April 3

Leviticus 6 I once went on a campout with the families of my 4-H Outdoor Adventure Club. One of our lessons was on campfires. Our campout provided the youth a time to apply what they learned in building a campfire. Our fuel for the fire was a little damp from recent rains, so we did not accomplish our goal of starting a fire with one match. However, each campsite was able to accomplish getting their fire going. We kept the fire burning until late at night. At my campsite, I was the first one out of the tent in the morning. I decided to start a fire using the coals from the fire from the last night. It was very easy. The coals, although they looked dead, were still very hot. No matches were needed. All I needed was some dry tender and smaller sticks and soon I had a roaring fire going again. If properly tended, a fire is very easy to keep going. Here in the midst of the instruction on burnt offerings, the priests are commanded, “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.” Fire is a symbol of purity, passion and presence of God. If we are now a tabernacle of God, what does the fire, which never goes out, symbolize? The context within the passage is concluding instruction concerning trespass offering. These are offerings for sins that were intentional. The continual fire was representative of our continual need for forgiveness of sin. The writer of Hebrews tells us that these sacrifices are a picture of Jesus who is our High Priest, Heb. 8:3-5, and our sacrifice, 10:5-12. He is a priest who ever lives to make intercession for us. He never lets the fire go out! But the question remains, “Do I avail myself of His ministry?” Do I regularly return to the fire that He ever keeps burning? It is to His glory that He keeps it burning. After all, He died and rose that He might accomplish just that. The coals of His fire never grow cold. I remember a line from The Man from Snowy River, “A fire can be a hard to find in the mountains, but you’re welcome at my fire anytime.” A fire that provides for the forgiveness and removal of our sin can only be found one place. It is the glory of the Lord that He tends that fire and He welcomes us to come. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john