The Spirit of God As Fire Part 6

"His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven. Thy throne O G.o.d is forever and ever."

Thus, we see that the Sun and the heaven are to endure as long as the throne of G.o.d, and his throne is to endure "forever and ever."

Now to us, to all, while dwelling in mortality, the Sun dispenses its blessings alike. "He maketh the Sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth the rain on the just, and on the unjust."

Thus, we see that the Sun is the active agency for the dispensing of His blessings to man and all animation on this Earth. Its rays of light and heat penetrate the bosoms of oceans and seas, and draw up from "the fountains of the deep" the "liquid element" in ascending vapor, and condensing it into clouds, scatter and return it in rains, and gentle showers, to water and replenish the Earth and make it bring forth for sustenance of man and beast, and renew the verdure of nature.

Now do we not see in all this, as in all things else, that the Sun--its heat and light--are G.o.d's agencies in sustaining all things?

We have told you that we could comprehend that it _was_ an agency pervading and controlling all things. But you have doubtless noticed the fact that as we have followed up and grasped the revelations made by Philosophers and Astronomers, that the ablest of them have failed to comprehend the _nature_ of the eternal source of fire. All agree in the one fact, however, that it is derived from the Sun. No finite mind ever has comprehended, nor, it may be, ever will be able to fully comprehend it. We know that it exists. We apply to it properties and principles, or components which form the element. Beyond this we cannot go, only we know that G.o.d himself is its author; that it is an element intimately connected with Himself--nay more, that He has even revealed to us that _His Spirit is fire_! And when we contemplate the fact that it is the only completely destructive, or _annihilating_ element, and yet one that can _never be destroyed_; one that is to purify the righteous, and yet punish the wicked, we are led to the inevitable conclusion that it is an _attribute_ of the Great Jehovah.

We believe it an element of creative agency, one that has existed--possibly--from all eternity, and will continue through all eternity to come. We are told that G.o.d, by His Spirit, is manifest in all His works. Now, what else than _light_, and _heat_, is thus manifest to us? It is positively _the source of all light_, and St.

Paul tells us that "All things are made manifest by light;" while the Psalmist declares "His going forth is from the _end of the heaven_, and His circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the _heat_ thereof."

Now we see that this declaration establishes our hypothesis of the location of heaven. His going forth from the _end of the heaven_--from the sun--and nothing is hid from the heat thereof--the Sun being the source of heat--is conclusive evidence that the _Sun_ is near--even at the _ends_ of the heaven.

In the further contemplation of the hypothesis, that the Spirit of G.o.d is _as_ fire, you will remember that we have stated that some of the const.i.tuent elements of fire pervades all things, and also that G.o.d--_by His Spirit_--is everywhere, and in all His works. Hear the Psalmist, on this subject:

"Whither shall I go from thy _Spirit_? Whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in h.e.l.l, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

"If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

Mark well this testimony, that while the Spirit of G.o.d is everywhere, so, also, is that Spirit _light_, and there is no darkness, save to those vailed in humanity. When spirit is free from mortality; is accepted of G.o.d, and clothed upon with immortality; _as spirit_, it partakes of His own nature, and will, henceforth, dwell forever in eternal light.

Now what the Sun is to this earth and its inhabitants, so also we believe it to be to the inhabitants of all the other planets belonging to its system; all of which worlds it controls, even as it does this.

And here the mind goes out in the contemplation of the hypothesis, that all those other suns, standing far out in sidereal regions--each governing and controlling its own system of planets, or worlds--are also _heavens_ for created intelligences inhabiting such planets. G.o.d is Infinite, as well as Omnipresent. Infinite in wisdom, and in His creative power.

"Who can set bounds to the Almighty?"

Therefore _Suns_, and consequently _heavens_, may be numbered by _millions_, and their surrounding worlds by _billions_; yet all created, governed, and controlled by the infinite wisdom and power of the great Architect of the Universe. Such hypothesis is wonderful for finite minds to contemplate, yet not more so than the fact of the existence of our own solar system.

That the Sun shall endure forever, no rational mind can doubt. G.o.d's own word a.s.sures this, and that His throne shall endure as long as the Sun. Should He quench the fires of the Sun, and yet make no other provision for light and heat, all would be blackness, darkness, and desolation, and no animated life could exist on this earth, or surrounding worlds.

Having a.s.sumed the hypothesis that that which we denominate the SUN is a volume of _photospheric-ethereal_, or SPIRIT-FIRE; that it is the source of all that we can comprehend of _light_ and _heat_; we have also stated our belief that it is an _attribute_ of the Eternal One--possibly an agency of _creative power_--we believe we shall be able to make this plain to every reflecting mind, in our further contemplations of the revelations which G.o.d has made of himself, as we find them recorded in the Bible. These revelations are plain, and we believe the time in the history of our world has come, when we should more fully comprehend them--even the nature of His manifestations, and thus comprehend more our own relations to Him, and by this means be enabled to "come to a knowledge of His truth," and more fully realize His prescience, day by day. That this has not been more fully comprehended heretofore, must seem a mystery to every reflecting mind.

