The Ten Commandments

A Consuming Fire

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Biblical Law

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-02

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 4:24, 'For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God,' exploring the biblical meaning of God's jealousy and its connection to His nature as a consuming fire. He distinguishes godly jealousy (intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness, vigilant guarding of a possession) from sinful jealousy, showing that God's jealousy is holy and tied to His zeal for His own glory and His people. The lecture traces this theme through Old and New Testaments, emphasizing that God's consuming fire both protects His people and destroys His enemies. Applied to believers, the truth that 'our God is a consuming fire' (Hebrews 12:29) should produce reverence, godly fear, and acceptable service, not presumption. The message concludes with the encouragement that God is also merciful to those who repent, and that His jealousy over His people means He will defend and keep them.

[John Weaver] Deuteronomy 4 verse 24, look at it. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. We will come back later and look at the context, but notice that verse again. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. Have you ever considered the fact that God is a jealous God? If you have thought about that God is a jealous God, Have you ever considered the implications of that fact? The Bible also says that God is a consuming fire. If you've meditated upon the reality that God is a consuming fire, then you must also ask what in the world are the implications of that reality? Then you must also ask, is there a connection between God's jealousy and God being a consuming fire?

[John Weaver] In other words, are these two truths interrelated? Now, I'm going to talk today about God being a consuming fire or God being a jealous God.

[John Weaver] Now, whenever I refer to the jealousy of God or the fact that God is a jealous God, you must understand that God's jealousy is not sinful or wicked in any way whatsoever. There is in the Bible a godly jealousy and certainly there is an ungodly jealousy. It is not sinful on our part to be jealous if we are jealous after a godly manner. However, our jealousy is usually not based upon scriptural principle, nor is it likened to God's jealousy in any way. Usually, our jealousy is sinful, wicked jealousy. But there is a godly jealousy, and it is possible to be jealous in a godly manner.

[John Weaver] Now, our English word jealous, or jealousy, is derived from the Latin word zealous, which Also is the source of our word zeal. So when you realize that God is a jealous God, he is also a zealous God. Now there are basically three definitions of jealousy. The first two of these definitions are indeed biblical and can be applied to God directly. They should also be applied to God's people as well. So what in the world do we mean when we say that God is a jealous God? First, to be jealous means that you are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. To be jealous in a godly manner means that you are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. Certainly God is jealous in this sense of the word.

[John Weaver] You know what the Bible says in Isaiah 42 and verse 8? Let me just quote it. God said, I am the Lord, that is my name. My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. So God is jealous for His honor and His glory. God is intolerant of rivalry. God is intolerant of unfaithfulness. And I might point out that you and I should be jealous in that manner as well. We are intolerant. of rivalry or unfaithfulness.

[John Weaver] Second, to be jealous means that one is vigilant in guarding a possession. Certainly that applies to God. Our Lord is jealous in this respect. For instance, let me just quote you Zechariah 2 in verse 8. Since we belong to Him, we are His possessions. The Bible says this in Zechariah 2 in verse 8. For thus said the Lord of hosts, After the glory hath he sent me into the nations that spoiled you, for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye, or the pupil of my eye." So God is saying, look, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy.

[John Weaver] I'm going to protect you. I'm going to defend you. You are mine. The Apostle Paul expressed the same jealousy over his converts. For in 2 Corinthians 11 in verse 2 he said this, For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ." So Paul said, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. So very obviously there is indeed a godly jealousy and there is an ungodly jealousy. Certainly husbands and wives should be jealous over each other in this respect.

[John Weaver] Now remember I told you the second definition of jealousy means that one is vigilant in guarding a possession. And when I say that husbands and wives should be jealous in this respect, don't become upset over the word possession. Or become upset over the word property. If I say my wife is my possession or my wife is my property, that is a biblical expression. The word property comes from the Latin proprius, literally means belonging to oneself or one's own. I can say biblically my wife is my property. She can say biblically that I am her property.

[John Weaver] That is, we belong to each other. And by the way, parents should view their children as their property as well. Children belong first unto the Lord, secondly to the parents as their stewardship. But let me emphasize, they never ever belong to the state. God did not give children to the state. So we should be jealous over our spouses and jealous over our children in this way and in this respect that we guard them vigilantly and we protect them.

[John Weaver] Third, the word jealousy with which we are most often familiar is used to describe an unhealthy and an unbiblical attitude. Unhappily, it is this attitude that we most often identify with. Jealousy, in this respect, denotes a hostile attitude toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage which we do not have or possess.

[John Weaver] Now, God could never be jealous in this way because God is unique. There is no one that ever has an advantage over God. And by the way, this should never be in our lives either. Why? Because God made us. God created us the way that we are. And we should be content with the way that He made us. I should not be jealous of James because he has a wonderful head of hair, And I don't. He does have an advantage over me in that aspect. But I'm far more charming than He is, so I have an advantage over Him. You see what I'm saying? It doesn't matter what we look like in one sense of the word, as long as we understand God made us the way that we made us, He made us, and we should be content with that. So we should never ever consider the fact that here is a rival that has some advantage that we do not have. We have an advantage that they do not have. So, there's no reason to be jealous like that.

[John Weaver] So, let's ask and answer a simple question and let me show it to you from Scripture. Is God jealous? And the answer is most definitely yes. He is jealous in a biblical sense of the word. I want you to hold Deuteronomy 4. We're going to come back there, but turn back to the book of Exodus. And let me show you several verses. In fact, you may be surprised at what you learn concerning the jealousy of God. Look if you would in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 5 to begin with. Exodus 20 and verse 5.

[John Weaver] Notice what the Bible says. Exodus 20 and verse 5. God says, Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, that is to idols. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them. Why? For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children of the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Now God has just declared that He is a jealous God. Look in Exodus 34, if you would, and verse 14, and here's something else that you might discover. You're going to discover that God is not only a jealous God, but that jealous is one of the names of God. Exodus 34 and verse 14. For thou shalt worship no other God, for the Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God. Then if you would turn to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and look at verse 9. It's amazing how many times God says this in the Bible. Deuteronomy 5 verse 9. God says, Thou shalt not bow down Thyself unto them, nor serve them.

[John Weaver] For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children of the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me. Look in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 15. For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you. Lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

[John Weaver] Then if you'll turn over to the book of Joshua chapter 24, and by the way, some of these thoughts are going to be explained later on in the message. But look in Joshua chapter 24 and verse 19. Joshua 24 and verse 19. You remember Joshua said, choose you this day whom you will serve. But notice what he says in Joshua 24 and verse 19. And Joshua said unto the people, you cannot serve the Lord. Why?

[John Weaver] For He is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your transgression nor your sins. Here's what Joshua is saying, is you better not trifle with God.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 39. Ezekiel 39 and verse 25. Ezekiel 39 and verse 25.

[John Weaver] And then I'll quote the remainder verses. But notice what the Bible says, Ezekiel 39 verse 25. Ezekiel 39 verse 25, Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name. Now if you're taking notes, jot down Joel 2 and verse 18 and let me quote it. Here it is. Then the Lord will be jealous for His land and pity His people. Then in Nahum 1 in verse 2, God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries.

[John Weaver] He reserveth wrath unto His enemies. In Zechariah 1 in verse 14, So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great jealousy. And then finally Zechariah 8 verse 2, Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy and I was jealous for her with great fury. Now I hope you will remember that I asked in the introduction Is there a connection between God being a jealous God and God being a consuming fire?

[John Weaver] If you've paid attention to some of these verses that I've read, you will understand the answer is yes. In fact, this last one that I just quoted, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Very obviously there is a connection. If you'll go back to Deuteronomy 4 and verse 24 again, I want to read that verse, but then I want to show you the context in which it appears. Notice if you would please, Deuteronomy 4 verse 24, For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. Now let me tell you, in the context which I'm going to show you, The jealousy of God is associated especially with idolatry and disobedience. Let's go back and look at verse 14 and read through verse 26 of Deuteronomy 4. Look in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 14.

[John Weaver] Moses said, and the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments Why? That you might do them in the land whether you go over to possess it. Let me just point out the fact, folks. It doesn't do you any good to memorize Scripture and to listen to Scripture and to hear Scripture if you're not going to obey it. So he said, God gave me these statues and these judgments that you might do them.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says in verse 15. Take you therefore good heathen to yourselves, for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb. out of the midst of fire. So they saw no similitude of God, lest you corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flyeth in the air, the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth, and lest thou lift up thine eyes into heaven, And when thou seest the sun, the moon, the stars, and even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all the nations of old heaven. But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as you are this day.

[John Weaver] The LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go into that good land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan, but you shall go over and possess that good land. Take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God, When thou shalt beget children and children's children, and shalt have remained long in the land, and shalt corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of anything that shalt do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon perish utterly from off the land, whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it.

[John Weaver] You shall not prolong your days upon it, but you shall be utterly destroyed." Isn't that interesting? The context of God being a jealous God and a consuming fire is in the context of idolatry and disobedience. In other words, God is jealous for His honor and His glory and His praise. God will not be treated as simply another God. He will brook no rivals. Christianity is not on a par with the other religions of the earth.

[John Weaver] And when anyone tries to tell you, well, we're all working for the same place, it really doesn't matter what you believe, just so you believe. That's just pure blasphemy and hogwash. God said that He would broke no rivals. And I believe if I took the time to take you through the book of Exodus, you would understand how God destroyed not only the Egyptians, but the gods of Egypt. And I might point out that the same fate awaits the false gods of this day and time.

[John Weaver] Now, remember God is a jealous God, even a consuming fire. Do you remember how God revealed Himself on Mount Sinai? Well, we're in Deuteronomy. Look in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 11. Deuteronomy 4 and verse 11. Here Moses is reminding the people what they saw. He said, And you came near and stood under the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven with darkness clouds and thick darkness. The mountain, he said, burned with fire. Look in Deuteronomy 9 and verse 15. Deuteronomy 9 and verse 15. Moses said, So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire, and the two tables of the covenant were in my hand. Now you don't have to turn to Exodus 19 and verse 18.

[John Weaver] I want to read it to you though. It is very, very descriptive. Listen to what Moses wrote. and Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire, and the smoke thereof ascended as a smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." So God now has descended upon Mount Sinai in a mighty fire. When God revealed Himself to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, when God gave them His Law, when God gave them His Word, when God entered into a covenant with them, He revealed Himself as a fire, but it was a non-consuming fire.

[John Weaver] It did not consume them. It did not consume Moses. It did not even consume the mountain. The mountain still stands. The fire was a demonstration not only of God's purity, but also of God's power. Do you remember when Moses approached the burning bush that did not burn? Moses said, I'll turn me aside and see this great sight. And when Moses approached the bush, God spoke to him from the bush and said, Take thy shoes from off thy feet, for the ground on which thou standest is holy. So God has revealed himself as a fire in several places, but as a non-consuming fire. But then God has also revealed himself as a consuming fire. Why did Moses say in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 24 that God is a jealous God, even a consuming fire?

[John Weaver] And I will deal with this passage not today, but in the future weeks. But you remember Numbers chapter 16. God did reveal Himself in a consuming fire. You remember how Dathan and Abiram and Korah and their company rebelled against the Lord? Yes, Dathan and Abiram and Korah The earth opened up and swallowed them alive, but here were 250 men with their censers before the Lord. And what did God do? God sent fire from heaven and consumed them all. What happened to Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange fire before the Lord? God sent fire from heaven and consumed them. What happened in Numbers 21? When the people murmured and complained and belied against God, God sent fiery serpents to destroy them. So the truth then that God is giving us is a two-fold truth. On the one hand, God is pure and holy. as a flame of fire protecting His people, providing for His people, and on the other hand, God is a consuming fire defending His people and destroying His enemies.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you this. I want you to look to Exodus chapter 13 very quickly. Exodus 13. I know that you remember this, but I want you to see it. Look at Exodus 13 and verse 22. You remember God was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In Exodus chapter 13 and verse 22, we find out exactly how God led them. Notice if you would, in Exodus 13 and verse 22, the Bible says, He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, No, the pillar of fire by night from before the people. So how did God lead them? With a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. So the cloud moved during the day, they moved during the day. The cloud stayed during the day, they stayed during the day. During the night, if the pillar of fire moved, they moved. If the pillar of fire stayed still, they sat still. But you will remember, when Moses had gotten the children of Israel to the Red Sea, Pharaoh said, man, they're trapped.

