Spiritual Fire Versus Fiery Judgmental

“Jesus sent messengers before His face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set towards Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?’ But Jesus turned, and rebuked them, and said, ‘You know not what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ And they went to another village.” [1]

Jesus Christ is God’s Savior. He seeks to save people. That is what He does. He also allows people to refuse His saving grace. The Lord is not quick to anger.

The Samaritans did not receive Jesus into their city because of a disappointment. He was just passing through and not staying to minister. So, behind their rejection was a desire to receive Him. Later, an entire village of Samaritans believed in Jesus.

“Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.” [2]

Jesus also spoke well of a Samaritan to harsh religious leaders. He told them of a certain Samaritan who understood well what to do with the divine mandate to love one’s neighbor. [3]

James and John were too quick to condemn the Samaritans when they said to Jesus, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?” Jesus rebuked them. [4]

Jesus told these same disciples that after they received His Holy Spirit, they would be His witnesses in Samaria. And they were! The city of Samaria was under the spell of a sorcerer named Simon until Philip came and did healing miracles among them. They believed in Jesus and were baptized in water. Afterwards, Peter and John laid hands on them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Samaritans got the fire. The fire of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit! [5]

Let no one be quick to condemn people. Jesus does not want to destroy people with fire, He wants to transform them with the fire of the Holy Spirit so they can be saved and live with Him in paradise.

Later on life, Peter wrote about God’s judgement. God threw the angels who sinned down to hell. God did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness. God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes. He made them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly. God judges unjust, lustful, self-willed people who are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, but He is not hasty to condemn them. Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” [6]

In the Old Testament, King Saul persecuted God’s servant David. King Saul died in defeat before his enemies. In the New Testament, Saul of Tarsus persecuted believers in Jesus Christ. Rather than send fire from the sky to destroy Saul of Tarsus, God sent Saul the revelation of Jesus Christ. Saul believed in Jesus and became one of His most prolific writers and speakers. Our Lord prefers to fire up His enemies not fire them away.

May we all become more like Jesus Christ in this way!

[1] Luke 9:52-56
[2] John 4:39-41
[3] Luke 10:25-37
[4] Luke 9:54-55
[5] Acts 1:8; Acts 8:6-17
[6] 2 Peter 2:4-10; 2 Peter 3:9