E33 TESTED BY FIRE: DESTROYED OR PURIFIED

TESTED BY FIRE: DESTROYED OR PURIFIED. These are words that are certainly not very comforting. Coming in contact with fire results in immediate pain, suffering, and the burning away of something, especially if it is something that opposes its nature. The Bible calls the LORD God “a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29). TESTED BY FIRE can express “trials and tribulations,” or “Judgement Day.” DESTROYED or PURIFIED expresses that there are things fire utterly destroys (like a dry leaf) or purifies (like silver and gold); therefore the implication of the biblical text, that God is “a consuming fire” is that His nature (like fire) consumes everything that is opposing to it.