Now what are these revelations? Let us examine.

We learn from Bible History, that "G.o.d created man in His own image, and after His own likeness." "In the image of G.o.d created He him; male and female, created He them." Thus, in creation, man is spoken of in the _plural_. "And the Lord G.o.d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Now "the first Adam was made a living soul, and the second Adam a quickening spirit." The terms soul and spirit are held as synonymous; both having reference to our immortal nature, and, as this immortal nature emanated from G.o.d our Creator, and is of His own eternal attribute, it can never die; hence, it must exist through all eternity.

Job asks, "To whom hast Thou uttered words? whose spirit came from Thee?" and in Ecclesiastes it is declared, "The spirit shall return to G.o.d who gave it." St. John, the revelator, tells us that "G.o.d is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." While St. Paul says, "His spirit beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of G.o.d."

Now you will remember that St. John, the revelator, has told us that it was revealed to him that "the seven lamps of _fire_, were the seven spirits of G.o.d," while Job says, "A flame goeth out of His mouth, and G.o.d by his spirit garnished the heavens."

We wish you to bear this evidence in mind. For Job not only speaks of a _plurality of heavens_, but explains by what agency they were garnished--even by the _Spirit of G.o.d_. Now we know that garnishment is transcendent brightness, and brilliancy; to adorn and polish _surface_. Is it not therefore, probable that Job had reference to that bright _ethereal spirit flame_, whose brilliancy blinds us if we attempt a lingering gaze at the Sun's bright disk? 'Tis said that heaven within is lighted with the "glory of G.o.d."

In our previous arguments, we have showed, conclusively, that the Sun is the source of fire, heat, and light. Let us now further examine the offices of this element thus derived from the _Sun_, and note in this investigation whether it is not, in some way, intimately connected with _heaven_.

_First._ Under the Mosaic dispensation, G.o.d commanded His Prophets, and Priests, to build unto Him an Altar, and to offer sacrifices thereon; and such sacrifices would be accepted by Him, as should be evidenced by his sending down fire from heaven to consume the offerings. He also commanded, through Moses, that the fires should ever be burning upon the altar, and that the Priests should continue to renew sacrifices and burnt offerings upon it. These sacrifices were as memorials before the Lord, and typical of the coming of Christ, who should be the "great sacrifice," to ransom fallen man.

Now it will be remembered that when such offerings were made, fire came down from heaven and consumed the offerings, and thus made manifest that the sacrifices were accepted of G.o.d. (Let it be remembered that we have shown, as far as finite mind can comprehend, that the _Sun_ is the only direct source of fire, and then remember that _fire came down from heaven_.)

In the book of Job we read,

"_The fire of G.o.d has fallen from heaven._"

The Psalmist tells us that

"G.o.d is a _Sun_ and a shield, who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire."

Now we know that angels are G.o.d's ministers, and how oft do we find recorded in the Bible, how--under the earlier dispensation--they appeared on earth in forms of _fire_, and with the brightness of the _Sun_.

The Psalmist tells us again that:

"Our G.o.d shall come, a fire shall devour before Him. A fire goeth before Him and burneth up His enemies."

The prophet Jeremiah proclaims:

"Wherefore, thus saith the Lord G.o.d of hosts, Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire."

The Psalmist answers:

"While I was musing the fire burned."

Thus, how plain the revelations that _G.o.d's Spirit is fire_. Not necessarily manifested at all times, by the burning and consuming our mortal bodies--this only in His _wrath_--but by the purifying of our natures; "burning up the dross, and base desires," and thus fitting us for the enjoyment of heaven and happiness, for

"He shall be as a refiner's fire, and the righteous are saved as by fire."

Let us hear what the prophet Jeremiah saith:

"For behold the Lord will come with fire; and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and His rebukes with flames of fire, and the slain of the Lord shall be many."

Ah, when He comes forth with His _Spirit of fire_ in _wrath_ and indignation, then it is that this element is one of terrible destruction. Comprehending this, the a same prophet inquires:

"Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among _us_ shall dwell in everlasting burnings?"

Hear the answer of G.o.d, given through his prophet to all His obedient and faithful children:

"Though thou walkest through the fires, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flames kindle upon thee."

Again, of His Spirit in a milder form:

"Is not my _word_ like fire, saith the Lord?"

The prophet answers:

"His word was in my heart as a burning fire."

Now remember that: