Trembling seizes the ungodly: "Who among us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with ever-burning flames?" Isaiah 33
The other question. David wants to know who can dwell with God. Isaiah speaks for those who go their own way, devising evil or living in apathy. What do we do with the thought of God being a "consuming fire"? Moses tells the people before they enter the promised land that they should heed the commandments when they go in without him, because God is a jealous God - a consuming fire. We are His and He is not only protective over us, but jealous of our turning away to other gods. It is the ungodly, however, that God will finally deal with. Things done in the dark - atrocities out in the open. He sees them. Our holy God will deal by burning them up. Ash to ash in an ever-burning fire. He is righteous and cannot look on that which is not holy without becoming enraged.
Don't judge God on this. Anyone look at Penn State in the last couple of days? What did you feel when you heard about the coach who has been molesting boys for years, his deeds hidden by those who chose football over doing the right - the legal - thing? Anything rise up in you? Think, then, about what our God sees and wonder why He has not already set the earth on fire.
What of those who listen to God? Who, as David says, live honestly, acknowledge the truth in their hearts, don't slander with their tongues, don't harm their neighbor, who despise what God despises and love what God loves, who keep their word whatever the cost, and who don't take bribes or lend with interest. What can those who have believed with their hearts expect one day?
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty. You will see a vast land...Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture...For the Majestic One, our Lord, will be there, a place of rivers and broad streams...For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save us...none who dwell there will say, "I am sick." The people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity. Isaiah 33
It is not that those who will see Jesus will have lived a sinless life. That is impossible. The Christian life is really impossible to live in the flesh because it is powered by the Holy Spirit. That is why we must first "acknowledge the truth in our hearts" before we can endeavor to do all the other things. And my motive for being "good" is not to win points with God. My motive is Him. Pleasing Him. That I cannot do on my own, either. I must rely on "Christ in me, the hope of glory." I will be right with God because Jesus made me so, not because I have power on my own to do good.
Then He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city. He said, "I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life."
Both the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Anyone who hears should say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. Revelation 21 and 22.
Thirsty anyone? Anyone. Regardless of what you have been in the past. If you have been on your way to the consuming fires of an eternal conflagration, you can still come. Anyone. These are some of the last words of the Bible. The parting words of Jesus to John the Beloved. Avoiding eternal fire is as simple as accepting a gift. Of water. Living water from the hand of the God of all creation. Drink. Taste. See that the Lord is good.
The other question. David wants to know who can dwell with God. Isaiah speaks for those who go their own way, devising evil or living in apathy. What do we do with the thought of God being a "consuming fire"? Moses tells the people before they enter the promised land that they should heed the commandments when they go in without him, because God is a jealous God - a consuming fire. We are His and He is not only protective over us, but jealous of our turning away to other gods. It is the ungodly, however, that God will finally deal with. Things done in the dark - atrocities out in the open. He sees them. Our holy God will deal by burning them up. Ash to ash in an ever-burning fire. He is righteous and cannot look on that which is not holy without becoming enraged.
Don't judge God on this. Anyone look at Penn State in the last couple of days? What did you feel when you heard about the coach who has been molesting boys for years, his deeds hidden by those who chose football over doing the right - the legal - thing? Anything rise up in you? Think, then, about what our God sees and wonder why He has not already set the earth on fire.
What of those who listen to God? Who, as David says, live honestly, acknowledge the truth in their hearts, don't slander with their tongues, don't harm their neighbor, who despise what God despises and love what God loves, who keep their word whatever the cost, and who don't take bribes or lend with interest. What can those who have believed with their hearts expect one day?
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty. You will see a vast land...Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture...For the Majestic One, our Lord, will be there, a place of rivers and broad streams...For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save us...none who dwell there will say, "I am sick." The people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity. Isaiah 33
It is not that those who will see Jesus will have lived a sinless life. That is impossible. The Christian life is really impossible to live in the flesh because it is powered by the Holy Spirit. That is why we must first "acknowledge the truth in our hearts" before we can endeavor to do all the other things. And my motive for being "good" is not to win points with God. My motive is Him. Pleasing Him. That I cannot do on my own, either. I must rely on "Christ in me, the hope of glory." I will be right with God because Jesus made me so, not because I have power on my own to do good.
Then He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city. He said, "I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life."
Both the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Anyone who hears should say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. Revelation 21 and 22.
Thirsty anyone? Anyone. Regardless of what you have been in the past. If you have been on your way to the consuming fires of an eternal conflagration, you can still come. Anyone. These are some of the last words of the Bible. The parting words of Jesus to John the Beloved. Avoiding eternal fire is as simple as accepting a gift. Of water. Living water from the hand of the God of all creation. Drink. Taste. See that the Lord is good.
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