowledge of His truth," and more fully realize
His prescience, day by day. That this has not been more fully
comprehended heretofore, must seem a mystery to every reflecting mind.
Now what are these revelations? Let us examine.
We learn from Bible History, that "God created man in His own image,
and after His own likeness." "In the image of God created He him; male
and female, created He them." Thus, in creation, man is spoken of in
the _plural_. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living soul." Now "the first Adam was made a living soul, and the
second Adam a quickening spirit." The terms soul and spirit are held
as synonymous; both having reference to our immortal nature, and, as
this immortal nature emanated from God our Creator, and is of His own
eternal attribute, it can never die; hence, it must exist through all
eternity.
Job asks, "To whom hast Thou uttered words? whose spirit came from
Thee?" and in Ecclesiastes it is declared, "The spirit shall return to
God who gave it." St. John, the revelator, tells us that "God is a
spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in
truth." While St. Paul says, "His spirit beareth witness with our
spirits, that we are the children of God."
Now you will remember that St. John, the revelator, has told us that
it was revealed to him that "the seven lamps of _fire_, were the seven
spirits of God," while Job says, "A flame goeth out of His mouth, and
God by his spirit garnished the heavens."
We wish you to bear this evidence in mind. For Job not only speaks of
a _plurality of heavens_, but explains by what agency they were
garnished--even by the _Spirit of God_. Now we know that garnishment
is transcendent brightness, and brilliancy; to adorn and polish
_surface_. Is it not therefore, probable that Job had reference to
that bright _ethereal spirit flame_, whose brilliancy blinds us if we
attempt a lingering gaze at the Sun's bright disk? 'Tis said that
heaven within is lighted with the "glory of God."
In our previous arguments, we have showed, conclusively, that the Sun
is the source of fire, heat, and light. Let us now further examine the
offices of this element thus derived from the _Sun_, and note in this
investigation whether it is not, in some way, intimately connected
with _heaven_.
_First._ Under the Mosaic dispensation, God commanded His Prophets,
and Priests, to build unto Him an Altar, and to offer sacrifices
thereon; and such sacrifices would be accepted by Him, as should be
evidenced by his sending down fire from heaven to consume the
offerings. He also commanded, through Moses, that the fires should
ever be burning upon the altar, and that the Priests should continue
to renew sacrifices and burnt offerings upon it. These sacrifices were
as memorials before the Lord, and typical of the coming of Christ, who
should be the "great sacrifice," to ransom fallen man.
Now it will be remembered that when such offerings were made, fire
came down from heaven and consumed the offerings, and thus made
manifest that the sacrifices were accepted of God. (Let it be
remembered that we have shown, as far as finite mind can comprehend,
that the _Sun_ is the only direct source of fire, and then remember
that _fire came down from heaven_.)
In the book of Job we read,
"_The fire of God has fallen from heaven._"
The Psalmist tells us that
"God is a _Sun_ and a shield, who maketh His angels spirits,
and His ministers a flaming fire."
Now we know that angels are God's ministers, and how oft do we find
recorded in the Bible, how--under the earlier dispensation--they
appeared on earth in forms of _fire_, and with the brightness of the
_Sun_.
The Psalmist tells us again that:
"Our God shall come, a fire shall devour before Him. A fire
goeth before Him and burneth up His enemies."
The prophet Jeremiah proclaims:
"Wherefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Behold, I will
make my words in thy mouth fire."
The Psalmist answers:
"While I was musing the fire burned."
Thus, how plain the revelations that _God's Spirit is fire_. Not
necessarily manifested at all times, by the burning and consuming our
mortal bodies--this only in His _wrath_--but by the purifying of our
natures; "burning up the dross, and base desires," and thus fitting us
for the enjoyment of heaven and happiness, for
"He shall be as a refiner's fire, and the righteous are
saved as by fire."
Let us hear what the prophet Jeremiah saith:
"For behold the Lord will come with fire; and with His
chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury,
and His rebukes with flames of fire, and the slain of the
Lord shall be many."
Ah, when He comes forth with His _Spirit of fire_ in _wrath_ and
indignation, then it is that this element is one of terrible
destruction. Comprehending this, the a same prophet inquires:
"Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among
_us_ shall dwell in everlasting burnings?"
Hear the answer of God, given through his prophet to all His obedient
and faithful children:
"Though thou walkest through the fires, thou shalt not be
burned, neither shall the flames kindle upon thee."
Again, of His Spirit in a milder form:
"Is not my _word_ like fire, saith the Lord?"
The prophet answers:
"His word was in my heart as a burning fire."
Now remember that:
"By the _word_ of the Lord were the heavens made, and all
the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth."
_And here His word is represented as_ FIRE!
In the first book of the Chronicles it is written:
"Every man's work shall be tried by fire."
And, in the second book of the Chronicles:
"And when the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,
and the glory of the Lord upon the House, they bowed
themselves with their faces to the ground, and worshipped
and praised the Lord."
Thus, no one dared gaze on the brightness of that _glory_, and all
bowed "with their faces _to the ground_."
Turning to the book of Deuteronomy, we find written:
"The Lord thy God is a consuming fire. Understand therefore
this day, that the Lord thy God is He that goeth over before
thee as a consuming fire. Out of heaven He made thee to hear
His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He
showed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out
of the midst of the fire."
In Leviticus we find written:
"And there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them,
and they died before the Lord. And there came a fire out
from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt
offerings--which, when the people saw, they shouted and fell
on their faces."
Let us contemplate, for a moment, the sacrilege of the attempt at
using this element--during the old dispensation--to the consuming of
an offering or sacrifice to any other than the _one true and living
God_. Turn to the Book of Numbers, and read,
"When the people offered incense upon the strange altar,
there came down fire from the Lord and consumed the two
hundred and fifty who offered the incense. And Nahab and
Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord."
Second Kings, vi. 17:
"Elisha said, they that be for us are more than they that
are against us; he prayed, and God opened the young man's
eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
Thus we see that this element--in its destructive form--is the ready
manifestation of God's displeasure.
Turn to Exodus, and read,--
"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him (Moses), in a
flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and he looked, and
behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not
consumed." _Again_, "The cloud of the Lord was upon the
Tabernacle by day, and a fire was upon it by night in sight
of all the house of Israel." _Again_, "And the sight of the
glory of the Lord was like devouring fire upon the top of
the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel."
Now let us consider this element in its offices when controlled by the
Great Jehovah.
Judges, xiii. 20:
"For it came to pass when the flame went up toward heaven
from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in
the flame of the altar."
Here there was no delusive manifestation, but the actual _flame of
fire_, ascending upward toward heaven; even to the _Sun_ its original
source.
We will now turn to the Book of the Second Kings, and--in our mind's
eye--join the prophets "as they walked and talked with Elijah" and
witness one of the most sublime scenes the eye of man has ever beheld:
"And it came to pass as they still went on and talked, that
behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,
and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven."
Was there not a startling, and sublime revelation, that this element
controlled, can be suited, even to our enjoyment of _happiness_ when
the great change comes; when this mortal shall put on immortality?
In the Book of Malachi--the last of the Old Testament scriptures--we
hear the voice of Him who had promised deliverance, speaking to us
through His prophet:
"Unto you that fear my name, shall the _Sun_ of
righteousness arise."
Thus we see that the promised Messiah was spoken of as a _Sun_.
Turning to the record of the New Testament, we find the Saviour's
advent into this world signaled by a brilliant "Star," emblematical of
the _Sun_, shining in all its splendor, brilliancy, and beauty, and
leading the wise men to where lay the "Infant of days"--the veiled
"Star," or _Sun_, of light and immortality.
At a later day, behold Him manifesting His veiled brightness, as he
stood "_transfigured on the Mount_" before Peter, James and John, when
"_His face did shine as the Sun, and His raiment white as the light_."
But we deem it unnecessary to dwell upon all the symbols of _fire_,
_heat_, and _light_, so clearly representative, which may be found
interspersed throughout the Old, and the New Testament pages. We will
catch up a few others as we pass along, before, in mind, taking our
stand with John, the revelator, on the Isle of Patmos. St. Paul tells
us,--
"The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His
mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ." And that the "Lord shall consume with the spirit of
His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His
coming."
St. John, says:
"_I indeed baptize you with water, but he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and_ WITH FIRE."
Thus we see that _spirit_ is denominated _fire_ in the ordinance of
_Spiritual Baptism_.
And St. Paul says:
"By one spirit are we all baptized into one body."
* * * * *
Let us now glance at the account of John's spiritual vision while on
the Isle of Patmos, as recorded in the Book of Revelation:
"I heard behind me a great voice as the voice of a trumpet, saying, I
am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the
ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come,
the Almighty. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and I
saw seven golden candlesticks, and One in the midst of the
candlesticks like unto the Son of Man. His head and his hair were
white as the snow, and his eyes were as _flames of fire_, and his feet
like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as
the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars;
and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; _and his
countenance was as the Sun shining in his strength_."
John saw the door of heaven opened and a voice as of a trumpet said
unto him, "Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must
be hereafter." He continues. "And immediately I was in the spirit,
and, behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne,
who, to look upon was like jasper, and there was a rainbow round about
the throne, in sight like unto an emerald, and around the throne sat
four and twenty elders in raiment of white, and out of the throne
proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices, and there were
seven lamps of _fire_ burning before the throne, _which are the seven
spirits of God_. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there
was seen in his temple the ark of his testament, and there were
lightnings, and voices, and thunderings. And there appeared a great
wonder in heaven, _a woman clothed with the Sun_. And I saw another
mighty angel coming down from heaven clothed with a cloud, and a
rainbow was upon his head and his face was, as it were the _Sun_, and
his feet as pillars of _fire_."