[John Weaver] They've got the mountains on the one side, the desert on the other side, the sea in front of them. I'll come up behind them and I'll whip them in a minute. No problem. Look in Exodus chapter 14 in verse 20. Pharaoh comes upon them, but notice what happens. And it's at night now. How did God lead the children of Israel? At night with a pillar of fire. Watch. that is the pillar of fire, came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud and darkness to them, that is to the Egyptians, but it gave light by night to these, that is Israelites, so that the one came not near the other all the night. What was happening during the night? Here was this pillar of fire that was giving light to the Israelites on the one hand And on the other hand, it was giving darkness to the Egyptians on the other hand. What did God do to Pharaoh and the Egyptian army?

[John Weaver] He consumed them utterly, totally, and completely. Now listen to this. For even the Lord thy God is a jealous God, He is a consuming fire. Look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 9 and verse 3. Deuteronomy 9 verse 3. Oh how applicable this is in our day and time. Look in Deuteronomy 9 and verse 3. Once again, we'll come back and look at the context in just a moment. But look at verse 3. Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is He who goeth before, over before thee. As a consuming fire, He shall destroy them. He shall bring them down before thy face, so thou shalt drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord thy God hath said unto thee. Notice God is going to bring the children of Israel into the land. and he is going before them as a consuming fire. He's going to destroy those enemies completely, totally. Wow. Now Deuteronomy 9.3 is very interesting. Because in Deuteronomy 9.3, God is giving a warning to Israel.

[John Weaver] And I want you to know what this warning is. In this passage, God is warning Israel not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. I'm going to read it for you in just a moment. He is warning them not to think that they're going to acquire the land, Canaan land, by their might, by their power, or by their righteousness.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you something, folks. You and I have been blessed immeasurably by the grace of God. And is it not true that so many times we attribute the blessings of God to our ability, to our power, to our work, to our strength, to our wisdom, Let's read Deuteronomy 9 verses 1 through 6. Watch carefully. God says, Here, O Israel, thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, a people great and tall, the children of the Anakins, whom thou knowest and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak? Understand, therefore, this day, that the Lord thy God, as He who goeth over before thee, is a consuming fire, He shall destroy them. He shall bring them down before thy face, so shalt thou drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land, but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee.

[John Weaver] Not for thy righteousness or for the uprightness of thine heart dost thou go to possess their land, but for the wickedness of these nations, the Lord, thy God, doth drive them out before thee, that he may perform the word which the Lord spake unto thy fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand therefore that the Lord, thy God, giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked people. Wow.

[John Weaver] Do you realize, folks, in our most spiritual moment, in our most heavenly exercised moment of faith, we're still nothing but sinners. And our self-works and righteousnesses are nothing but filthy rags. God said, I want you to make this clear in your mind. I'm not blessing you and giving you this because you're righteous. You're not righteous in and of yourself. You're a stiff-necked, rebellious, wicked people. But He said, I'm doing this because of my covenant. And I'm doing this because the nations that you're going to dispossess or even more wicked and vile than you are.

[John Weaver] So let me tell you something. What did God say? By the way, God said in Psalm 44, again, it was not by their bow, nor their strength, nor their might, nor their power that they got that land, but it was God's grace and God's strength.

[John Weaver] Now here is an example of the righteous wrath and anger of God as a consuming fire. He said in verse 3 that God is going to go before you as a consuming fire. Do you realize that a fire burns up everything in its path? It is irresistible. It is unstoppable. It is total and complete destruction.

[John Weaver] As a boy, I helped my father burn off 30-40 acre field. The field was full of sage grass about that high, dry. I had already plowed a fire break around that field. And I told my father, give me a little while to go to the far end and I will back burn just so it will not jump our fire break. I said, then you can set it on fire with the wind. I said, it will burn very quickly. I set that sagebrush on fire. And I back-burned, I don't know, 15, 20 feet. And I gave the sign for Daddy to set it on fire with the little bit of wind that we had. I was in the middle of the field. I hope you know that fire makes its own wind. Because when he set it on fire, it took everything I could do to beat it out of that field before it consumed everything between Him and myself.

[John Weaver] If you've never seen fire sweep irresistibly and unstoppably, you're in for a great surprise. God said, that's exactly how I am. I am a consuming fire. And let me tell you, when God moves as a consuming fire, one should undoubtedly stand in awe and fear before Him. I want to show you the attitude of even the heathen when they understand that God is a consuming fire. I want you to turn to the book of Joshua chapter 2.

[John Weaver] You know the story of Rahab, how she hid the two spies? Have you ever wondered why she hid those spies? I've said this for years. I've never done it. But one of these days, if the Lord allows me to live, I'm going to bring a message on confessions of a harlot. But I want you to see her confession. She was not naming names as far as men are concerned, but she made a great confession.

[John Weaver] Look in Joshua 2, verse 9. Here's what Rahab the harlot said. And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were on the other side of Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt. Neither did there remain any more courage in man because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." Now what did she say when we heard what your God had done? Our hearts melted. We were faint. There was no courage in anyone. We were afraid. We were scared. And anybody that's got one eye and a half sense ought to be afraid of God as a consuming fire.

[John Weaver] Do you remember, you don't have to turn there, but in 1 Samuel 4 and verse 8, you remember when Hophni and Phinehas, as wicked as they were, when they brought the ark of God into the camp of Israel, and all the Israelites were shouting, and the Philistines heard the shouts, the Philistines said, Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? Now they were pagans, but they knew the power of God. I want you to turn to Isaiah 33, and look if you would please at what Isaiah confessed, acknowledged. I want you to see his statement as well as his questions. Isaiah 33, beginning with verse 14. Isaiah 33, verse 14.

[John Weaver] The sinners in Zion are afraid. Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.

[John Weaver] Now look at the question. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Why? Our God is a consuming fire. Now, I believe that each of you understand the ramifications of the fact that God is a consuming fire to His enemies. If you don't, just look very quickly into 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, or 2 Thessalonians it is, chapter 1, and notice beginning there with verse 7. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 7. Look what the Apostle Paul writes, 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 7. Here God is a consuming fire to His enemies. He said, 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 7, And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when 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, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them that believe.

[John Weaver] Notice, and you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Very obviously, He is a consuming fire to His enemies. Just like He consumed the Amorites, the Jebusites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, none can stand before Him. He is irresistible.

[John Weaver] Now as I teach this, I can hear some thoughts and remarks coming from you. One thought and one remark might be this, boy, I'm glad I didn't live in Old Testament times. Or, wow, I sure am glad that I'm a Christian and this truth doesn't apply to me. Hold on. We haven't read all the verses yet. Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 29. And I want you to note, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 29 has the same identical truth that Deuteronomy 4.24 and Deuteronomy 9.3 has. Watch Hebrews chapter 12 verse 29.

[John Weaver] For our God is a consuming fire. Let me give you a bit of information that may be helpful to your thinking. God has not changed. God never changes. God is immutable. And for the surprise of many, they will discover that the same God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. He is just as holy, majestic, and just as He was in the Old Testament.

[John Weaver] The difference in verse 29 of Hebrews 12 is this, is this passage is applied primarily to believers. Deuteronomy 4 was to be applied to believers. Now there is a truth of God as a consuming fire being applied to unbelievers, but here it's applied to believers. Now, I want us to look at the context of Hebrews 12. Let's begin reading in verse 18. Hebrews 12, verse 18, For you are not coming to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor into blackness and darkness and tempest." He's referring to Mount Sinai.

[John Weaver] "...and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice they that heard entreated, that the word should not be spoken to them any more." Go back and read the Old Testament. You'll find out the Israelites begged Moses, said, you find out what God says. Let us not hear God's voice anymore. We're afraid. Verse 20, For they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched the mount, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart. Anyone or anything that touched Mount Sinai was to be killed. Why? God is holy. And sinners cannot approach unto God unless they approach through a sacrifice, through a mediator. Verse 21, And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake."

[John Weaver] Now look what the author of the book of Hebrews says. You haven't come to Mount Sinai. So horrible. Ah, but look in verse 22. But you're coming to Mount Zion and into the city of the living God. the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels." Ah, now you've come to the one true and the living God in heaven as He's revealed Himself not on Mount Sinai but as to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, verse 23, which are written in heaven, and to the God, the judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect.

[John Weaver] So now we're talking about New Testament, we're talking about grace, we're talking about mercy. Watch verse 24, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of Spranklin that speaketh better things than of Abel. So now we have the new covenant. Now we have Christ. Verse 25, see that you refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escape not who refused him that spake on earth in the Old Testament, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. Whose voice then shook the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

[John Weaver] Now what's going to be remaining? Here's what it is. Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, that's the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of mercy, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to note that verses 28 and 29 go together. And what the author of the book of Hebrews is saying is this. Just because we're in the new covenant does not mean that God has changed. God is still the same. And just like we understood in the Old Testament that God is a jealous God, consequently He is a consuming fire, that truth is applicable today. The truth and reality that our God is a consuming fire should motivate us to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Notice verse 29, for our God. When the author of Hebrews is speaking about our God, He is referring to the covenant relationship that we have with God. Thus, God is our Father. But although He is our God, and although He is our Father, He is still a consuming fire. Now, if we understand that He is our God and our Father, that should prevent despair when you and I consider the inevitable purity and inflexible justice of such a holy God. The fact that He is a consuming fire should place a check upon any presumption, any irreverence, flippancy, and lack of consideration, and a failure to serve Him in the way that He demands.

[John Weaver] He is our God. He is our Father, but He is still a consuming fire. Simply because He is our God and Father, simply because we are His children, simply because we stand in grace and mercy and favor, does not give us any right to disregard, disrespect, and dishonor Him. He is still the sovereign God of heaven and earth. My children may be my children, but God still requires them to honor thy father and thy mother. And just like we expect our children to honor us and obey us, God expects us as His children to honor Him and obey Him. We've got to understand, folks, God has not laid aside His majesty. God has not laid aside His splendor. God has not laid aside His sovereignty. God has not laid aside His inflexible justice. God is still God. Ezekiel Hopkins wrote in 1680, listen carefully, Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God, and have the fullest assurance thereof, and of their interest in Him as their God, ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire."

[John Weaver] We may be His children, but He's still God. God requires that we keep and retain in our minds a due apprehension of the majesty of His person, the holiness of His nature, the severity of His justice, and an ardent jealousy for His worship.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to look at verse 28. Hebrews 12 verse 28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, Nothing is going to shake the Kingdom of Grace. It cannot be moved. Okay? The New World Order is not going to destroy the Kingdom of Grace. The Bilderbergers will not dismantle God's Kingdom. We received a kingdom which cannot be moved."

[John Weaver] Now notice, in light of that, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and what? Godly fear. Godly fear. We cannot serve Him acceptably unless we serve Him with reverence and godly fear. It's the godly fear that helps us to remember that God is still God. And He cannot be played with. He cannot be trifled with. He cannot be ignored. He cannot be dishonored. He's still God. Now, it is this godly fear that is referred to in a number of verses. And let me just read these verses without you having to look at them. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Psalm 4 and verse 4, David said, Stand in awe and sin not. Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still." Notice what he said, stand in awe and sin not. Stand in awe of God, His righteousness, His holiness, His perfections. And then David said in Psalm 33 and verse 8, Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." In other words, the world better recognize that God is God. In Psalm 89 verse 7, listen carefully, God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and had in reverence of all them that are about Him.

[John Weaver] I got news for you folks. I don't care how funny a joke is, you should never be joking about God. And you should never refer to Him as the old man upstairs. He is not the old man upstairs. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. God is gravely to be feared in the assembly of the saints and had in reverence of all them that are about Him.

