Consuming
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” Deuteronomy 4:24
Consuming – If you’re invited to God’s kitchen, don’t ever expect to see left-overs. It might not seem like much, but the fact that God specifically requires the Passover to be completely consumed is important. God’s message in the Passover meal is this: the sacrifice is completely sufficient and is to be completely consumed. Don’t think that God wants just some of you to be caught up with Him. He wants it all just as he provided it all. God is a God who will not settle for anything left over. He consumes those He calls.
Remember the burning bush in the desert. Moses saw a bush that burned but was not consumed. Moses went to investigate and discovered that he was in the presence of a fire that was never exhausted. Now Moses reminds the people that God’s unquenchable fire will never fade. If you are going to follow this God, you better be prepared to be totally consumed by His fire.
Hebrew is full of very dramatic images for God. A rock. A fortress. A shepherd. A nursing mother. A destroyer. Here the word akal describes God in terms that every Israelite would identify. A fire that burns up everything. We need to absorb this image. Instead of our “omnipotent” and “omniscient” sterile theology, we need the God who consumes us. We need to know that God will not let anything remain of our old selves. He is out to burn up all that doesn’t belong.
The New Testament uses two images to push forward the idea of total consumption. The first is baptism. Paul makes us see that baptism is like going into the grave. Everything dies. The second is fire. Jesus comes to baptize with fire. Tongues of fire appear with the coming of the Holy Spirit. And the author of Hebrews calls God “an unquenchable fire”. Both images require everything. When God alights on your life, expect to be used up completely.
The next 24: Time for a test. Are you keeping left-overs around? God expects an all-consuming sacrifice. Heaven doesn’t have refrigeration.
