Satan has made evil good, and good evil. He deceives the world, telling them that the wicked will dwell for eternity in a consuming fire, but is that what the Bible actually teaches?
The Bible describes God as a consuming fire.
For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like a fiery flame, and his wheels as a burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: Daniel 7:9, 10
In
the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man,
clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps
with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as
white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like
unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the
sound of many waters. Revelation 1:13-15
I
saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him
was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and
make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, Revelation 19:11, 12
Naturally, imagery associated with fire is used to describe Christ’s spirit, the Holy Spirit.
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Matthew 3:11
And
there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat
upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:2, 3
And
the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were
upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands
loosed from off his hands. Judges 15:14
Even the angels are compared to fire.
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: Psalms 104:4
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. Hebrews 1:7
Satan, himself an angel, once the covering cherub, dwelt in the midst of God’s fire, before he became corrupted by his own pride. This same fire will one day utterly destroy Satan.
Thou has been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the
beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the
carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was
prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By thy multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore
I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will
destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy
wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I
will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled
thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity
of thy traffick; therefore
will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee,
and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them
that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be
astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any
more. Ezekiel 28:13-19
Like many creatures associated with the dark, the wicked flee from the brightness of God's glory.
The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can
know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give
every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his
doings. Jeremiah 17:9, 10
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Ephesians 5:13
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:19-21
As the saying goes, trials don’t develop character, they reveal it. The purpose of the fiery trials God allows Satan to bring into our lives is so that we may see what is really in our hearts and give anything that is wicked or sinful to God to purify us.
Beloved,
think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as
though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as
ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
(Joseph
to his brothers, who sold him into slavery) But as for you, ye thought
evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is
this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:20
Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:1, 2
An example of a literal trial by fire is when the three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego where thrown into the fiery furnace because they refused to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzars golden image. They loved the Lord and would not worship any other gods.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Daniel 3:24, 25
It is the righteous only who will spend eternity in the presence of that consuming fire as it is the righteous only who will get the gift of immortality and dwell eternally with God.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of god is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:20
The
sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.
Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall
dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high: his place of defence
shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters
shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: Isaiah
33:14-17
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth
the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom
shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of
hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 5:24