[John Weaver] And then the verse, and I've heard a preacher make fun of this verse. Habakkuk 2 and verse 20 says this, But the Lord is in His holy temple, that all the earth keep silence before Him. I've got news for you folks. The earth ought to shut its mouth and listen to God. He is God. He is saying, I'm not someone to be trifled with. Without grace and actual operation, we cannot serve God acceptably without that grace and reverence and godly fear. You and I need to keep in mind His awful wrath so that we would have a dread of displeasing and dishonoring Him. We need to keep in mind His majesty that our hearts may be humbled. And we need to keep in mind His wondrous love that we would want to please and honor and adore Him. Isaiah in chapter 8 and verse 13 said this, listen carefully, Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself and let Him be your fear and your dread. Sanctify the Lord of Host Himself. And let Him be your fear and your dread.

[John Weaver] One of Jeb Stuart's favorite sayings was this, Fear God and you have no one else to fear. Let Him be your fear and your dread.

[John Weaver] Now let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this, since God is a jealous God, whose name is jealous, we should be extremely careful not to offend Him. We should never desert Him, deny Him, or detract from Him. God will not give His praise and His honor to idols and to images, and neither should we. Do you realize that idolatry in the Bible is referred to as spiritual whoredom? Idolatry was the demise of Israel in the Old Testament. It was the demise of Israel in the New Testament. It's the demise of Israel today. When we take the honor and the glory and the praise that belongs to God and heap it upon ourselves or someone else, it is idolatry. God is not who we wish Him to be. God is not who we want Him to be. God is not who we think He is. God is who He is. And His very name is, I AM THAT I AM.

[John Weaver] And we should have an eye of jealousy in our lives concerning our God and our relationship with Him that we do nothing to displease Him. And we should make sure that we give Him our entire adoration and affection.

[John Weaver] Secondly, we've got to consider this. God is not only a jealous God, but He is a consuming fire, and He has a heavy hand to punish all affronts, especially in His worship. Because God is specifically jealous over idols, and God will not give that praise and that honor to others. He is a consuming fire. His wrath is revealed against sinners, and it is a dreadful and destroying wrath.

[John Weaver] In Hebrews 10 and verse 27, it is called, a fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. He is our God and He is a light to those who serve Him. He is a consuming fire to those who hate Him. But as God's people, we must also remember that in 1 John 5 and verse 16, the Scripture says there is a sin and a death. And we need to stand in awe and sin not. Now, throughout Scripture, we're repeatedly taught that God is a jealous God. Moreover, He's a consuming fire. But God is also a merciful God.

[John Weaver] And those two things are not irreconcilable. Go back to our text in Deuteronomy 4. I want you to look at this. Deuteronomy 4. And verse 24. Notice if you would what the Bible says. Deuteronomy 4, verse 24. He says, For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. Well, let's read on. And thou shalt beget children, and children, and children, and you shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make grave an image, or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger.

[John Weaver] I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land, whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it. You shall not prolong your days upon it, but you shall be utterly destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and you shall be left few in number among the heathen, where the Lord shall lead you. And there you shall serve God's, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

[John Weaver] But if thou from thence shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thine heart, with all thy soul, when thou art in tribulation. And all these things come upon thee, even the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice. For the Lord thy God is a merciful God, He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swore to thee." Isn't that amazing? Even as the Bible teaches that our God is a consuming fire and the same bread that teaches that He is a merciful God. When we repent and turn to Him.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point out this. It should be an extreme encouragement for you and I to realize that God is jealous over His possessions. And we who have repented and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ are His possessions. We belong to Him. He will defend us. He will deliver us. He will provide for us. We are His property. We are His possession. We are His inheritance. Listen to what Deuteronomy 32 and verse 9 says.

[John Weaver] For the Lord's portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. And then everyone in this room can quote this verse. Psalm 100 verse 3, Know you that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Have you ever stopped to think about this? We are His, and He is ours.

[John Weaver] He is my Father who is in heaven. But although He is my Father, and I am in covenant relation with Him through Jesus Christ, He is still my God, who is infinitely holy and will not be trifled with. If you want to be more holy, you need to understand who God is. Because if you understand who God is and you understand that He will not be trifled with, you'll be very careful not to sin against Him. Even our God is a jealous God.

[John Weaver] And He is a consuming fire. Let's pray. Father, we thank You for the truth of God, that Thou art not only a jealous God, But Lord, a merciful God, and yet, Lord, at the same time, Thou art a consuming fire, because Thou art holy and pure and just, and Thou dost hate sin. Lord, make us more conscious of who Thou art. May we not neglect Thee, forget Thee, deny Thee, dishonor Thee, desert Thee, denigrate Thee in any way whatsoever, But may we keep in mind that Thou art the sovereign God of heaven and earth, a jealous God whose name is Jealous, and Thou art a consuming fire. Give us grace, Father, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for we confess and acknowledge that Thou art a consuming fire. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

A Consuming Fire

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	T0SIxWnIdK8
Subject	Biblical Law
Course	The Ten Commandments
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 001: The Ten Commandments — Chapter 11
Source Timed Segments	73

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Jealousy and Fire of God

Reading Deuteronomy 4:24 and raising the questions of what it means that God is jealous and a consuming fire, and whether these truths are connected.

Deuteronomy 4:24, look at it.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:24

"For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."

We will come back later and look at the context, but notice that verse again.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:24

"For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."

Have you ever considered the fact that God is a jealous God? If you have thought about that God is a jealous God, have you ever considered the implications of that fact? The Bible also says that God is a consuming fire. If you've meditated upon the reality that God is a consuming fire, then you must also ask what in the world are the implications of that reality? Then you must also ask, is there a connection between God's jealousy and God being a consuming fire?

In other words, are these two truths interrelated? Now, I'm going to talk today about God being a consuming fire or God being a jealous God.

Defining Godly Jealousy

Explaining that God's jealousy is not sinful; defining godly jealousy as intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness and vigilant guarding of a possession, with biblical examples.

Now, whenever I refer to the jealousy of God or the fact that God is a jealous God, you must understand that God's jealousy is not sinful or wicked in any way whatsoever. There is in the Bible a godly jealousy and certainly there is an ungodly jealousy. It is not sinful on our part to be jealous if we are jealous after a godly manner. However, our jealousy is usually not based upon scriptural principle, nor is it likened to God's jealousy in any way. Usually, our jealousy is sinful, wicked jealousy. But there is a godly jealousy, and it is possible to be jealous in a godly manner.

Now, our English word "jealous," or "jealousy," is derived from the Latin word "zelosus," which also is the source of our word "zeal." So when you realize that God is a jealous God, He is also a zealous God. Now there are basically three definitions of jealousy. The first two of these definitions are indeed biblical and can be applied to God directly. They should also be applied to God's people as well. So what in the world do we mean when we say that God is a jealous God? First, to be jealous means that you are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. To be jealous in a godly manner means that you are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. Certainly God is jealous in this sense of the word.

You know what the Bible says in Isaiah 42:8? Let me just quote it. God said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that is my name. My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

So God is jealous for His honor and His glory. God is intolerant of rivalry. God is intolerant of unfaithfulness. And I might point out that you and I should be jealous in that manner as well. We are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness.

Second, to be jealous means that one is vigilant in guarding a possession. Certainly that applies to God. Our Lord is jealous in this respect. For instance, let me just quote you Zechariah 2:8. Since we belong to Him, we are His possessions. The Bible says this in Zechariah 2:8,

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 2:8

"For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye."

So God is saying, look, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. I'm going to protect you. I'm going to defend you. You are mine. The Apostle Paul expressed the same jealousy over his converts. For in 2 Corinthians 11:2 he said this, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." So Paul said, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. So very obviously there is indeed a godly jealousy and there is an ungodly jealousy. Certainly husbands and wives should be jealous over each other in this respect.

Now remember I told you the second definition of jealousy means that one is vigilant in guarding a possession. And when I say that husbands and wives should be jealous in this respect, don't become upset over the word "possession." Or become upset over the word "property." If I say my wife is my possession or my wife is my property, that is a biblical expression. The word "property" comes from the Latin "proprius," literally meaning belonging to oneself or one's own. I can say biblically my wife is my property. She can say biblically that I am her property. That is, we belong to each other. And by the way, parents should view their children as their property as well. Children belong first unto the Lord, secondly to the parents as their stewardship. But let me emphasize, they never ever belong to the state. God did not give children to the state. So we should be jealous over our spouses and jealous over our children in this way and in this respect that we guard them vigilantly and we protect them.

Third, the word jealousy with which we are most often familiar is used to describe an unhealthy and an unbiblical attitude. Unhappily, it is this attitude that we most often identify with. Jealousy, in this respect, denotes a hostile attitude toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage which we do not have or possess.

Biblical Evidence: God Is Jealous

Surveying multiple Old Testament passages that declare God is jealous, including Exodus 20:5, 34:14, and others, showing 'Jealous' is one of His names.

Now, God could never be jealous in this way because God is unique. There is no one that ever has an advantage over God. And by the way, this should never be in our lives either. Why? Because God made us. God created us the way that we are. And we should be content with the way that He made us. I should not be jealous of James because he has a wonderful head of hair, and I don't. He does have an advantage over me in that aspect. But I'm far more charming than he is, so I have an advantage over him. You see what I'm saying? It doesn't matter what we look like in one sense of the word, as long as we understand God made us the way that He made us, and we should be content with that. So we should never ever consider the fact that here is a rival that has some advantage that we do not have. We have an advantage that they do not have. So, there's no reason to be jealous like that.

So, let's ask and answer a simple question and let me show it to you from Scripture. Is God jealous? And the answer is most definitely yes. He is jealous in a biblical sense of the word. I want you to hold Deuteronomy 4. We're going to come back there, but turn back to the book of Exodus. And let me show you several verses. In fact, you may be surprised at what you learn concerning the jealousy of God. Look if you would in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 5 to begin with. Exodus 20:5.

Notice what the Bible says. Exodus 20:5. God says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,"

that is to idols.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them."

Why?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

Now God has just declared that He is a jealous God. Look in Exodus 34, if you would, and verse 14, and here's something else that you might discover. You're going to discover that God is not only a jealous God, but that "Jealous" is one of the names of God. Exodus 34:14, "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Then if you would turn to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and look at verse 9. It's amazing how many times God says this in the Bible. Deuteronomy 5:9. God says, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:15

"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

Look in Deuteronomy 6:15.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:15

"For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you; lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth."

Then if you'll turn over to the book of Joshua chapter 24, and by the way, some of these thoughts are going to be explained later on in the message. But look in Joshua 24:19. You remember Joshua said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve." But notice what he says in Joshua 24:19. "And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord." Why?

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:15

"For he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins."

Here's what Joshua is saying: you better not trifle with God.

Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 39. Ezekiel 39:25.

And then I'll quote the remainder verses. But notice what the Bible says, Ezekiel 39:25.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 39:25

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name."

Now if you're taking notes, jot down Joel 2:18 and let me quote it. Here it is. "Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people." Then in Nahum 1:2, "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries." "He reserveth wrath for his enemies." In Zechariah 1:14,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 39:25

"So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy."

And then finally Zechariah 8:2,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 39:25

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury."

Now I hope you will remember that I asked in the introduction: Is there a connection between God being a jealous God and God being a consuming fire?

The Connection: Jealousy and Consuming Fire in Context

Examining Deuteronomy 4:14-26 to show that God's jealousy and consuming fire are linked to idolatry and disobedience; God brooks no rivals.

If you've paid attention to some of these verses that I've read, you will understand the answer is yes. In fact, this last one that I just quoted, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury." Very obviously there is a connection. If you'll go back to Deuteronomy 4:24 again, I want to read that verse, but then I want to show you the context in which it appears. Notice if you would please, Deuteronomy 4:24, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Now let me tell you, in the context which I'm going to show you, the jealousy of God is associated especially with idolatry and disobedience. Let's go back and look at verse 14 and read through verse 26 of Deuteronomy 4. Look in Deuteronomy 4:14.

Moses said, "And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments." Why? "That ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it." Let me just point out the fact, folks. It doesn't do you any good to memorize Scripture and to listen to Scripture and to hear Scripture if you're not going to obey it. So he said, God gave me these statutes and these judgments that you might do them.

Now look what he says in verse 15. "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day."

"Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it."

"Ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed." Isn't that interesting? The context of God being a jealous God and a consuming fire is in the context of idolatry and disobedience. In other words, God is jealous for His honor and His glory and His praise. God will not be treated as simply another God. He will brook no rivals. Christianity is not on a par with the other religions of the earth. And when anyone tries to tell you, "Well, we're all working for the same place, it really doesn't matter what you believe, just so you believe," that's just pure blasphemy and hogwash. God said that He would brook no rivals. And I believe if I took the time to take you through the book of Exodus, you would understand how God destroyed not only the Egyptians, but the gods of Egypt. And I might point out that the same fate awaits the false gods of this day and time.

God Revealed as Fire: Non-Consuming and Consuming

Contrasting God's revelation as a non-consuming fire (Sinai, burning bush) with His revelation as a consuming fire (judgment on rebels, enemies).

Now, remember God is a jealous God, even a consuming fire. Do you remember how God revealed Himself on Mount Sinai? Well, we're in Deuteronomy. Look in Deuteronomy 4:11. Here Moses is reminding the people what they saw. He said, "And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness." The mountain, he said, burned with fire. Look in Deuteronomy 9:15. Moses said, "So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands." Now you don't have to turn to Exodus 19:18.

I want to read it to you though. It is very, very descriptive. Listen to what Moses wrote. "And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." So God now has descended upon Mount Sinai in a mighty fire. When God revealed Himself to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, when God gave them His Law, when God gave them His Word, when God entered into a covenant with them, He revealed Himself as a fire, but it was a non-consuming fire. It did not consume them. It did not consume Moses. It did not even consume the mountain. The mountain still stands. The fire was a demonstration not only of God's purity, but also of God's power. Do you remember when Moses approached the burning bush that did not burn? Moses said, "I will now turn aside, and see this great sight." And when Moses approached the bush, God spoke to him from the bush and said, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." So God has revealed himself as a fire in several places, but as a non-consuming fire. But then God has also revealed himself as a consuming fire. Why did Moses say in Deuteronomy 4:24 that God is a jealous God, even a consuming fire?

And I will deal with this passage not today, but in the future weeks. But you remember Numbers chapter 16. God did reveal Himself in a consuming fire. You remember how Dathan and Abiram and Korah and their company rebelled against the Lord? Yes, Dathan and Abiram and Korah—the earth opened up and swallowed them alive, but here were 250 men with their censers before the Lord. And what did God do? God sent fire from heaven and consumed them all. What happened to Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange fire before the Lord? God sent fire from heaven and consumed them. What happened in Numbers 21? When the people murmured and complained and spake against God, God sent fiery serpents to destroy them. So the truth then that God is giving us is a two-fold truth. On the one hand, God is pure and holy as a flame of fire protecting His people, providing for His people, and on the other hand, God is a consuming fire defending His people and destroying His enemies.

The Pillar of Fire: Light to Israel, Darkness to Egypt

Using Exodus 13-14 to illustrate how God's fire gives light and protection to His people while bringing destruction to His enemies.

Now let me show you this. I want you to look to Exodus chapter 13 very quickly. Exodus 13. I know that you remember this, but I want you to see it. Look at Exodus 13:22. You remember God was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In Exodus 13:22, we find out exactly how God led them. Notice if you would, in Exodus 13:22, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:22

"He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

So how did God lead them? With a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. So the cloud moved during the day, they moved during the day. The cloud stayed during the day, they stayed during the day. During the night, if the pillar of fire moved, they moved. If the pillar of fire stayed still, they sat still. But you will remember, when Moses had gotten the children of Israel to the Red Sea, Pharaoh said, "Man, they're trapped."

"They've got the mountains on the one side, the desert on the other side, the sea in front of them. I'll come up behind them and I'll whip them in a minute. No problem." Look in Exodus 14:20. Pharaoh comes upon them, but notice what happens. And it's at night now. How did God lead the children of Israel? At night with a pillar of fire. Watch.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 14:20

"And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night."

What was happening during the night? Here was this pillar of fire that was giving light to the Israelites on the one hand, and on the other hand, it was giving darkness to the Egyptians on the other hand. What did God do to Pharaoh and the Egyptian army?

He consumed them utterly, totally, and completely. Now listen to this. "For even the Lord thy God is a jealous God, He is a consuming fire." Look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 9 and verse 3. Deuteronomy 9:3. Oh how applicable this is in our day and time. Look in Deuteronomy 9:3. Once again, we'll come back and look at the context in just a moment. But look at verse 3. "Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee." Notice God is going to bring the children of Israel into the land, and he is going before them as a consuming fire. He's going to destroy those enemies completely, totally. Wow. Now Deuteronomy 9:3 is very interesting. Because in Deuteronomy 9:3, God is giving a warning to Israel.

Warning Against Self-Righteousness (Deuteronomy 9)

Reading Deuteronomy 9:1-6 to show that God goes before His people as a consuming fire, not because of their righteousness, but because of His covenant and the wickedness of the nations.

And I want you to know what this warning is. In this passage, God is warning Israel not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. I'm going to read it for you in just a moment. He is warning them not to think that they're going to acquire the land, Canaan land, by their might, by their power, or by their righteousness.

Now let me tell you something, folks. You and I have been blessed immeasurably by the grace of God. And is it not true that so many times we attribute the blessings of God to our ability, to our power, to our work, to our strength, to our wisdom? Let's read Deuteronomy 9:1-6. Watch carefully. God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:1-6

"Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee."

"Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people." Wow. Do you realize, folks, in our most spiritual moment, in our most heavenly exercised moment of faith, we're still nothing but sinners. And our self-works and righteousnesses are nothing but filthy rags. God said, "I want you to make this clear in your mind. I'm not blessing you and giving you this because you're righteous. You're not righteous in and of yourself. You're a stiff-necked, rebellious, wicked people." But He said, "I'm doing this because of my covenant. And I'm doing this because the nations that you're going to dispossess are even more wicked and vile than you are."

So let me tell you something. What did God say? By the way, God said in Psalm 44, again, it was not by their bow, nor their strength, nor their might, nor their power that they got that land, but it was God's grace and God's strength.

The Fear of God Among the Heathen and Believers

Citing Rahab's confession and Isaiah 33:14 to show that even pagans feared God's consuming power, and believers should stand in awe.

As a boy, I helped my father burn off a 30-40 acre field. The field was full of sage grass about that high, dry. I had already plowed a fire break around that field. And I told my father, "Give me a little while to go to the far end and I will back burn just so it will not jump our fire break." I said, "Then you can set it on fire with the wind." I said, "It will burn very quickly." I set that sagebrush on fire. And I back-burned, I don't know, 15, 20 feet. And I gave the sign for Daddy to set it on fire with the little bit of wind that we had. I was in the middle of the field. I hope you know that fire makes its own wind. Because when he set it on fire, it took everything I could do to beat it out of that field before it consumed everything between him and myself.

If you've never seen fire sweep irresistibly and unstoppably, you're in for a great surprise. God said, "That's exactly how I am. I am a consuming fire." And let me tell you, when God moves as a consuming fire, one should undoubtedly stand in awe and fear before Him. I want to show you the attitude of even the heathen when they understand that God is a consuming fire. I want you to turn to the book of Joshua chapter 2. You know the story of Rahab, how she hid the two spies? Have you ever wondered why she hid those spies? I've said this for years. I've never done it. But one of these days, if the Lord allows me to live, I'm going to bring a message on "Confessions of a Harlot." But I want you to see her confession. She was not naming names as far as men are concerned, but she made a great confession.

Look in Joshua 2:9. Here's what Rahab the harlot said. "And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." Now what did she say? "When we heard what your God had done, our hearts melted. We were faint. There was no courage in anyone. We were afraid. We were scared." And anybody that's got one eye and a half sense ought to be afraid of God as a consuming fire.

Do you remember, you don't have to turn there, but in 1 Samuel 4:8, you remember when Hophni and Phinehas, as wicked as they were, when they brought the ark of God into the camp of Israel, and all the Israelites were shouting, and the Philistines heard the shouts, the Philistines said, "Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods?" Now they were pagans, but they knew the power of God. I want you to turn to Isaiah 33, and look if you would please at what Isaiah confessed, acknowledged. I want you to see his statement as well as his questions. Isaiah 33, beginning with verse 14. "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites."

Now look at the question. "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Why? Our God is a consuming fire. Now, I believe that each of you understand the ramifications of the fact that God is a consuming fire to His enemies. If you don't, just look very quickly into 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, and notice beginning there with verse 7. 2 Thessalonians 1:7. Look what the Apostle Paul writes, 2 Thessalonians 1:7. Here God is a consuming fire to His enemies. He said, "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when 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: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe."

New Testament Application: Hebrews 12:18-29

Showing that 'our God is a consuming fire' is applied to believers under the new covenant, motivating reverence, godly fear, and acceptable service.

Now as I teach this, I can hear some thoughts and remarks coming from you. One thought and one remark might be this, "Boy, I'm glad I didn't live in Old Testament times." Or, "Wow, I sure am glad that I'm a Christian and this truth doesn't apply to me." Hold on. We haven't read all the verses yet. Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 29. And I want you to note, Hebrews 12:29 has the same identical truth that Deuteronomy 4:24 and Deuteronomy 9:3 has. Watch Hebrews 12:29.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"For our God is a consuming fire."

Let me give you a bit of information that may be helpful to your thinking. God has not changed. God never changes. God is immutable. And for the surprise of many, they will discover that the same God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. He is just as holy, majestic, and just as He was in the Old Testament. The difference in verse 29 of Hebrews 12 is this: this passage is applied primarily to believers. Deuteronomy 4 was to be applied to believers. Now there is a truth of God as a consuming fire being applied to unbelievers, but here it's applied to believers. Now, I want us to look at the context of Hebrews 12. Let's begin reading in verse 18. Hebrews 12:18,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest."

He's referring to Mount Sinai.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more."

Go back and read the Old Testament. You'll find out the Israelites begged Moses, said, "You find out what God says. Let us not hear God's voice anymore. We're afraid." Verse 20,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart."

Anyone or anything that touched Mount Sinai was to be killed. Why? God is holy. And sinners cannot approach unto God unless they approach through a sacrifice, through a mediator. Verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake."

Now look what the author of the book of Hebrews says. You haven't come to Mount Sinai. So horrible. Ah, but look in verse 22.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Ah, now you've come to the one true and the living God in heaven as He's revealed Himself not on Mount Sinai but as to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, verse 23,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

So now we're talking about New Testament, we're talking about grace, we're talking about mercy. Watch verse 24, "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." So now we have the new covenant. Now we have Christ. Verse 25, "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."

Now what's going to be remaining? Here's what it is.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,"

that's the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of mercy,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."

Now I want you to note that verses 28 and 29 go together. And what the author of the book of Hebrews is saying is this. Just because we're in the new covenant does not mean that God has changed. God is still the same. And just like we understood in the Old Testament that God is a jealous God, consequently He is a consuming fire, that truth is applicable today. The truth and reality that our God is a consuming fire should motivate us to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Notice verse 29, "For our God." When the author of Hebrews is speaking about "our God,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

" He is referring to the covenant relationship that we have with God. Thus, God is our Father. But although He is our God, and although He is our Father, He is still a consuming fire. Now, if we understand that He is our God and our Father, that should prevent despair when you and I consider the inevitable purity and inflexible justice of such a holy God. The fact that He is a consuming fire should place a check upon any presumption, any irreverence, flippancy, and lack of consideration, and a failure to serve Him in the way that He demands.

Practical Exhortations and the Mercy of God

Applying the truth: we must not offend God, give His glory to another, or serve Him without reverence. Yet God is merciful to those who repent, and His jealousy means He defends His people.

He is our God. He is our Father, but He is still a consuming fire. Simply because He is our God and Father, simply because we are His children, simply because we stand in grace and mercy and favor, does not give us any right to disregard, disrespect, and dishonor Him. He is still the sovereign God of heaven and earth. My children may be my children, but God still requires them to honor thy father and thy mother. And just like we expect our children to honor us and obey us, God expects us as His children to honor Him and obey Him. We've got to understand, folks, God has not laid aside His majesty. God has not laid aside His splendor. God has not laid aside His sovereignty. God has not laid aside His inflexible justice. God is still God. Ezekiel Hopkins wrote in 1680, listen carefully, "Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God, and have the fullest assurance thereof, and of their interest in Him as their God, ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire."

