Fire From Heaven
1 Chronicles 21:26 says, “And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”
How many have longed for revival? When there is a true revival from the Lord, where does the fire fall? True Christianity is according to the Word of God or it’s not Christianity at all. Jesus Christ himself is the word of God made manifest in the flesh. Any doctrine that is based on man’s accomplishments and man’s happiness is “Humanism” and not Christianity. If a person who calls himself a Christian is in it for his own happiness, he’s a humanist and not a Christian. Christianity serves the Lord because he alone is worthy.
The context of 1 Chronicles 21 is the account of King David who took a census contrary to the Lord’s command. Joab had told him not to number the people but David didn’t listen to the word of the Lord. The angel of the Lord had drawn his sword to slay Israel and David saw the Angel. David said, let me not fall into the hand of mine enemies but in to the hand of the Lord. That’s when David built the alter to the Lord to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. He said, “I will not offer unto the Lord something that cost me nothing.” Therefore, David bought the thrashing floor upon which he built the altar. Where does the fire fall? It falls upon the altar. Fire from heaven either falls in judgement upon the earth or it falls upon the altar to consume the sacrifice for sin. When people judge themselves guilty according to the Word of the Lord and build an altar, then the fire falls upon the altar of the Lord.
Examples of fire falling upon the altar were when fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering at the dedication of Solomon’s temple. Another example was when Elijah built an altar to challenge the prophets of Baal. On the day of Pentecost fire from heaven figuratively came down when there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon the twelve apostles.
Jesus Christ will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgement. If the Holy Spirit is the power of God to judge our sins as “crimes against God,” then God’s righteous judgement has fallen upon the altar to consume the sacrifice for sin. For Jesus Christ himself who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Some people say, “you don’t need to hate the things of the world to love God.” However, the scripture says, “Hate that which is evil and cleave unto that which is good.” Friendship with the word is enmity against God. He who loves the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Love and hate according to the Word do not sit in the “emotions.” Facing the enemy is not a matter of emotions. To conquer the enemy means that you must face the enemy at all costs.
According to a Barna Group survey, 95% of all Christians consider themselves “immature” Christians. One person commented that this is comparable to taking a survey of the armed services and finding that 95% of soldiers consider themselves Cub Scouts. Paul said, “you’re still babies stuck in the elementary doctrines of the faith and need the milk of the word because you haven’t grown enough to to digest the meat of the depth of the Word of God.”
Love is not an emotion. According to John 3:16, love is a choice. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life…. He loved us in that while we were yet sinners. The Greek word “agape” is a special word for love. According to verse 19, men loved (agape) the darkness rather than the light. Love is not an emotion. Agape means commitment. Men who love and are committed to darkness cannot forsake their sin. God cannot do anything for them because they are committed to darkness and cannot enter into the light. Men of God must choose to hate sin.
God sent his son Jesus as judgement for sin as the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf. Until we commit our lives to Christ, we cannot approach God’s throne of grace. God has no power over us unless we love and commit our lives to him.
To return his heart to God, David was broken. God gave David three options to atone for his sin of numbering the people. The question is, how far will you allow yourself to be broken before the Lord?
There was a ritual for cleansing before presenting a sacrifice in the temple before the Lord. Likewise, in order to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto the Lord, we need to cleanse our hearts and commit ourselves to the Lord.
In the words of the old hymn:
What shall wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O blessed is the flow, that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know; Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael