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Response
Leviticus mentions multiple times that the fire on the altar was to burn continuously. God desired an everlasting fire there, and He must have had a purpose for it.
Before the giving of the Law, God appeared to Moses “in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that although the bush was on fire, it did not burn up” «And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. », (Exodus 3:2). God chose the form of a continuous fire when summoning Moses to lead the people out of Egypt to a new land. Later, when God was guiding the Israelites out of Egypt, He appeared as a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:21-22).
Then came the Law. Outside the tabernacle, the fire for the burnt offering was commanded to be kept burning; it was never to be extinguished. Leviticus 6:13 instructs, “The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.” This is reiterated three times in this chapter (verses 9, 12, and 13).
One reason the continual fire was so crucial is that it was ignited directly by God: “Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown” «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 fire on the altar, therefore, served as a constant reminder of God’s power. It was a heavenly gift. No other source of fire was acc
In the Bible, fire was acceptable to God (see Numbers 3:4).
This fire also symbolized God’s presence. “God is a consuming fire” «For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. », (Deuteronomy 4:24). The Shekinah glory was evident in the fire at the altar of burnt offering. This continual presence of God served as a reminder to the Israelites that salvation comes from the Lord. The atonement achieved through the burnt offering could only be accomplished through Him.
In the New Testament, John the Baptist foretold that the Messiah would baptize with the Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11;Luke 3:16). Fire was a symbol of judgment and purification, but it also recalls the Holy Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost in the form of “tongues of fire” «And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. », (Acts 2:3).
The perpetually burning divine fire at the altar of burnt offering served as a constant reminder to the Israelites of God’s presence and their dependence on Him. This sacred fire burned throughout the 40 years in the desert and likely beyond, as tabernacle worship persisted until the era of King Solomon and the construction of the Jewish temple. During the temple’s dedication, God once again ignited the fire on the altar «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. », (2 Chronicles 7:1).