We may be His children, but He's still God. God requires that we keep and retain in our minds a due apprehension of the majesty of His person, the holiness of His nature, the severity of His justice, and an ardent jealousy for His worship. Now I want you to look at verse 28. Hebrews 12:28. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved," Nothing is going to shake the Kingdom of Grace. It cannot be moved. Okay? The New World Order is not going to destroy the Kingdom of Grace. The Bilderbergers will not dismantle God's Kingdom. "We receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved."

Now notice, in light of that, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and" what? "godly fear." Godly fear. We cannot serve Him acceptably unless we serve Him with reverence and godly fear. It's the godly fear that helps us to remember that God is still God. And He cannot be played with. He cannot be trifled with. He cannot be ignored. He cannot be dishonored. He's still God. Now, it is this godly fear that is referred to in a number of verses. And let me just read these verses without you having to look at them. Listen carefully.

Psalm 4:4, David said, "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." Notice what he said, "Stand in awe, and sin not." Stand in awe of God, His righteousness, His holiness, His perfections. And then David said in Psalm 33:8, "Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." In other words, the world better recognize that God is God. In Psalm 89:7, listen carefully, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." I got news for you folks. I don't care how funny a joke is, you should never be joking about God. And you should never refer to Him as "the old man upstairs." He is not the old man upstairs. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him.

And then the verse, and I've heard a preacher make fun of this verse. Habakkuk 2:20 says this, "But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." I've got news for you folks. The earth ought to shut its mouth and listen to God. He is God. He is saying, "I'm not someone to be trifled with." Without grace and actual operation, we cannot serve God acceptably without that grace and reverence and godly fear. You and I need to keep in mind His awful wrath so that we would have a dread of displeasing and dishonoring Him. We need to keep in mind His majesty that our hearts may be humbled. And we need to keep in mind His wondrous love that we would want to please and honor and adore Him. Isaiah in chapter 8 and verse 13 said this, listen carefully, "Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself. And let Him be your fear and your dread.

One of Jeb Stuart's favorite sayings was this, "Fear God and you have no one else to fear." Let Him be your fear and your dread. Now let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this, since God is a jealous God, whose name is Jealous, we should be extremely careful not to offend Him. We should never desert Him, deny Him, or detract from Him. God will not give His praise and His honor to idols and to images, and neither should we. Do you realize that idolatry in the Bible is referred to as spiritual whoredom? Idolatry was the demise of Israel in the Old Testament. It was the demise of Israel in the New Testament. It's the demise of Israel today. When we take the honor and the glory and the praise that belongs to God and heap it upon ourselves or someone else, it is idolatry. God is not who we wish Him to be. God is not who we want Him to be. God is not who we think He is. God is who He is. And His very name is, "I AM THAT I AM."

And we should have an eye of jealousy in our lives concerning our God and our relationship with Him that we do nothing to displease Him. And we should make sure that we give Him our entire adoration and affection. Secondly, we've got to consider this. God is not only a jealous God, but He is a consuming fire, and He has a heavy hand to punish all affronts, especially in His worship. Because God is specifically jealous over idols, and God will not give that praise and that honor to others. He is a consuming fire. His wrath is revealed against sinners, and it is a dreadful and destroying wrath.

In Hebrews 10:27, it is called, "a fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." He is our God and He is a light to those who serve Him. He is a consuming fire to those who hate Him. But as God's people, we must also remember that in 1 John 5:16, the Scripture says there is a sin unto death. And we need to stand in awe and sin not. Now, throughout Scripture, we're repeatedly taught that God is a jealous God. Moreover, He's a consuming fire. But God is also a merciful God.

And those two things are not irreconcilable. Go back to our text in Deuteronomy 4. I want you to look at this. Deuteronomy 4:24. Notice if you would what the Bible says. Deuteronomy 4:24, He says, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Well, let's read on. "When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger:"

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell." "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them." Isn't that amazing? Even as the Bible teaches that our God is a consuming fire, the same breath teaches that He is a merciful God. When we repent and turn to Him.

Now, let me point out this. It should be an extreme encouragement for you and I to realize that God is jealous over His possessions. And we who have repented and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ are His possessions. We belong to Him. He will defend us. He will deliver us. He will provide for us. We are His property. We are His possession. We are His inheritance. Listen to what Deuteronomy 32:9 says.

"For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." And then everyone in this room can quote this verse. Psalm 100:3, "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Have you ever stopped to think about this? We are His, and He is ours. He is my Father who is in heaven. But although He is my Father, and I am in covenant relation with Him through Jesus Christ, He is still my God, who is infinitely holy and will not be trifled with. If you want to be more holy, you need to understand who God is. Because if you understand who God is and you understand that He will not be trifled with, you'll be very careful not to sin against Him. Even our God is a jealous God.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Nature of God's Jealousy

Summary: God's jealousy is holy, rooted in His zeal for His own glory and His covenant relationship with His people; it is intolerance of rivalry and vigilant protection of His possession.

Evidence: Exodus 34:14 says 'the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.' The speaker defines godly jealousy as intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness and vigilant guarding of a possession.

God as a Consuming Fire

Summary: God reveals Himself as a consuming fire in judgment against sin, idolatry, and His enemies, demonstrating His holiness, power, and irresistible wrath.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; examples of Nadab and Abihu, Korah's rebellion, and the pillar of fire consuming the Egyptians.

The Connection Between Jealousy and Fire

Summary: God's jealousy for His honor and His people leads Him to act as a consuming fire against rivals and those who dishonor Him, especially in the context of idolatry.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:24 context links jealousy and consuming fire to idolatry; Zechariah 8:2 says 'I was jealous for her with great fury.'

Reverence and Godly Fear in Worship

Summary: Because God is a consuming fire, believers must serve Him with reverence and godly fear, avoiding flippancy, presumption, and irreverence.

Evidence: Hebrews 12:28-29; Psalm 89:7; Habakkuk 2:20; the speaker emphasizes that God has not laid aside His majesty.

God's Mercy Alongside His Judgment

Summary: God is both a consuming fire and a merciful God; those who repent and seek Him will find mercy, and His jealousy ensures He will defend and keep His people.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:29-31; the speaker notes that God's jealousy over His possessions is an encouragement to believers.

Key Arguments

God's jealousy is not sinful but holy and zealous for His glory.

Summary: The English word 'jealous' comes from Latin 'zelosus' (zeal). God's jealousy means He is intolerant of rivalry and unfaithfulness, and vigilant in guarding His possession.

Evidence: Isaiah 42:8; Zechariah 2:8; 2 Corinthians 11:2; the speaker explains the three definitions of jealousy.

God's consuming fire is directed against idolatry and disobedience.

Summary: The context of Deuteronomy 4:24 shows that God's jealousy and consuming fire are specifically linked to the making of graven images and corrupting oneself.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:14-26; the speaker states, 'the jealousy of God is associated especially with idolatry and disobedience.'

God's fire both protects His people and destroys His enemies.

Summary: The pillar of fire gave light to Israel but darkness to Egypt; God as a consuming fire goes before His people to destroy their enemies.

Evidence: Exodus 14:20; Deuteronomy 9:3; the speaker illustrates with the Red Sea crossing.

The New Testament applies 'consuming fire' to believers, not just unbelievers.

Summary: Hebrews 12:29 says 'our God is a consuming fire' in the context of serving God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, showing the truth is for the church.

Evidence: Hebrews 12:18-29; the speaker emphasizes that God has not changed and believers must not presume upon grace.

God's mercy is available to those who repent, even after judgment warnings.

Summary: Deuteronomy 4:29-31 promises that if Israel seeks the Lord with all their heart, He will be merciful and not forsake them, showing God's character is both just and merciful.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:29-31; the speaker says, 'Even as the Bible teaches that our God is a consuming fire, the same breath teaches that He is a merciful God.'

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 4:24

Context: The central text: 'For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.'

Isaiah 42:8

Context: Quoted to show God is intolerant of rivalry: 'I am the Lord... my glory will I not give to another.'

Zechariah 2:8

Context: Quoted to show God guards His possession: 'he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.'

2 Corinthians 11:2

Context: Paul's godly jealousy for the church, illustrating vigilant guarding.

Exodus 20:5

Context: God declares He is a jealous God, visiting iniquity, in the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 34:14

Context: God's name is Jealous; He is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 5:9

Context: Repeats the jealous God declaration in the second giving of the law.

Deuteronomy 6:15

Context: The Lord is a jealous God among you, lest His anger destroy you.

Joshua 24:19

Context: Joshua says they cannot serve the Lord because He is a holy and jealous God.

Ezekiel 39:25

Context: God will be jealous for His holy name.

Joel 2:18

Context: The Lord will be jealous for His land and pity His people.

Nahum 1:2

Context: God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; He is furious.

Zechariah 1:14

Context: The Lord is jealous for Jerusalem and Zion with great jealousy.

Zechariah 8:2

Context: God was jealous for Zion with great fury, linking jealousy and fire.

Deuteronomy 4:14-26

Context: The context of Deuteronomy 4:24, warning against idolatry and linking jealousy and consuming fire.

Exodus 13:22

Context: God led Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.

Exodus 14:20

Context: The pillar of fire gave light to Israel and darkness to Egypt.

Deuteronomy 9:1-6

Context: God goes before Israel as a consuming fire, not for their righteousness.

Hebrews 12:18-29

Context: New Testament application: 'our God is a consuming fire,' calling for reverence and godly fear.

Deuteronomy 4:29-31

Context: God is merciful to those who seek Him with all their heart, even after judgment.

Historical References

Ezekiel Hopkins (1680)

Context: Quoted: 'Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God... ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire.'

Jeb Stuart

Context: His favorite saying: 'Fear God and you have no one else to fear.'

Important Quotes

For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Significance: The foundational text of the entire sermon, linking God's jealousy and His consuming fire nature.

God is not only a jealous God, but that 'Jealous' is one of the names of God.

Significance: Highlights the intensity and centrality of God's jealousy to His character.

God will not be treated as simply another God. He will brook no rivals.

Significance: Emphasizes God's exclusive claim to worship and glory.

Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God, and have the fullest assurance thereof, and of their interest in Him as their God, ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire.

Significance: A historical quote reinforcing that even assured believers must maintain reverent fear of God.

For our God is a consuming fire.

Significance: The New Testament application showing the unchanging nature of God for believers.

Fear God and you have no one else to fear.

Significance: A pithy summary of the proper fear of God that eliminates all other fears.

Discussion Questions

What is the difference between godly jealousy and sinful jealousy, and how does God exemplify godly jealousy?

Context: The speaker defines godly jealousy as intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness and vigilant guarding of a possession.

Why is idolatry specifically connected to God's jealousy and His nature as a consuming fire?

Context: The context of Deuteronomy 4 shows that God's jealousy is aroused by idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom.

How does the pillar of fire in Exodus illustrate the dual nature of God's fire as both protective and destructive?

Context: The pillar gave light to Israel and darkness to Egypt, showing God's discriminating judgment.

In what ways might believers today be tempted to think that their blessings come from their own righteousness or strength, and how does Deuteronomy 9 correct that?

Context: God warned Israel not to think they possessed the land because of their righteousness.

How should the truth that 'our God is a consuming fire' affect our worship, both corporately and individually?

Context: Hebrews 12:28-29 calls for reverence and godly fear in serving God.

How can we hold together the truths of God's consuming fire and His mercy without diminishing either?

Context: Deuteronomy 4:24-31 presents both God's judgment and His mercy to the repentant.

Applications

Guard Against Idolatry

Summary: Since God is jealous for His glory, we must not give His honor, praise, or affection to anyone or anything else, including ourselves.

Evidence: The speaker says, 'When we take the honor and the glory and the praise that belongs to God and heap it upon ourselves or someone else, it is idolatry.'

Serve God with Reverence and Godly Fear

Summary: Because God is a consuming fire, our service must be marked by reverence, awe, and a dread of displeasing Him, not flippancy or presumption.

Evidence: Hebrews 12:28-29; the speaker emphasizes that we cannot serve God acceptably without reverence and godly fear.

