It was a phone call that brought sheer
terror to me. I will never forget
it. Wakened in the middle of the night,
I heard my oldest daughter, Kasey, crying, “Our house is on fire!” My immediate response was, “Is everybody
out?” Thankfully, they were. As soon as we could throw on some clothes, my
wife and I were speeding down the road to the scene.
It was tough to see the house in such
shape. The fire was basically out by the
time we got there, but much of what was inside was ruined by smoke, and the
water used to extinguish the flames. But
stuff can be replaced—our precious family could not. So, in our tears, there were still thanks
that they had escaped.
There is a fire that is even more
fearful than anything that can be kindled in this world. That is the fire of hell—the punishment of
the wicked for all eternity. Jesus said,
“Don't fear those
who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is
able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28 HCSB)
How
can we escape? Is there a way to be
fireproof? Isaiah addresses this in
chapter thirty three of his prophecy.
He
begins with THE REASONS WE NEED TO BE
FIREPROOF (v.1-14).
The
first reason is GOD’S PURE CHARACTER.
“The
peoples flee at the thunderous noise; the
nations scatter when You rise in Your majesty. Your spoil will be gathered as locusts are
gathered; people will swarm over it like an
infestation of locusts. The Lord is exalted,
for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion
The
prophet warns that God is coming in judgment. His character is utterly holy. He is just and righteous. His character is far and above any
other—exalted to the pinnacle of perfect purity. Being absolutely just, he must judge
wickedness. The nature of fire is to
purify—to consume all that will burn. Of
Him, it is said, “for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)
The following reason relates to the first: MAN’S
PERISHABLE CHARACTER.
“’You
will conceive chaff; you will give birth to stubble. Your breath is fire that will consume you.
The peoples will be burned to ashes,
like thorns cut down
and burned in a fire. You who are
far off, hear what I have done; you who are near, know My strength.’
The
sinners in Zion
One cannot blame the fire for burning,
for that is its nature. The fault is
with that which cannot endure the flames.
That is the perishable quality of our nature. We are chaff and stubble—highly flammable. All the thoughts we conceive and the acts we
birth are combustible. No wonder
Scripture always associates the reality of hell’s fire with a response of
fear. The house of the human condition
is burning down around us—how can we get out?
The gracious God has provided a
way! Isaiah lists THE REQUIREMENTS WE MEET TO BE FIREPROOF (v.15).
The
desperate cry is expressed:
“The
sinners in Zion
The
answer is expounded:
“The one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears from listening to murderous plots and shuts his eyes to avoid endorsing evil…” (v.15).
It
is important to note that this is the fruit of faithfulness which is evidence
of the root of faith. Salvation cannot
be a work we do, it must be a work God does.
“Lord, be gracious to us! We
wait for You. Be our strength every morning
and our salvation in
time of trouble.” (v.2)
“The
Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion
“There will be times of
security for you—a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
The fear of the Lord is
Zion
“For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our King. He will save us.”
(v.22)
“and none there will say, ‘I
am sick.’ The people who dwell there will be forgiven [their]
iniquity.” (v.24)
Salvation
is of the Lord. It is His gracious
activity. It is His strength that lifts
us out of sin and secures us for heaven.
We are justified by faith and made righteous with God’s own
righteousness. He heals our sin-sick
soul. Forgiveness is given by Him.
To
think that we can make our perishable nature fit for the fire of Judgment Day
is folly. That would take a miracle where
the coal that burns could be transformed into a diamond that endures—and that
is what God alone can do!
You
can tell a difference between chaff and gold, between coal and gems. Label straw with the word, “sapphire” and
that does not change its nature. It
still can’t survive the fire—the profession will burn up with the
perishable. Isaiah points this out. If there is real regeneration—and God
fireproofs us—then there is real repentance—and the quality of our life has
changed. As has been said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that
saves is never alone.” (Martin Luther)
Here
is an “asbestos anatomy” we might say.
“The one who lives righteously…” (v.15a)
OUR
MOUTH, “speaks rightly…” (v.15b). That which comes out of the bucket of our
speech is drawn from the well of our soul.
Consider this contrast:
“Brood of vipers! How can you speak
good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”
(Matthew 12:34 HCSB)
“The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his
tongue speaks what is just. The
instruction of his God is in his heart; his steps do
not falter.” (Psalm 37:30-31)
Words can be empty and profession can
be false, but listen to a person long enough—and it discloses their values and
virtues—or lack, thereof. Thus, Jesus
said, “A good man produces good
things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from
his storeroom of evil. I tell you that on the day of judgment people will
have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and
by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:35-37)
OUR HANDS, “who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a
bribe…” (v.15c). Covetousness in the heart is indicated by contamination on the
hands. Scripture warns that covetousness
is idolatry. One who has a heart
inflamed by greed and hands grasping for gain will be consumed in the fire—they
disclose they worship a false god and not the Living God.
Christ
told us we have to choose, “No one can be
a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be
devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of
money.” (Matt.6:24)
OUR EARS, “who stops his ears from
listening to murderous plots…” (v.15d). Our ears are a gateway into our
heart. What we open them to and
entertain is what we embrace. The author
of Proverbs warns of those who listen to the harlot named Folly whose
invitation brings us to hell, and entreats us to instead listen to Lady Wisdom
whose call leads us to life (read Proverbs 9).
