ONE FAMILY PLAN
Fire
"For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29)
The Furnace of Affliction
"And the words of the LORD are flawless, LIKE SILVER purified in a crucible, LIKE GOLD REFINED SEVEN TIMES." (Psalm 12:6) "See, I have refined you, though NOT AS SILVER; I HAVE TESTED YOU IN THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION." (Isaiah 48:10) "THE CRUCIBLE FOR SILVER AND THE FURNACE FOR GOLD, BUT THE LORD TESTS THE HEART." (Prov 17:3)
We're going somewhere really cool and we're gonna go through hell to get there...
"Beloved, THINK IT NOT STRANGE CONCERNING THE FIERY TRIAL which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." (I Pet. 4:12) "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that comes after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, AND WITH FIRE." (Matt. 3:11) "For EVERY ONE [sinner and saint] shall be salted with FIRE." (Mark 9:49) "That THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it [your faith] be TRIED IN THE FIRE, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (I Pet. 1:7) "Every man's work (including believers) shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed BY FIRE, and the FIRE SHALL TRY EVERY MAN'S WORK of what sort it is." (I Cor. 3:13)
The refining of metals (torment... worry day and night) is a hell of a process.
The Greek word Basinizo from which torture and torment come is defined as testing metals "by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal (Thayer and Smith, New Testament Greek Lexicon)."
Most refuse to trust Him, thus worry, worry, worry... however, no one can trust Him until HE determines... Scriptures everywhere are saying the same things over and over and over and almost NOBODY sees any of it. Why? It is a parable and only those with "eyes to see" will see. People still believe the fire is literal and God will use it to eternally torture most of mankind. It is absurd. FIRE is used as a refining tool, plain and simple. Think Allegory...
The Lake of Fire is all around us
Consider the "lake of fire." We are standing in it, after all. God is MUCH bigger than man has envisioned. Time is of no concern. Patience is His perfection/His Game. Parallel universes ...other worlds/possibilities ...NO LIMIT to the "lake of fire" ...death is NOT what most believe. The "living" are referenced as "dead" all throughout Scripture.
"The dead do not praise the LORD, Nor any WHO GO DOWN INTO SILENCE." (Psalm 115:17, NKJV) "Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, IF THOU BE SILENT TO ME, I BECOME LIKE THEM THAT GO DOWN INTO THE PIT." (Psalm 28:1) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but INSIDE ARE FULL OF DEAD MEN'S BONES and all uncleanness." (Matthew 23:27)
"Jesus said unto him, LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."(Luke 9:60)
We will ALL die to live. Death and Hades (realm of the dead) are found IN the "lake of fire" ...they are continually cast back into the "lake of fire" UNTIL we are refined as gold... or, rather, until we have served our purpose
"The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. THEN DEATH AND HADES WERE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH." (Rev 20:13-14)
The Furnace...
"Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, NOR WORSHIP THE GOLDEN IMAGE which I have set up?" (Dan 3:14)
"...if ye worship not, YE SHALL BE CAST THE SAME HOUR INTO THE MIDST OF A BURNING FIERY FURNACE; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (Dan 3:15)
God WILL deliver us ALL...
"If it be so, OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO DELIVER US FROM THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king." (Dan 3:17)
"...He ordered the furnace heated SEVEN TIMES HOTTER..." (Dan 3:19)
"And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, FELL DOWN BOUND INTO THE MIDST OF THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE." (Dan 3:23)
"'Look!' he answered, 'I SEE FOUR MEN loose, WALKING IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE; and they are not hurt, and THE FORM OF THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD.'" (Dan 3:25)
"Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, 'Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, COME OUT, you servants of the Most High God, and COME HERE!' Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire." (Dan 3:26, NASB)
"...the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched..." (Dan 3:27)
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev 18:4)
"...AND WILL REFINE THEM AS SILVER IS REFINED, AND WILL TRY THEM AS GOLD IS TRIED: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." (Zech 13:9)
"'Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and THE GOD WHO ANSWERS BY FIRE, HE IS GOD.' So all the people answered and said, 'It is well spoken.'" (1 Kings 18:24)
"...AND WILL REFINE THEM AS SILVER IS REFINED, AND WILL TRY THEM AS GOLD IS TRIED: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." (Zech 13:9)
"And of the angels He says, Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of FIRE." (Heb. 1:7)
"For He is like a refiner's FIRE, and like fullers' soap." (Malachi 3:2) "Do not quench the Spirit."(1 Thes 5:19)
"SMOKE ROSE FROM HIS NOSTRILS; CONSUMING FIRE CAME FROM HIS MOUTH, BURNING COALS BLAZED OUT OF IT."
(2 Sam 22:9, NIV)
"'IS NOT MY WORD LIKE FIRE,' declares the LORD, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?...'"
(Jeremiah 23:29, NIV)
"FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE..."(Deuteronomy 4:24), "...THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING OUT OF FIRE..." (Deuteronomy 4:33), "The LORD spoke to you FACE TO FACE OUT OF THE FIRE on the mountain."(Deuteronomy 5:4, NIV)
"THE CRUCIBLE FOR SILVER AND THE FURNACE FOR GOLD, BUT THE LORD TESTS THE HEART." (Prov 17:3)
"Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire... they will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills; for your Lord is the sure Accomplisher of what He plans." (Islam.
Qur'an 11.106-07)