Do Not Presume Upon Grace

Summary: Being in a covenant relationship with God as Father does not give license to disregard His holiness; He remains a consuming fire to His children who sin presumptuously.

Evidence: The speaker says, 'Simply because He is our God and Father... does not give us any right to disregard, disrespect, and dishonor Him.'

Repent and Seek God's Mercy

Summary: Even when we have sinned and deserve judgment, if we seek the Lord with all our heart, He is merciful and will not forsake us.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:29-31; the speaker points out that God is both a consuming fire and a merciful God.

Find Security in God's Jealous Protection

Summary: Believers can take comfort that God's jealousy means He will defend, deliver, and provide for His people as His own possession.

Evidence: The speaker says, 'We who have repented and believed... are His possessions. He will defend us. He will deliver us.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:20:09Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T10:45:41Z

Clean Transcript

A Consuming Fire

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Deuteronomy 4:24, look at it. "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." We will come back later and look at the context, but notice that verse again. "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Have you ever considered the fact that God is a jealous God? If you have thought about that God is a jealous God, have you ever considered the implications of that fact? The Bible also says that God is a consuming fire. If you've meditated upon the reality that God is a consuming fire, then you must also ask what in the world are the implications of that reality? Then you must also ask, is there a connection between God's jealousy and God being a consuming fire?
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In other words, are these two truths interrelated? Now, I'm going to talk today about God being a consuming fire or God being a jealous God.
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Now, whenever I refer to the jealousy of God or the fact that God is a jealous God, you must understand that God's jealousy is not sinful or wicked in any way whatsoever. There is in the Bible a godly jealousy and certainly there is an ungodly jealousy. It is not sinful on our part to be jealous if we are jealous after a godly manner. However, our jealousy is usually not based upon scriptural principle, nor is it likened to God's jealousy in any way. Usually, our jealousy is sinful, wicked jealousy. But there is a godly jealousy, and it is possible to be jealous in a godly manner.
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Now, our English word "jealous," or "jealousy," is derived from the Latin word "zelosus," which also is the source of our word "zeal." So when you realize that God is a jealous God, He is also a zealous God. Now there are basically three definitions of jealousy. The first two of these definitions are indeed biblical and can be applied to God directly. They should also be applied to God's people as well. So what in the world do we mean when we say that God is a jealous God? First, to be jealous means that you are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. To be jealous in a godly manner means that you are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. Certainly God is jealous in this sense of the word.
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You know what the Bible says in Isaiah 42:8? Let me just quote it. God said, "I am the Lord, that is my name. My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." So God is jealous for His honor and His glory. God is intolerant of rivalry. God is intolerant of unfaithfulness. And I might point out that you and I should be jealous in that manner as well. We are intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness.
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Second, to be jealous means that one is vigilant in guarding a possession. Certainly that applies to God. Our Lord is jealous in this respect. For instance, let me just quote you Zechariah 2:8. Since we belong to Him, we are His possessions. The Bible says this in Zechariah 2:8, "For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." So God is saying, look, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy.
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I'm going to protect you. I'm going to defend you. You are mine. The Apostle Paul expressed the same jealousy over his converts. For in 2 Corinthians 11:2 he said this, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." So Paul said, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. So very obviously there is indeed a godly jealousy and there is an ungodly jealousy. Certainly husbands and wives should be jealous over each other in this respect.
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Now remember I told you the second definition of jealousy means that one is vigilant in guarding a possession. And when I say that husbands and wives should be jealous in this respect, don't become upset over the word "possession." Or become upset over the word "property." If I say my wife is my possession or my wife is my property, that is a biblical expression. The word "property" comes from the Latin "proprius," literally meaning belonging to oneself or one's own. I can say biblically my wife is my property. She can say biblically that I am her property.
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That is, we belong to each other. And by the way, parents should view their children as their property as well. Children belong first unto the Lord, secondly to the parents as their stewardship. But let me emphasize, they never ever belong to the state. God did not give children to the state. So we should be jealous over our spouses and jealous over our children in this way and in this respect that we guard them vigilantly and we protect them.
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Third, the word jealousy with which we are most often familiar is used to describe an unhealthy and an unbiblical attitude. Unhappily, it is this attitude that we most often identify with. Jealousy, in this respect, denotes a hostile attitude toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage which we do not have or possess.
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Now, God could never be jealous in this way because God is unique. There is no one that ever has an advantage over God. And by the way, this should never be in our lives either. Why? Because God made us. God created us the way that we are. And we should be content with the way that He made us. I should not be jealous of James because he has a wonderful head of hair, and I don't. He does have an advantage over me in that aspect. But I'm far more charming than he is, so I have an advantage over him. You see what I'm saying? It doesn't matter what we look like in one sense of the word, as long as we understand God made us the way that He made us, and we should be content with that. So we should never ever consider the fact that here is a rival that has some advantage that we do not have. We have an advantage that they do not have. So, there's no reason to be jealous like that.
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So, let's ask and answer a simple question and let me show it to you from Scripture. Is God jealous? And the answer is most definitely yes. He is jealous in a biblical sense of the word. I want you to hold Deuteronomy 4. We're going to come back there, but turn back to the book of Exodus. And let me show you several verses. In fact, you may be surprised at what you learn concerning the jealousy of God. Look if you would in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 5 to begin with. Exodus 20:5.
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Notice what the Bible says. Exodus 20:5. God says, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them," that is to idols. "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them." Why? "For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Now God has just declared that He is a jealous God. Look in Exodus 34, if you would, and verse 14, and here's something else that you might discover. You're going to discover that God is not only a jealous God, but that "Jealous" is one of the names of God. Exodus 34:14, "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Then if you would turn to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and look at verse 9. It's amazing how many times God says this in the Bible. Deuteronomy 5:9. God says, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them."
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"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Look in Deuteronomy 6:15. "For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you; lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth."
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Then if you'll turn over to the book of Joshua chapter 24, and by the way, some of these thoughts are going to be explained later on in the message. But look in Joshua 24:19. You remember Joshua said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve." But notice what he says in Joshua 24:19. "And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord." Why?
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"For he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins." Here's what Joshua is saying: you better not trifle with God.
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Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 39. Ezekiel 39:25.
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And then I'll quote the remainder verses. But notice what the Bible says, Ezekiel 39:25. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name." Now if you're taking notes, jot down Joel 2:18 and let me quote it. Here it is. "Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people." Then in Nahum 1:2, "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries."
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"He reserveth wrath for his enemies." In Zechariah 1:14, "So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy." And then finally Zechariah 8:2, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury." Now I hope you will remember that I asked in the introduction: Is there a connection between God being a jealous God and God being a consuming fire?
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If you've paid attention to some of these verses that I've read, you will understand the answer is yes. In fact, this last one that I just quoted, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury." Very obviously there is a connection. If you'll go back to Deuteronomy 4:24 again, I want to read that verse, but then I want to show you the context in which it appears. Notice if you would please, Deuteronomy 4:24, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Now let me tell you, in the context which I'm going to show you, the jealousy of God is associated especially with idolatry and disobedience. Let's go back and look at verse 14 and read through verse 26 of Deuteronomy 4. Look in Deuteronomy 4:14.
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Moses said, "And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments." Why? "That ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it." Let me just point out the fact, folks. It doesn't do you any good to memorize Scripture and to listen to Scripture and to hear Scripture if you're not going to obey it. So he said, God gave me these statutes and these judgments that you might do them.
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Now look what he says in verse 15. "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day."
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"Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it."
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"Ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed." Isn't that interesting? The context of God being a jealous God and a consuming fire is in the context of idolatry and disobedience. In other words, God is jealous for His honor and His glory and His praise. God will not be treated as simply another God. He will brook no rivals. Christianity is not on a par with the other religions of the earth.
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And when anyone tries to tell you, "Well, we're all working for the same place, it really doesn't matter what you believe, just so you believe," that's just pure blasphemy and hogwash. God said that He would brook no rivals. And I believe if I took the time to take you through the book of Exodus, you would understand how God destroyed not only the Egyptians, but the gods of Egypt. And I might point out that the same fate awaits the false gods of this day and time.
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Now, remember God is a jealous God, even a consuming fire. Do you remember how God revealed Himself on Mount Sinai? Well, we're in Deuteronomy. Look in Deuteronomy 4:11. Here Moses is reminding the people what they saw. He said, "And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness." The mountain, he said, burned with fire. Look in Deuteronomy 9:15. Moses said, "So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands." Now you don't have to turn to Exodus 19:18.
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I want to read it to you though. It is very, very descriptive. Listen to what Moses wrote. "And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." So God now has descended upon Mount Sinai in a mighty fire. When God revealed Himself to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, when God gave them His Law, when God gave them His Word, when God entered into a covenant with them, He revealed Himself as a fire, but it was a non-consuming fire.
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It did not consume them. It did not consume Moses. It did not even consume the mountain. The mountain still stands. The fire was a demonstration not only of God's purity, but also of God's power. Do you remember when Moses approached the burning bush that did not burn? Moses said, "I will now turn aside, and see this great sight." And when Moses approached the bush, God spoke to him from the bush and said, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." So God has revealed himself as a fire in several places, but as a non-consuming fire. But then God has also revealed himself as a consuming fire. Why did Moses say in Deuteronomy 4:24 that God is a jealous God, even a consuming fire?
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And I will deal with this passage not today, but in the future weeks. But you remember Numbers chapter 16. God did reveal Himself in a consuming fire. You remember how Dathan and Abiram and Korah and their company rebelled against the Lord? Yes, Dathan and Abiram and Korah—the earth opened up and swallowed them alive, but here were 250 men with their censers before the Lord. And what did God do? God sent fire from heaven and consumed them all. What happened to Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange fire before the Lord? God sent fire from heaven and consumed them. What happened in Numbers 21? When the people murmured and complained and spake against God, God sent fiery serpents to destroy them. So the truth then that God is giving us is a two-fold truth. On the one hand, God is pure and holy as a flame of fire protecting His people, providing for His people, and on the other hand, God is a consuming fire defending His people and destroying His enemies.
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Now let me show you this. I want you to look to Exodus chapter 13 very quickly. Exodus 13. I know that you remember this, but I want you to see it. Look at Exodus 13:22. You remember God was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In Exodus 13:22, we find out exactly how God led them. Notice if you would, in Exodus 13:22, the Bible says, "He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." So how did God lead them? With a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. So the cloud moved during the day, they moved during the day. The cloud stayed during the day, they stayed during the day. During the night, if the pillar of fire moved, they moved. If the pillar of fire stayed still, they sat still. But you will remember, when Moses had gotten the children of Israel to the Red Sea, Pharaoh said, "Man, they're trapped."
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"They've got the mountains on the one side, the desert on the other side, the sea in front of them. I'll come up behind them and I'll whip them in a minute. No problem." Look in Exodus 14:20. Pharaoh comes upon them, but notice what happens. And it's at night now. How did God lead the children of Israel? At night with a pillar of fire. Watch. "And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night." What was happening during the night? Here was this pillar of fire that was giving light to the Israelites on the one hand, and on the other hand, it was giving darkness to the Egyptians on the other hand. What did God do to Pharaoh and the Egyptian army?
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He consumed them utterly, totally, and completely. Now listen to this. "For even the Lord thy God is a jealous God, He is a consuming fire." Look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 9 and verse 3. Deuteronomy 9:3. Oh how applicable this is in our day and time. Look in Deuteronomy 9:3. Once again, we'll come back and look at the context in just a moment. But look at verse 3. "Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee." Notice God is going to bring the children of Israel into the land, and he is going before them as a consuming fire. He's going to destroy those enemies completely, totally. Wow. Now Deuteronomy 9:3 is very interesting. Because in Deuteronomy 9:3, God is giving a warning to Israel.
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And I want you to know what this warning is. In this passage, God is warning Israel not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. I'm going to read it for you in just a moment. He is warning them not to think that they're going to acquire the land, Canaan land, by their might, by their power, or by their righteousness.
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Now let me tell you something, folks. You and I have been blessed immeasurably by the grace of God. And is it not true that so many times we attribute the blessings of God to our ability, to our power, to our work, to our strength, to our wisdom? Let's read Deuteronomy 9:1-6. Watch carefully. God says, "Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee."
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"Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people." Wow.
