In the Bible, fire symbolizes God’s presence, power, and purpose, marking key moments like consumed sacrifices, divine judgment, and the Church’s birth. The Holy Spirit’s appearance as tongues of fire on Pentecost is a notable instance. Understanding this event requires examining fire’s Old Testament and Gospel roles, where it signifies judgment, purification, divine authority, and God’s unmistakable presence.
Fire as God’s Judgment in the Old Testament
Fire in the Old Testament was associated with God’s holiness and the judgment of the wicked. When God told Abraham that he was going to judge Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18–19, He used fire to do so. Genesis 19:24 says God rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire out of heaven. This established fire as a primary means by which God would unleash His divine judgment upon humanity.
Fire as a Sign of Purification
Fire in the Old Testament was associated with purification. In Leviticus 9:24, God’s presence showed acceptance of a sacrifice through fire coming out before the Lord and consuming the sacrifice. Probably the most famous example of this was Elijah’s confrontation with the Baal priests in 1 Kings 18. Elijah told the Baal priests he would prepare the sacrifice for His God and ask His God, who responds by fire to a pleasing sacrifice, to do so. In 1 Kings 18:38, the Bible says, “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering.”
Fire as a Sign of Divine Authority
Fire in the Old Testament demonstrated God’s divine authority. In Leviticus 10:1–2 the fire of the Lord struck Nadab and Abihu. Once again, in the time of Elijah, the fire falling from the sky and consuming the sacrifice was to demonstrate the authority of the Lord. When the people saw the fire consume the sacrifice in Elijah’s day, they fell to the ground in 1 Kings 18:39 and said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.” In both cases, the fear of God fell upon the people of God and reminded them of God’s divine authority, which leads to judgment if His people ignore His commands.
Fire as a Symbol of God’s Presence
Finally, fire is a recurring symbol in the Old Testament that often represents God’s presence. It is first seen in this way in Exodus 3:2, where God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. This established fire as a central theme and focus of God’s presence, which reoccurred in various ways throughout the Old Testament.
In 2 Kings 1, King Ahaziah sent a captain of fifty men and his fifty men to bring back Elijah so he could confront him about the prophecy Elijah shared about King Ahaziah with his men. The first, second, and third bands of fifty, along with the captains, go to Elijah and demand he come at the king’s request.
Each time, Elijah responds, “If I be a man of God,” meaning, “If I represent the Holy presence of God, then let fire fall from heaven.” Each time, the captain and the fifty men were consumed by the fire that fell from heaven until finally, the third captain begged Elijah to spare his life and the lives of his men and come at King Ahaziah’s request. The angel of the Lord, which represented God’s holy presence, told Elijah to go down with this captain and his men.
The Prophetic Bridge: From Elijah to Pentecost
These occurrences of fire representing the holy presence of God foreshadow the Holy Spirit of God falling upon His people in the Book of Acts on the day of Pentecost. But before that, let’s take a look at what happened in the Gospels to set the stage for this glorious moment in Acts.
In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist says, “I baptize with water, but one comes who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The one he is referring to here is later identified as Jesus Himself. Now, Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elijah in Matthew 11:14.
The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, prophecies that one will come in the spirit of Elijah, and the Gospels tell us that John the Baptist is that one. It is beautiful to see the fire of God’s presence on Elijah transferred to John the Baptist. Then John prophesies about Jesus coming and baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. All these subsequent moments and prophesied messages connect the dots to the event that occurred in Acts on the day of Pentecost.
The Tongues of Fire at Pentecost
Then, in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit comes as tongues of fire at Pentecost and falls upon the people who receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. The appearance of tongues of fire at Pentecost was a visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power and presence falling fresh and anew upon God’s people. This moment symbolized God’s Holy Spirit, filling them with divine power and authority.
Fire on the day of Pentecost ushered in a new dispensation in the life of God’s narrative and the beginning of what is now called “The Church Age.” It symbolized the birth of the church and the sign of the new covenant that Jesus would share with His people, the Church. It signaled a new era of God’s presence and activity among His people.
Fire on the day of Pentecost brought the empowerment of the disciples to advance the Gospel mission of Jesus Christ. These tongues of fire were a sign of God’s passionate desire to reach the world with the message of salvation.
What the Fire at Pentecost Signified
Fire, on the day of Pentecost, inaugurated God’s new covenant relationship with His people, which was established through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised the disciples in the Gospels. No longer would they do ministry with a God who encompassed them; now, He would not only dwell in them but empower them to do the work of the ministry.
From Sinai to the Spirit: A New Covenant Begins
Finally, the fire on the day of Pentecost can be compared to the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, where God also appeared in fire. Though the law given at Sinai brought fear and transcendence between the people and God, the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost brought joy and empowerment and a public display of what God promised the people at the coming of Christ. The Lord said He would send a Savior, and He would be “God with us.” That Savior, Jesus, promised, upon His departure, that He would send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to be with them and lead them into all Truth.
The Spirit began doing just that on the day of Pentecost, and from this outpouring and indwelling came the age of the church. The mission of Jesus was lived out in the hearts of His people so that all may have a chance to hear and believe.
A Prayer For Our Generation
May the fire fall again on this generation so the power of God and the message of God can go forth to the ends of the earth so all may have a chance to believe.