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The fire burning out of the midst of the thornbush was the Triune God, the God of resurrection (Exo. 3:2, 4, 6; Matt. 22:31-32).
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The word of God is a fire that burns us and many of the things in which we have confidence (Jer. 23:29; 5:14; 20:9).
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Those who have a desire to serve God must know that God is a consuming fire that burns and energizes; when God comes to the earth, fire comes to the earth, and when God enters into man, fire enters into man and burns in him (Heb. 12:29; Luke 12:49).
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The fire that burned on the altar of the burnt offering came down from the heavens (Lev. 9:24):
１
After coming down from the heavens, this fire burned continually upon the altar (6:13).
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The divine fire, the burning Triune God, enables us to serve and even to sacrifice our lives (Rom. 12:11; cf. Acts 15:26; 20:24; 21:13).
Ⅱ
Every priestly service to God must be based on the fire from the altar of burnt offering, and our service must be the issue of the burning of this fire (Lev. 9:24; 16:12-13; 6:13; 10:1-11):
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God wanted the service of the children of Israel to be based on this fire; the burning of incense was their service to God, but the fire used for burning incense had to be taken from the altar (6:13; 16:12-13).
Ｂ
Our service must come out of the burning of God's fire (Exo. 3:2-6).
Morning Nourishment
Lev. 9:24 Then fire came forth from before Jehovah and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they gave a ringing shout and fell on their faces.1 Chron. 21:26 And there David built an altar to Jehovah, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called on Jehovah, and He answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.
Those who have a desire to serve God must remember that our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). When God comes to the earth, fire comes to the earth. When God enters into man, fire enters into man and burns in him....God is not cold. He is fire that energizes and burns. Those who draw near to God experience the burning. God is a consuming fire, and His eyes are like a flame of fire (Rev. 1:14). Whoever touches Him will be burned. (The Service for Building Up the House of God, p. 28)
Today's Reading
This fire that burned all the offerings on the bronze altar came from the heavens (Lev. 9:24; cf. 1 Chron. 21:26; 2 Chron. 7:1). It was not a fire started by man; it was the fire that came from God. And that fire, from the time that it came, never ceased. The fire burned all the time, day after day, from evening until morning (Lev. 6:9). That fire was holy fire, not strange fire.The fire on the altar of burnt offering burns out all the natural and negative things before God....Anything that can ascend to God must first be burned at the altar with the divine fire. Whatever has been burned on the altar with the divine fire will be accepted by God. Thus, to burn the incense before God at the incense altar, the fire that comes down from God is needed. This divine fire, which burns out all the natural and negative things, is needed for our service. (CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, "Basic Lessons on Service," p. 106)
Every service to God must be based on the fire from the altar of burnt offering. In the Old Testament the priests burned incense before God. The burning of incense symbolizes the service rendered to God by man. The fire used to burn the incense had to be taken from the altar of burnt offering (Lev. 16:12-13). If a person did not burn incense with the fire from the altar of burnt offering, that is, if he offered strange fire, his service was not accepted by God, and he suffered the judgment of death (10:1-2). This example shows that our service to God must be based on the fire from the altar of burnt offering.
When the children of Israel followed the tabernacle in their journey through the wilderness, their service before God began with the burning of the fire on the altar of burnt offering. The fire on the altar of burnt offering descended from God (9:24). The children of Israel could not begin their service to God until the fire descended. Although they had been delivered by God out of Egypt, had crossed the Red Sea, and had raised up the tabernacle at the foot of Mount Sinai, they could not serve God, because they did not have a basis for their service. The basis of their service was the altar of burnt offering with fire burning upon it. It was not adequate to have the altar of burnt offering. The altar had to have the fire that descended from God.
At the beginning of Leviticus God was before the Israelites, yet they still could not serve Him....The offering of the burnt offering was the prerequisite for fire to descend from heaven. Merely having the altar was not sufficient; the burnt offering had to be placed on the altar. After the sacrifice of the burnt offering was killed, skinned, cut, washed, and placed on the altar, fire could descend from heaven. God wanted the service of the children of Israel to be based on this fire. The burning of incense was their service to God, but the fire used for burning incense had to be taken from the altar. Hence, the service that we render to God must originate from the fire on the altar of burnt offering, and our service must be the issue of the burning of this fire. (The Service for Building Up the House of God, pp. 19-20)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, "Basic Lessons on Service," lsn. 14