"_And the city had no need of the Sun_, for the glory of God did
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." "And there shall be no
night there, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign
forever and ever. The Lord God shall be unto them an everlasting
light, and the days of their mourning shall be ended."
"_Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the
Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear let him
hear._" (Matt. xiii. 43.)
* * * * *
We have quoted the foregoing Scriptural passages--to which we might
add scores of others of similar import--to show the connection of the
element of fire, heat and light--with God himself, and that while it
proves the agency; at least in dispensing His blessings to all
animated life, and can be so controlled by Him that--even in its
intensity--it cannot harm the righteous, either in body or spirit,
when He interposes; yet it is the certain agency of destruction, and
the torment of the wicked at His will; or without this interposition.
Certain it is, that it is the _agency_ by which He has made Himself
manifest to man, and this agency still continues in the dispensing of
all the manifold blessings we enjoy, day by day, and should cause
every heart to turn to Him with reverence and grateful emotions. The
mind of the Christian world should acknowledge the omnipresence of the
Infinite One; that He pervades all space, and is manifest in all
things; while each individual should feel as Elihu did when he uttered
the words, "The _Spirit_ of God hath made me, and the breath of the
Almighty hath given me life;" and exclaim with the Psalmist:
"I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall
continually be in my mouth. The eyes of the Lord are ever
upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. O
magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name
together. God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble." "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place
in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from
everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."
Now we have seen that God--by His Spirit, or influence--is everywhere;
that he pervades the universe of His Creation; that his nature is
eternal and indestructible, while all else--save man's immortal nature
derived from God--is destructible. We are plainly told in the Bible
that the _Spirit of God is fire_; that _His Word is fire_; that He is
like a _refiner's fire_--even as a purifier of silver. That every
man's work shall be tried _by fire_; the righteous saved as by _fire_;
that, to his people, He will be as _a wall of fire_; and though they
pass through the fire they shall not be burned; neither shall the
flames kindle upon them. And yet our God is a _consuming fire_, before
whom the wicked shall not stand. That the _fire_ of His anger, and His
_wrath_, shall be kindled against them, when all the proud, yea, and
all that do wickedly shall be cast into the fire that will never be
quenched; whose flames shall ascend up forever and ever. Oh, how plain
the revelations of God as to the immortality of the soul, and a future
state of existence! The righteous to enter into, and enjoy eternal
life; the wicked--who are dead in trespasses and in sins--to enter
into eternal death, even the "death that never dies."
How _startling_ the fact of these plain revelations! God is now made
manifest to our daily and hourly comprehension. How dare we trifle
with Him, and our own soul's immortal interest? We are daily and
hourly rushing on to our own eternal destiny. Ere another year, a
month, a week or day is past, we may realize that "it is not all of
life to live, nor yet of death to die." No one can escape the eternal
fiat of Jehovah, "_dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return_." As
death leaves the body so judgment finds the soul. "The righteous shall
inherit eternal life;" "the wicked shall be driven away from the
presence of God, and from the glory of His power," and take up their
abode with tormenting devils "in everlasting burnings."
Stop, poor wandering child of sin; yield obedience to the requirements
of God's law; "acknowledge Him in all thy ways, and He shall direct
thy paths."
The Psalmist tells us that "_the Lord God is a Sun_." Saint John tells
us that, while in the Spirit, it was revealed to him that the
"_burning lamps of fire were spirits of God_." Now remember that we
have told you that the vast volume of flame of _ethereal fire outside_
and _around_ the heavenly world, is all that we can see or comprehend
as the _Sun_; that flame is the source of all _light_, heat, and
animation: hence, considered in connexion with its offices, may we not
safely conclude that it is an _attribute of Jehovah_?
The prophet Malachi foretold the coming of the "Sun of righteousness,"
behold the "star in the east!" Who can doubt this star being a visible
manifestation of the _Spirit of God_? Christ, the Son of God, is
called "the _Sun_ of righteousness; the bright morning star." His
advent into the world was signalized by this sacred emblem--even by
the _Spirit of God_ revealed as the _brightness of a star_. How
appropriate this representation, when the Son of God came to usher in
the light of an eternal day to his people. Transfigured during His
stay on earth, "His face did shine as the Sun, and His raiment was
white as the light." Now remember, we are assured that the heavenly
world and city "hath no need of the _Sun_, for the glory of God doth
lighten it, and the Lamb (the Son of God) is the light thereof."
