Divine Fire Consumed the Sacrifices
When Moses made an offering to dedicate
the tabernacle unto the Lord, everything had
to meet God’s specifications—the sacrifice,
the altar and the tabernacle. And there came
a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed
upon the altar the burnt offering and
the fat: which when all the people saw, they
shouted, and fell on their faces (Leviticus
9:24). The blood was spilled, and God was
pleased. Then the fire of the Holy Ghost fell
from Heaven to consume the sacrifice.
Later, King Solomon dedicated the temple
in Jerusalem to the Lord; and once again,
everything had to meet God’s specifications.
Now when Solomon had made an end of
praying, the fire came down from heaven,
and consumed the burnt offering and the
sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled
the house (II Chronicles 7:1). Blood was
spilled; and again, the fire of the Holy Ghost
fell from Heaven.
At one time, the prophet Elijah prepared the
altar and a sacrifice unto God in a very unique
and unusual way; but he still did everything
according to God’s specifications. And Elijah
took twelve stones, according to the number
of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom
the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel
shall be thy name: And with the stones he
built an altar in the name of the LORD: and
he made a trench about the altar, as great as
would contain two measures of seed. And he
put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in
pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said,
Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on
the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he
said, Do it the second time. And they did it
the second time. And he said, Do it the third
time. And they did it the third time. And
the water ran round about the altar; and
he filled the trench also with water (I Kings
18:31–35).
Then Elijah prayed a short prayer, and the
fire of the Holy Ghost fell from Heaven. And
it came to pass at the time of the offering
of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the
prophet came near, and said, LORD God
of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be
known this day that thou art God in Israel,
and that I am thy servant, and that I have
done all these things at thy word. Hear me,
O LORD, hear me, that this people may
know that thou art the LORD God, and
that thou hast turned their heart back
again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and
consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the
wood, and the stones, and the dust, and
licked up the water that was in the trench
(I Kings 18:36–38).
Animal Blood Could Not Cleanse the Soul
In the Old Testament, the fire of the Holy
Ghost operated and manifested itself; but most
of the time, it was outside of people rather than
inside because under the Law, that fire was not
able to burn on the altar of men’s souls. Before
Jesus came and shed His divine blood for all
who would receive it, people could not meet
God’s standard of holiness and righteousness;
and they could not stay free from sin.
In Old Testament days, all people could
offer God was the sacrifice of animal blood.
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely,
of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt
sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without
blemish. And he shall kill it on the side of
the altar northward before the LORD: and
the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his
blood round about upon the altar. And he
shall cut it into his pieces, with his head
and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in
order on the wood that is on the fire which
is upon the altar (Leviticus 1:10–12).
Even though men were meeting God’s
exact specifications for sacrifice under the
Law, God was not pleased with the fact that
9
/ErnestAngleyMinistries