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Do you realize, folks, in our most spiritual moment, in our most heavenly exercised moment of faith, we're still nothing but sinners. And our self-works and righteousnesses are nothing but filthy rags. God said, "I want you to make this clear in your mind. I'm not blessing you and giving you this because you're righteous. You're not righteous in and of yourself. You're a stiff-necked, rebellious, wicked people." But He said, "I'm doing this because of my covenant. And I'm doing this because the nations that you're going to dispossess are even more wicked and vile than you are."
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So let me tell you something. What did God say? By the way, God said in Psalm 44, again, it was not by their bow, nor their strength, nor their might, nor their power that they got that land, but it was God's grace and God's strength.
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Now here is an example of the righteous wrath and anger of God as a consuming fire. He said in verse 3 that God is going to go before you as a consuming fire. Do you realize that a fire burns up everything in its path? It is irresistible. It is unstoppable. It is total and complete destruction.
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As a boy, I helped my father burn off a 30-40 acre field. The field was full of sage grass about that high, dry. I had already plowed a fire break around that field. And I told my father, "Give me a little while to go to the far end and I will back burn just so it will not jump our fire break." I said, "Then you can set it on fire with the wind." I said, "It will burn very quickly." I set that sagebrush on fire. And I back-burned, I don't know, 15, 20 feet. And I gave the sign for Daddy to set it on fire with the little bit of wind that we had. I was in the middle of the field. I hope you know that fire makes its own wind. Because when he set it on fire, it took everything I could do to beat it out of that field before it consumed everything between him and myself.
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If you've never seen fire sweep irresistibly and unstoppably, you're in for a great surprise. God said, "That's exactly how I am. I am a consuming fire." And let me tell you, when God moves as a consuming fire, one should undoubtedly stand in awe and fear before Him. I want to show you the attitude of even the heathen when they understand that God is a consuming fire. I want you to turn to the book of Joshua chapter 2.
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You know the story of Rahab, how she hid the two spies? Have you ever wondered why she hid those spies? I've said this for years. I've never done it. But one of these days, if the Lord allows me to live, I'm going to bring a message on "Confessions of a Harlot." But I want you to see her confession. She was not naming names as far as men are concerned, but she made a great confession.
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Look in Joshua 2:9. Here's what Rahab the harlot said. "And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." Now what did she say? "When we heard what your God had done, our hearts melted. We were faint. There was no courage in anyone. We were afraid. We were scared." And anybody that's got one eye and a half sense ought to be afraid of God as a consuming fire.
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Do you remember, you don't have to turn there, but in 1 Samuel 4:8, you remember when Hophni and Phinehas, as wicked as they were, when they brought the ark of God into the camp of Israel, and all the Israelites were shouting, and the Philistines heard the shouts, the Philistines said, "Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods?" Now they were pagans, but they knew the power of God. I want you to turn to Isaiah 33, and look if you would please at what Isaiah confessed, acknowledged. I want you to see his statement as well as his questions. Isaiah 33, beginning with verse 14.
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"The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites."
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Now look at the question. "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Why? Our God is a consuming fire. Now, I believe that each of you understand the ramifications of the fact that God is a consuming fire to His enemies. If you don't, just look very quickly into 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, and notice beginning there with verse 7. 2 Thessalonians 1:7. Look what the Apostle Paul writes, 2 Thessalonians 1:7. Here God is a consuming fire to His enemies. He said, "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when 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: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe."
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Notice, "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when 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." Very obviously, He is a consuming fire to His enemies. Just like He consumed the Amorites, the Jebusites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, none can stand before Him. He is irresistible.
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Now as I teach this, I can hear some thoughts and remarks coming from you. One thought and one remark might be this, "Boy, I'm glad I didn't live in Old Testament times." Or, "Wow, I sure am glad that I'm a Christian and this truth doesn't apply to me." Hold on. We haven't read all the verses yet. Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 29. And I want you to note, Hebrews 12:29 has the same identical truth that Deuteronomy 4:24 and Deuteronomy 9:3 has. Watch Hebrews 12:29.
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"For our God is a consuming fire." Let me give you a bit of information that may be helpful to your thinking. God has not changed. God never changes. God is immutable. And for the surprise of many, they will discover that the same God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. He is just as holy, majestic, and just as He was in the Old Testament.
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The difference in verse 29 of Hebrews 12 is this: this passage is applied primarily to believers. Deuteronomy 4 was to be applied to believers. Now there is a truth of God as a consuming fire being applied to unbelievers, but here it's applied to believers. Now, I want us to look at the context of Hebrews 12. Let's begin reading in verse 18. Hebrews 12:18, "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest." He's referring to Mount Sinai.
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"And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more." Go back and read the Old Testament. You'll find out the Israelites begged Moses, said, "You find out what God says. Let us not hear God's voice anymore. We're afraid." Verse 20, "For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart." Anyone or anything that touched Mount Sinai was to be killed. Why? God is holy. And sinners cannot approach unto God unless they approach through a sacrifice, through a mediator. Verse 21, "And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake."
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Now look what the author of the book of Hebrews says. You haven't come to Mount Sinai. So horrible. Ah, but look in verse 22. "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." Ah, now you've come to the one true and the living God in heaven as He's revealed Himself not on Mount Sinai but as to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, verse 23, "which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."
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So now we're talking about New Testament, we're talking about grace, we're talking about mercy. Watch verse 24, "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." So now we have the new covenant. Now we have Christ. Verse 25, "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."
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Now what's going to be remaining? Here's what it is. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved," that's the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of mercy, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."
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Now I want you to note that verses 28 and 29 go together. And what the author of the book of Hebrews is saying is this. Just because we're in the new covenant does not mean that God has changed. God is still the same. And just like we understood in the Old Testament that God is a jealous God, consequently He is a consuming fire, that truth is applicable today. The truth and reality that our God is a consuming fire should motivate us to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Notice verse 29, "For our God." When the author of Hebrews is speaking about "our God," He is referring to the covenant relationship that we have with God. Thus, God is our Father. But although He is our God, and although He is our Father, He is still a consuming fire. Now, if we understand that He is our God and our Father, that should prevent despair when you and I consider the inevitable purity and inflexible justice of such a holy God. The fact that He is a consuming fire should place a check upon any presumption, any irreverence, flippancy, and lack of consideration, and a failure to serve Him in the way that He demands.
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He is our God. He is our Father, but He is still a consuming fire. Simply because He is our God and Father, simply because we are His children, simply because we stand in grace and mercy and favor, does not give us any right to disregard, disrespect, and dishonor Him. He is still the sovereign God of heaven and earth. My children may be my children, but God still requires them to honor thy father and thy mother. And just like we expect our children to honor us and obey us, God expects us as His children to honor Him and obey Him. We've got to understand, folks, God has not laid aside His majesty. God has not laid aside His splendor. God has not laid aside His sovereignty. God has not laid aside His inflexible justice. God is still God. Ezekiel Hopkins wrote in 1680, listen carefully, "Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God, and have the fullest assurance thereof, and of their interest in Him as their God, ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire."
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We may be His children, but He's still God. God requires that we keep and retain in our minds a due apprehension of the majesty of His person, the holiness of His nature, the severity of His justice, and an ardent jealousy for His worship.
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Now I want you to look at verse 28. Hebrews 12:28. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved," Nothing is going to shake the Kingdom of Grace. It cannot be moved. Okay? The New World Order is not going to destroy the Kingdom of Grace. The Bilderbergers will not dismantle God's Kingdom. "We receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved."
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Now notice, in light of that, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and" what? "godly fear." Godly fear. We cannot serve Him acceptably unless we serve Him with reverence and godly fear. It's the godly fear that helps us to remember that God is still God. And He cannot be played with. He cannot be trifled with. He cannot be ignored. He cannot be dishonored. He's still God. Now, it is this godly fear that is referred to in a number of verses. And let me just read these verses without you having to look at them. Listen carefully.
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Psalm 4:4, David said, "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." Notice what he said, "Stand in awe, and sin not." Stand in awe of God, His righteousness, His holiness, His perfections. And then David said in Psalm 33:8, "Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." In other words, the world better recognize that God is God. In Psalm 89:7, listen carefully, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him."
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I got news for you folks. I don't care how funny a joke is, you should never be joking about God. And you should never refer to Him as "the old man upstairs." He is not the old man upstairs. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him.
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And then the verse, and I've heard a preacher make fun of this verse. Habakkuk 2:20 says this, "But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." I've got news for you folks. The earth ought to shut its mouth and listen to God. He is God. He is saying, "I'm not someone to be trifled with." Without grace and actual operation, we cannot serve God acceptably without that grace and reverence and godly fear. You and I need to keep in mind His awful wrath so that we would have a dread of displeasing and dishonoring Him. We need to keep in mind His majesty that our hearts may be humbled. And we need to keep in mind His wondrous love that we would want to please and honor and adore Him. Isaiah in chapter 8 and verse 13 said this, listen carefully, "Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself. And let Him be your fear and your dread.
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One of Jeb Stuart's favorite sayings was this, "Fear God and you have no one else to fear." Let Him be your fear and your dread.
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Now let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this, since God is a jealous God, whose name is Jealous, we should be extremely careful not to offend Him. We should never desert Him, deny Him, or detract from Him. God will not give His praise and His honor to idols and to images, and neither should we. Do you realize that idolatry in the Bible is referred to as spiritual whoredom? Idolatry was the demise of Israel in the Old Testament. It was the demise of Israel in the New Testament. It's the demise of Israel today. When we take the honor and the glory and the praise that belongs to God and heap it upon ourselves or someone else, it is idolatry. God is not who we wish Him to be. God is not who we want Him to be. God is not who we think He is. God is who He is. And His very name is, "I AM THAT I AM."
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And we should have an eye of jealousy in our lives concerning our God and our relationship with Him that we do nothing to displease Him. And we should make sure that we give Him our entire adoration and affection.
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Secondly, we've got to consider this. God is not only a jealous God, but He is a consuming fire, and He has a heavy hand to punish all affronts, especially in His worship. Because God is specifically jealous over idols, and God will not give that praise and that honor to others. He is a consuming fire. His wrath is revealed against sinners, and it is a dreadful and destroying wrath.
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In Hebrews 10:27, it is called, "a fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." He is our God and He is a light to those who serve Him. He is a consuming fire to those who hate Him. But as God's people, we must also remember that in 1 John 5:16, the Scripture says there is a sin unto death. And we need to stand in awe and sin not. Now, throughout Scripture, we're repeatedly taught that God is a jealous God. Moreover, He's a consuming fire. But God is also a merciful God.
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And those two things are not irreconcilable. Go back to our text in Deuteronomy 4. I want you to look at this. Deuteronomy 4:24. Notice if you would what the Bible says. Deuteronomy 4:24, He says, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Well, let's read on. "When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger:"
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"I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell."
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"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them." Isn't that amazing? Even as the Bible teaches that our God is a consuming fire, the same breath teaches that He is a merciful God. When we repent and turn to Him.
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Now, let me point out this. It should be an extreme encouragement for you and I to realize that God is jealous over His possessions. And we who have repented and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ are His possessions. We belong to Him. He will defend us. He will deliver us. He will provide for us. We are His property. We are His possession. We are His inheritance. Listen to what Deuteronomy 32:9 says.
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"For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." And then everyone in this room can quote this verse. Psalm 100:3, "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Have you ever stopped to think about this? We are His, and He is ours.
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He is my Father who is in heaven. But although He is my Father, and I am in covenant relation with Him through Jesus Christ, He is still my God, who is infinitely holy and will not be trifled with. If you want to be more holy, you need to understand who God is. Because if you understand who God is and you understand that He will not be trifled with, you'll be very careful not to sin against Him. Even our God is a jealous God.
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And He is a consuming fire. Let's pray. Father, we thank You for the truth of God, that Thou art not only a jealous God, but Lord, a merciful God, and yet, Lord, at the same time, Thou art a consuming fire, because Thou art holy and pure and just, and Thou dost hate sin. Lord, make us more conscious of who Thou art. May we not neglect Thee, forget Thee, deny Thee, dishonor Thee, desert Thee, denigrate Thee in any way whatsoever, but may we keep in mind that Thou art the sovereign God of heaven and earth, a jealous God whose name is Jealous, and Thou art a consuming fire. Give us grace, Father, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for we confess and acknowledge that Thou art a consuming fire. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:20:09Z

A Consuming Fire

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 4:24, 'For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God,' exploring the biblical meaning of God's jealousy and its connection to His nature as a consuming fire. He distinguishes godly jealousy (intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness, vigilant guarding of a possession) from sinful jealousy, showing that God's jealousy is holy and tied to His zeal for His own glory and His people. The lecture traces this theme through Old and New Testaments, emphasizing that God's consuming fire both protects His people and destroys His enemies. Applied to believers, the truth that 'our God is a consuming fire' (Hebrews 12:29) should produce reverence, godly fear, and acceptable service, not presumption. The message concludes with the encouragement that God is also merciful to those who repent, and that His jealousy over His people means He will defend and keep them.