Thus we think we have furnished conclusive Scripture evidence that
_God's Spirit is manifested by fire_. Fire is the source of all light,
and is also an element pervading all things throughout the vast
universe of God--in air and earth, seas and floods, rocks and
mountains, throughout all heights and depths. Hence, hear again the
exclamation of the Psalmist: "Whither shall I go from thy _Spirit_? or
whither shall I flee from thy presence?" Behold, God, by His Spirit,
is everywhere, even throughout the vast extended universe of all His
wondrous works.
We have but to consider the source of this element--which is God
himself--and we shall then easily comprehend how it can, by the same
power, be adapted or made congenial to our mortal or immortal natures.
We have said, He has created no element incompatible with, or
uncongenial to His own nature, nor any that He cannot adapt to the
condition of the spirit-life of His children. Fire is an element
destructive of all things else save immortality, and that it is not
destructive of this, we have evidence in the fact that the wicked
shall be cast into the flames of hell, and suffer its torments for
ever and ever. And yet, while it is an element destructive of all
else, save immortality, it is one, and the _only one_ we can--even
partially--comprehend, that can _never be destroyed_. Mortality shall
be destroyed, and naught remain but immortality, purified by
fire--_the Spirit of God_.
Now in order that His children _here_, might comprehend His infinite
power in controlling, or adapting this element to their happiness, He
has manifested this power even with mortality on this earth. Our
mortal bodies are susceptible of feeling its painful influences, and
of being destroyed by it--save when He intervenes, and changes our
nature so that it can have no impression upon us, or makes it a
congenial element in which we can enjoy happiness. That He can do,
and has done this, we have manifest in the miraculous preservation of
the three Hebrew children. For their refusal to forsake the Living
God, and worship the idol, or golden image set up by King
Nebuchadnezzar, the king commanded that the furnace should be heated
seven-fold, and they be bound and cast into it. This was done, and
while the heat was so intense as to destroy those who bore them to,
and plunged them into the fiery furnace, yet when the king looked into
it "he saw four men loose and walking in the midst of the flames;
praising God, and blessing the name of the Lord, and the fourth was
like unto the Son of God." The king called them to come forth, and
when the three who were cast in came forth, "not a hair of their heads
was singed, nor even the smell of fire passed on their garments."
Thus we see the power of God manifest in the adaptation at His own
will, of this,--to our mortal bodies--painful and consuming element,
to our condition of happiness. And, on the other hand, when this
saving power is withheld, how certain is destruction, as manifested by
its destroying those who approached near enough to the furnace to cast
them in. O, the measure of happiness those children of the Most High
enjoyed in the midst of the burning flames! shouting and praising God.
And when they came out of the fiery furnace, they still continued
their triumphant shout; calling upon everything--animate, and
inanimate--throughout the vast Universe, to "bless, praise and magnify
the name of the Lord forever."
That God can, and does make this element suited to the enjoyment of
happiness of His people, we have also seen manifested in the case of
Elijah taking his seat, at the command of God, in the "chariot of
fire," and with "horses of fire" ascending up into heaven. Thus,
"changed," as the apostle expresses it, "in the twinkling of an eye,"
his mortality ceased, and "clothed upon with immortality," by Divine
power, he could ride in triumph with his steeds of fire, sitting in
his chariot of _burning flame_.
We scarcely deem it necessary to refer again to the--almost
universally conceded--fact of man's immortal nature. By the breath of
God, man was made a living soul or spirit. God's spirit is _living
fire_; hence this immortal nature of man is _living fire_, an
attribute of God himself, and one which can never cease to exist; can
never be annihilated, but will live on, and on through all eternity.
But when this immortal principle of _spirit-fire_ leaves the body,
mortality ceases to live, and must decay and moulder into dust. For,
speaking of this mortal body, He hath said, "dust thou art, and unto
dust shalt thou return," and "the soul shall return to God who gave
it."
_SUN AND HEAVEN._
Now to show the intimate connexion with the _Sun_ and _Heaven_, spoken
of in the Scriptures, we will here group together a few of the many
passages found written therein.
The prophet Jeremiah, in referring to the great and terrible day of
the Lord, says "the light shall be darkened in the heavens;" and in
the Gospel according to St. Mark, referring to the same, we read that
"the _Sun_ shall be darkened;" and in the Revelation, that "the _Sun_
and the air were darkened." Again, Jehovah, speaking to His people,
saith: "I will cover the _heaven_, and make the stars thereof dark;"
and, in order that we may more fully comprehend, he added: "I will
cover the _Sun_ with a cloud;" and the Psalmist tells us that "He
covereth the _heaven_ with a cloud;" and thus saith the Lord through
His prophet: "Be not dismayed at the signs of _heaven_; for the
heathen are dismayed at them."