I am so very pleased and honored to introduce you to our Guest Author for this month!
Reverend Randall Rogers is the Secretary Treasurer of the North Carolina District of the Assemblies of G-d. Brother Rogers has served as Pastor, Mentor, Counselor and friend to the ministers and body of the North Carolina District of the Assemblies of G-d for many years.
I personally have been the recipient of his kindness, wisdom and counsel on many occasions. His demeanor and service to the Kingdom of G-d is a reflection of a life filled with the Holy Spirit and Christ like character.
It is my prayer that Adonai bless brother Rogers for his commitment to the ministry and reward him for the kindness he has shown me through the years. I know you will be blessed as you read his article and apply the principles it contains to your everyday walk with Yeshua.
Baruch Hashem!
Rabbi Cliff A. Maynard
For a PDF Download of this article CLICK HERE
The Spirit’s Consuming Fire
By Reverend Randall Rogers
Leviticus 6 describes what G-d requires regarding the burnt offering. The passage is symbolic concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our priestly responsibilities to keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning within us. The New Testament parallel application is the importance of living a Spirit filled life. The command to continuously keep the fire burning was repeated often in this short passage. The New Testament verbiage is “be filled with the Spirit.” The fire must never go out!
Fire is one of the most powerful symbols of the Holy Spirit. It is powerful because of the awesome consuming power of fire and the tremendous energy a fire generates. The recent fires in California remind us that fire is a power to be reckoned with when fueled by dry wood and wind. Fire has power to consume almost anything in its path as it engulfs acre by acre. Fire is also symbolic of energy and excitement. And, fire draws a crowd.
The Spirit’s fire will consume sin in our lives and, in turn, usher in the freshness of new life as we surrender to Him. It is the Spirit of G-d who brings life and enthusiasm, and when that fire is not burning in us, we are marked by spiritual death. When John the Baptist prophesied of the coming Messiah, he declared, Luke 3:16 (New International Version) I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This prophesy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:1-4 (New International Version): 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
How sad to see a life once ablaze with the glory of G-d becoming depleted of the luster of the Spirit! To live a victorious Christian life, we must take heed to the command of Leviticus, “The fire must remain burning on the altar, it must never go out!” The question is, “How do we keep that fire burning?” There are demands of the fire if it remains ablaze.
1. The Fire Must Remain Burning all Night
Leviticus 6:8 The L-RD said to Moses: 9 Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.’ This meant some of the priests were assigned third shift work. While in college I worked third shift at a Post Office and came to understand quickly why it was called the graveyard shift. Some of the priests were assigned the arduous responsibility to stay up all night and make sure the fire did not go out. That was surely a grueling work assignment that demanded alertness and commitment.
What are the experiences in our life that would represent this nighttime requirement? There are periods of time we all face that can easily fall under this symbolism. These times may include unemployment, loss of 401K’s, illness, accidents, divorce, or a myriad of other things that make us feel the light has gone out of our lives and darkness has settled in to stay. The nighttime experiences are the most challenging times for keeping the fire of the Holy Spirit burning brightly in our lives. The fire always demands attention, but it demands special attention during the night. As priests of G-d in the New Testament sense, we have the responsibility to make sure the fire never smothers. Keeping our vessels full of oil during the night is a challenge common to all. Morning will come. Psalm 30:5 (New International Version) For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
2. The Burden of the Ashes
Leviticus 6 continues; 10 The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body, and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. 11 Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean. 12 The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out.
A wood burning fireplace is really enjoyable, especially this time of year when the fall air is chilly. On a cool autumn day, sitting in a recliner beside a fireplace enjoying a great football game is a super way to relax. However, one problem with a fireplace is the ashes—the dirty, smelly, musty, filthy, dusty ashes. If one could only find wood that would burn up completely without leaving ashes! The ashes are the “stuff” the fire does not consume. There would be no ashes if the fire could only burn it all away and leave nothing behind.
The one thing that the fire of the Spirit does not consume when we bring our sins to the altar is our memories. The fire of G-d’s Holy Spirit consumes the wood, hay, and stubble, but our minds remember the past. The problem with the ashes of our memory is that we have a difficult time forgiving others who have wronged us, forgiving ourselves for foolish mistakes, and we end up carrying around accumulated ashes of sorrow and bitterness.
For a fire to continue to burn, one must deal with the ashes. A way to put out the flames is to cover the fire with ashes. In a similar way, roots of bitterness can grow in our lives until the fire of the Spirit no longer burns. In order to keep the fire burning, one of our priestly functions is to carry out the ashes. We must learn the freedom that comes when we learn to forgive ourselves and to forgive others. It is important to regularly make sure the ashes have been cleaned from the fire box of our mind. Isaiah 61:3 (New International Version) 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the L-RD for the display of his splendor.
3. The Requirements of the Fire
Leviticus 6:12 continues; Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. 13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.
Fire demands fuel; therefore, the priests had to supply the wood every morning. Chopping wood was hard work, but it was required to keep the fire burning. The sacrifices had to be prepared and laid on the altar. Preparation was a necessary part of the burnt offering.
The fire of the Spirit in our lives does not burn without fuel. The fuel of the Spirit is a surrendered life in the form of a living sacrifice. It is demanding to keep a regular time of Bible reading and prayer. It is effort to keep our attitudes in check and our bodies surrendered to G-d. But that is the fuel needed to keep the fire burning. We offer him the dry wood of our surrendered life fanned by the wind of the Spirit, and the fire rages on.
Remember the admonition of Peter: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for G-d’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
By Randall S. Rogers, D.Min.
Secretary-Treasurer
North Carolina District Council
of the Assemblies of G-d
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