OUR
EYES, “and shuts his eyes to avoid endorsing
evil…” (v.15e). This is the other portal
into our soul. What we look at we long
for. This is why Jesus warned that the
lustful look was tantamount to adultery.
We are warned not to look at the sparkling wine in the cup, lest we
desire to consume it and be drunk. A
focus on the material ignites a flame of desire that will consume us. The focus of our eyes shows the direction of
our steps.
When I go to the doctor for my
physical, he tells me, “Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.” He also looks at my hands—and the color of my
fingernails in particular. He shines a
light in my ears and my eyes. These are
a window into my physical condition.
When God, the Great Physician examines you, what is the state of your
soul?
Remember, our works are not what saves
us, but that if we are saved there ought to be evidence. The root of Christ in
us produces the fruit of Christ-likeness.
If we are transformed by the grace of
God, there will be THE RESULTS WE SEE IN
BEING FIREPROOF (v.16-24). We do not
have to dread standing before God and His consuming fire, but can delight in
what awaits us!
PROMOTION, “he
will dwell on the heights…” (v.16a). We
can seek to exalt ourselves on earth, as Lucifer tried to exalt himself in
heaven, only to be cast down with him into hell, or we can humble ourselves
before God, and He will exalt us. Quite
a promotion!
PROTECTION, “his refuge will be the
rocky fortresses…” (v.16b). We can rest
our hopes on the sands of this world or on the solid Rock of Christ by hearing
and heeding His Word.
PROVISION, “his food provided, his
water assured.” (v.16c) To eat the bread
of this world alone is to hunger for eternity.
To drink of the well of this world is to thirst again, and thirst
forever in a waterless place, longing for a mere drop to cool our tongue in the
flames. Oh, but to feed on Christ, the
Bread of Heaven is to be nourished forever!
To drink of Christ, the Water of Life is to find a perpetual satisfaction
of the thirst of our soul!
PERCEPTION:
“Your eyes will see the King
in His beauty; you will see a vast land. Your mind will meditate on the [past] terror:
‘Where is the accountant? Where is the tribute
collector? Where is the one who spied out our defenses?’ You will no longer
see the barbarians, a people whose speech is
difficult to comprehend—who stammer in a language that is not understood.
Look at Zion Jerusalem
Now
we see through a darkened glass, but one day faith will become sight! We are going to see the King! We will see the glory of that Heavenly City
PRESERVATION:
“For
the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is
our lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save
us. Your ropes are slack; they
cannot hold the base of the mast or spread out
the flag. Then
abundant spoil will be divided, the lame will
plunder it, and none there will say, "I
am sick." The
people who dwell there will be
forgiven [their] iniquity.” (v.22-24)
Saved! No sorrow, no suffering, so sin—none of this
world’s woes—all that is burned up and gone.
All that remains is what is of eternal worth. There will be riches, rigor and
righteousness.
You don’t want to miss
heaven for the world!
Jesus underscored that:
“And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is
better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell-the
unquenchable fire, where
Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
And if your foot causes your
downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two
feet and be thrown into hell- the unquenchable fire, where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
And if your eye causes your
downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God
where
Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43-48 HCSB)
Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43-48 HCSB)
Ponder the second century martyr,
Polycarp—a disciple of the Apostle John and pastor of the church at Smyrna
The
law was to vow allegiance to Caesar as Lord or be burned at the stake. He refused to renounce Christ when so
threatened. His answer was:
“For eighty and
six years have I been his servant, and he has done me no wrong, and how can I
blaspheme my King who saved me?"
As the authorities stressed the severity of his punishment, he replied, “You threaten with the fire that burns for a time, and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire which awaits the wicked in the judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. But why are you waiting? Come, do what you will."
When they placed him at the stake and
were ready to nail him to it, that he might not flee, Polycarp courageously
spoke, “Leave me thus, for He who gives me power to endure
the fire, will grant me to remain in the flames unmoved even without the
security you will give by the nails."
According to “The Martyrdom
of Polycarp,” the story climaxes:
1
So they did not nail him, but bound him, and he put his hands behind him and
was bound, as a noble ram out of a great flock, for an oblation, a whole burnt
offering made ready and acceptable to God; and he looked up to heaven and said:
"O Lord God Almighty, Father of thy beloved and blessed Child, Jesus
Christ, through Whom we have received full knowledge of thee, the God of Angels
and powers, and of all creation, and of the whole family of the righteous, who
live before thee! 2 I bless thee, that Thou hast granted me this day and hour,
that I may share, among the number of the martyrs, in the cup of thy Christ,
for the Resurrection to everlasting life, both of soul and body in the
immortality of the Holy Spirit. And may I, today, be received among them before
Thee, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as Thou, the God who lies not and is
truth, hast prepared beforehand, and shown forth, and fulfilled. 3 For this
reason I also praise Thee for all things, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee through
the everlasting and heavenly high Priest, Jesus Christ, thy beloved Child,
through whom be glory to Thee with him and the Holy Spirit, both now and for
the ages that are to come, Amen." (translated by Kirsopp Lake
Polycarp
was fireproof!
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