Introduction: The Jealousy and Fire of God

Reading Deuteronomy 4:24 and raising the questions of what it means that God is jealous and a consuming fire, and whether these truths are connected.

Deuteronomy 4:24, look at it.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:24

"For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."

We will come back later and look at the context, but notice that verse again.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:24

"For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."

In other words, are these two truths interrelated? Now, I'm going to talk today about God being a consuming fire or God being a jealous God.

Defining Godly Jealousy

Explaining that God's jealousy is not sinful; defining godly jealousy as intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness and vigilant guarding of a possession, with biblical examples.

You know what the Bible says in Isaiah 42:8? Let me just quote it. God said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that is my name. My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 2:8

"For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye."

Biblical Evidence: God Is Jealous

Surveying multiple Old Testament passages that declare God is jealous, including Exodus 20:5, 34:14, and others, showing 'Jealous' is one of His names.

Notice what the Bible says. Exodus 20:5. God says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,"

that is to idols.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them."

Why?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:15

"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

Look in Deuteronomy 6:15.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:15

"For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you; lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:15

"For he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins."

Here's what Joshua is saying: you better not trifle with God.

Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 39. Ezekiel 39:25.

And then I'll quote the remainder verses. But notice what the Bible says, Ezekiel 39:25.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 39:25

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name."

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 39:25

"So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy."

And then finally Zechariah 8:2,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 39:25

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury."

Now I hope you will remember that I asked in the introduction: Is there a connection between God being a jealous God and God being a consuming fire?

The Connection: Jealousy and Consuming Fire in Context

Examining Deuteronomy 4:14-26 to show that God's jealousy and consuming fire are linked to idolatry and disobedience; God brooks no rivals.

God Revealed as Fire: Non-Consuming and Consuming

Contrasting God's revelation as a non-consuming fire (Sinai, burning bush) with His revelation as a consuming fire (judgment on rebels, enemies).

The Pillar of Fire: Light to Israel, Darkness to Egypt

Using Exodus 13-14 to illustrate how God's fire gives light and protection to His people while bringing destruction to His enemies.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:22

"He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 14:20

"And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night."

Warning Against Self-Righteousness (Deuteronomy 9)

Reading Deuteronomy 9:1-6 to show that God goes before His people as a consuming fire, not because of their righteousness, but because of His covenant and the wickedness of the nations.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:1-6

"Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee."

The Fear of God Among the Heathen and Believers

Citing Rahab's confession and Isaiah 33:14 to show that even pagans feared God's consuming power, and believers should stand in awe.

New Testament Application: Hebrews 12:18-29

Showing that 'our God is a consuming fire' is applied to believers under the new covenant, motivating reverence, godly fear, and acceptable service.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"For our God is a consuming fire."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest."

He's referring to Mount Sinai.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more."

Go back and read the Old Testament. You'll find out the Israelites begged Moses, said, "You find out what God says. Let us not hear God's voice anymore. We're afraid." Verse 20,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart."

Anyone or anything that touched Mount Sinai was to be killed. Why? God is holy. And sinners cannot approach unto God unless they approach through a sacrifice, through a mediator. Verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake."

Now look what the author of the book of Hebrews says. You haven't come to Mount Sinai. So horrible. Ah, but look in verse 22.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Ah, now you've come to the one true and the living God in heaven as He's revealed Himself not on Mount Sinai but as to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, verse 23,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

Now what's going to be remaining? Here's what it is.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,"

that's the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of mercy,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

"let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:18-29

" He is referring to the covenant relationship that we have with God. Thus, God is our Father. But although He is our God, and although He is our Father, He is still a consuming fire. Now, if we understand that He is our God and our Father, that should prevent despair when you and I consider the inevitable purity and inflexible justice of such a holy God. The fact that He is a consuming fire should place a check upon any presumption, any irreverence, flippancy, and lack of consideration, and a failure to serve Him in the way that He demands.

Practical Exhortations and the Mercy of God

Applying the truth: we must not offend God, give His glory to another, or serve Him without reverence. Yet God is merciful to those who repent, and His jealousy means He defends His people.

A Consuming Fire

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	T0SIxWnIdK8
Subject	Biblical Law
Course	The Ten Commandments
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 001: The Ten Commandments — Chapter 11
Source Timed Segments	73

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Jealousy and Fire of God: Reading Deuteronomy 4:24 and raising the questions of what it means that God is jealous and a consuming fire, and whether these truths are connected.
Defining Godly Jealousy: Explaining that God's jealousy is not sinful; defining godly jealousy as intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness and vigilant guarding of a possession, with biblical examples.
Biblical Evidence: God Is Jealous: Surveying multiple Old Testament passages that declare God is jealous, including Exodus 20:5, 34:14, and others, showing 'Jealous' is one of His names.
The Connection: Jealousy and Consuming Fire in Context: Examining Deuteronomy 4:14-26 to show that God's jealousy and consuming fire are linked to idolatry and disobedience; God brooks no rivals.
God Revealed as Fire: Non-Consuming and Consuming: Contrasting God's revelation as a non-consuming fire (Sinai, burning bush) with His revelation as a consuming fire (judgment on rebels, enemies).
The Pillar of Fire: Light to Israel, Darkness to Egypt: Using Exodus 13-14 to illustrate how God's fire gives light and protection to His people while bringing destruction to His enemies.
Warning Against Self-Righteousness (Deuteronomy 9): Reading Deuteronomy 9:1-6 to show that God goes before His people as a consuming fire, not because of their righteousness, but because of His covenant and the wickedness of the nations.
The Fear of God Among the Heathen and Believers: Citing Rahab's confession and Isaiah 33:14 to show that even pagans feared God's consuming power, and believers should stand in awe.
New Testament Application: Hebrews 12:18-29: Showing that 'our God is a consuming fire' is applied to believers under the new covenant, motivating reverence, godly fear, and acceptable service.
Practical Exhortations and the Mercy of God: Applying the truth: we must not offend God, give His glory to another, or serve Him without reverence. Yet God is merciful to those who repent, and His jealousy means He defends His people.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God's jealousy is not sinful but holy and zealous for His glory.

The English word 'jealous' comes from Latin 'zelosus' (zeal). God's jealousy means He is intolerant of rivalry and unfaithfulness, and vigilant in guarding His possession.

Isaiah 42:8; Zechariah 2:8; 2 Corinthians 11:2; the speaker explains the three definitions of jealousy.

God's consuming fire is directed against idolatry and disobedience.

The context of Deuteronomy 4:24 shows that God's jealousy and consuming fire are specifically linked to the making of graven images and corrupting oneself.

Deuteronomy 4:14-26; the speaker states, 'the jealousy of God is associated especially with idolatry and disobedience.'

God's fire both protects His people and destroys His enemies.

The pillar of fire gave light to Israel but darkness to Egypt; God as a consuming fire goes before His people to destroy their enemies.

Exodus 14:20; Deuteronomy 9:3; the speaker illustrates with the Red Sea crossing.

The New Testament applies 'consuming fire' to believers, not just unbelievers.

Hebrews 12:29 says 'our God is a consuming fire' in the context of serving God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, showing the truth is for the church.

Hebrews 12:18-29; the speaker emphasizes that God has not changed and believers must not presume upon grace.

God's mercy is available to those who repent, even after judgment warnings.

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 promises that if Israel seeks the Lord with all their heart, He will be merciful and not forsake them, showing God's character is both just and merciful.

Deuteronomy 4:29-31; the speaker says, 'Even as the Bible teaches that our God is a consuming fire, the same breath teaches that He is a merciful God.'

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 4:24: The central text: 'For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.'
Isaiah 42:8: Quoted to show God is intolerant of rivalry: 'I am the Lord... my glory will I not give to another.'
Zechariah 2:8: Quoted to show God guards His possession: 'he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.'
2 Corinthians 11:2: Paul's godly jealousy for the church, illustrating vigilant guarding.
Exodus 20:5: God declares He is a jealous God, visiting iniquity, in the Ten Commandments.
Exodus 34:14: God's name is Jealous; He is a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 5:9: Repeats the jealous God declaration in the second giving of the law.
Deuteronomy 6:15: The Lord is a jealous God among you, lest His anger destroy you.
Joshua 24:19: Joshua says they cannot serve the Lord because He is a holy and jealous God.
Ezekiel 39:25: God will be jealous for His holy name.
Joel 2:18: The Lord will be jealous for His land and pity His people.
Nahum 1:2: God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; He is furious.
Zechariah 1:14: The Lord is jealous for Jerusalem and Zion with great jealousy.
Zechariah 8:2: God was jealous for Zion with great fury, linking jealousy and fire.
Deuteronomy 4:14-26: The context of Deuteronomy 4:24, warning against idolatry and linking jealousy and consuming fire.
Exodus 13:22: God led Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
Exodus 14:20: The pillar of fire gave light to Israel and darkness to Egypt.
Deuteronomy 9:1-6: God goes before Israel as a consuming fire, not for their righteousness.
Hebrews 12:18-29: New Testament application: 'our God is a consuming fire,' calling for reverence and godly fear.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31: God is merciful to those who seek Him with all their heart, even after judgment.

Historical References

Ezekiel Hopkins (1680): Quoted: 'Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God... ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire.'
Jeb Stuart: His favorite saying: 'Fear God and you have no one else to fear.'

Important Quotes

For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

The foundational text of the entire sermon, linking God's jealousy and His consuming fire nature.

God is not only a jealous God, but that 'Jealous' is one of the names of God.

Highlights the intensity and centrality of God's jealousy to His character.

God will not be treated as simply another God. He will brook no rivals.

Emphasizes God's exclusive claim to worship and glory.

Even those who stand in the highest in the love and favor of God, and have the fullest assurance thereof, and of their interest in Him as their God, ought, notwithstanding, to fear Him as a sin-avenging God and as a consuming fire.

A historical quote reinforcing that even assured believers must maintain reverent fear of God.

For our God is a consuming fire.

The New Testament application showing the unchanging nature of God for believers.

Fear God and you have no one else to fear.

A pithy summary of the proper fear of God that eliminates all other fears.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What is the difference between godly jealousy and sinful jealousy, and how does God exemplify godly jealousy?

[Context]

The speaker defines godly jealousy as intolerance of rivalry/unfaithfulness and vigilant guarding of a possession.

[Question]

Why is idolatry specifically connected to God's jealousy and His nature as a consuming fire?

[Context]

The context of Deuteronomy 4 shows that God's jealousy is aroused by idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom.

[Question]

How does the pillar of fire in Exodus illustrate the dual nature of God's fire as both protective and destructive?

[Context]

The pillar gave light to Israel and darkness to Egypt, showing God's discriminating judgment.

[Question]

In what ways might believers today be tempted to think that their blessings come from their own righteousness or strength, and how does Deuteronomy 9 correct that?

[Context]

God warned Israel not to think they possessed the land because of their righteousness.

[Question]

How should the truth that 'our God is a consuming fire' affect our worship, both corporately and individually?

[Context]

Hebrews 12:28-29 calls for reverence and godly fear in serving God.

[Question]

How can we hold together the truths of God's consuming fire and His mercy without diminishing either?

[Context]

Deuteronomy 4:24-31 presents both God's judgment and His mercy to the repentant.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T10:45:41Z