A Refining Fire
“The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.” – Isaiah 4:4 In the Old Testament, fire is nearly always a symbol for God. Abraham walked in covenant with Yahweh in a pillar of fire in the wilderness, the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush, and then there was the chariot of fire, and the fire that came down with Elijah. With all these examples, it’s no wonder that Jehovah chose the same image to affirm His work through the prophet Isaiah. In this case, He promised to be a purifying or cleansing fire; not one that would entirely consume or destroy, but one that would refine and heal His people. Though it would happen at times through scorching pain, they would emerge sanctified and become a living
