What is the first picture that comes to your mind when you think about the concept of Immanuel, God with us? I propose, especially at this time of year, that it is the image of a baby in a manger surrounded by straw, animals, Mary, Joseph and maybe a bunch of shepherds. It is indeed a beautiful image and a warm reality that God came in human flesh, born of a virgin, and lived a human life from the very first experience of a needy baby. The baby we celebrate is Immanuel, God with us. That warms the heart of every believer as we contemplate that our great God came into this world to save his people from their sins. Does it encourage us as much to recognize that this God is described in the book of a Hebrews as a Consuming Fire? (Heb 12:29).
When we consider that God is a consuming fire, we think of utter transcendence. We think of his unimaginable power and authority to judge and bring infinite, eternal wrath upon the unrepentant. Do we consider the baby in the manger to be this? Can we find any comfort in the fact that deity becoming humanity means that the manger contained a Consuming Fire?
The prophet Malachi spoke of the coming of Jesus and his introduction by John the Baptist. Malachi 3:1-3 "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Jesus did not grow into the God/man to become the Consuming Fire, he was the Consuming Fire from eternity who came into humanity. He is the One who refines and purifies away the dross from the precious metal.
One passage that has always inspired long moments of meditation for me on this subject is found in Matthew 3:11. At the baptism of Jesus where John is preparing the way for Jesus, the subject of fire again surfaces. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” What can this possibly mean? The ministry of Jesus and his power of his salvation is associated with both the Holy Spirit and fire. There is a purifying and burning intensity in the power of regeneration. When we come into Christ, the transformation effect in our life happens by the transcendent power of God and places us in the standing of Christ’s purifying righteousness. This transcendent power is not only what saves us but in the Holy Spirit, it indwells us. This is nothing that John the Baptist could ever achieve but is promised and fulfilled through faith in God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. He came as the Consuming Fire in human flesh and on our behalf experienced the full power of the Consuming Fire in wrath upon our sin placed upon his shoulders.
What is your response to Immanuel? Let me suggest some lines from the Christmas song, “O Holy Night.”
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine