Prophets and Kings: "The God Who Answers with FIre"

Prophets and Kings: “The God Who Answers with Fire”

1 Kings 18:17-24

 Hebrews 12:29 - “For our God is a consuming fire.”

I. The consuming fire of His presence.    1 Kings 18:1-24    

Genesis 15:17 - “When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.”

Exodus 3:2 - “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.”

Exodus 13:22 - “The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

2 Chronicles 7:1 - “…Solomon finished his prayer and fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”

Acts 2:3-4 - “And tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”

II. The consuming Fire of His judgement.   1 Kings 18:25-29

Psalm 81:12 - “I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.”   

Luke 12:49 - “Jesus said, ‘I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!’”

2 Peter 3:10 - “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar…heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved… the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

2 Thessalonians 1:7 - “…give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.”

Matthew 25:41 - “Then He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are accursed, into the eternal fire…”

III. The Consuming Fire of Worship.      1 Kings 18:30-39            

Luke 24:32 - “They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?’”   

Faith Sheet for Friends and Family This Week

1. What are the signs that we are exerting energy and effort on pointless things? How and why do these idols take so much of our time and effort?  (Genesis 3:4-7 and Jeremiah 2:13)

 2. What kind of fire would be good for all believers to possess? (Jeremiah 20:9)

3. Read Daniel 7:9-10 and 2 Thessalonians 1:7. What do you see in the Old Testament prophecy about Jesus? How does this motivate you to proclaim the Gospel?  Pray for someone who needs Him.

4. Discuss 1 Corinthians 3:13-15. Though fire will test our deeds as believers, it will not consume us because Jesus took our judgement. How are we to live knowing a test is coming but we are forgiven and loved?