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King James Bible - Leviticus 9:24

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SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:24

Y salió un fuego de delante del SEÑOR, el cual consumió el holocausto y los sebos sobre el altar; y viéndolo todo el pueblo, alabaron, y cayeron sobre sus rostros.

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Clarke's Bible Commentary - Leviticus 9:24

Verse 24. When all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.] 1. The miracle was done in such a way as gave the fullest conviction to the people of its reality. 2. They exulted in the thought that the God of almighty power and energy had taken up his abode among them. 3. They prostrated themselves in his presence, thereby intimating the deep sense they had of HIS goodness, of their unworthiness, and of the obligation they were under to live in subjection to his authority, and obedience to his will. - This celestial fire was carefully preserved among the Israelites till the time of Solomon, when it was renewed, and continued among them till the Babylonish captivity. This Divine fire was the emblem of the Holy Spirit. And as no sacrifice could be acceptable to God which was not salted, i. e., seasoned and rendered pleasing, by this fire, as our Lord says, Mark ix. 49, so no soul can offer acceptable sacrifices to God, but through the influences of the Divine Spirit. Hence the promise of the Spirit under the emblem of fire, Matt. iii. 11, and its actual descent in this similitude on the day of pentecost, Acts ii. 3, 4. THE most remarkable circumstance in this chapter is the manifestation of the presence of God, and the consuming of the victims by the miraculous fire. We have already seen that the chief design of these sacrificial rites was to obtain reconciliation to God, that the Divine Presence might dwell and be manifested among them. To encourage the people to make the necessary preparations, to offer the sacrifices in a proper spirit, and to expect especial mercies from the hand of God, Moses promises, ver. 4, that the Lord would appear unto them on the morrow, and that his glory should appear, ver. 6. In hope or expectation of this, the priest, the elders, and the people purified themselves by offering the different sacrifices which God had appointed; and when this was done God did appear, and gave the fullest proofs of his approbation, by miraculously consuming the sacrifices which were prepared on the occasion. Does not St. John evidently refer to these circumstances, 1 John iii. 2, 3: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; and every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure." This manifestation of God in the tabernacle was a type of his presence, first, in the Church militant on earth; and secondly, in the Church triumphant in heaven. They who expect to have the presence of God here, must propitiate his throne of justice by the only available sacrifice; they who wish to enjoy everlasting felicity, must be purified from all unrighteousness, for without holiness none can see the Lord. If we hope to see him as he is, we must resemble him. How vain is the expectation of glory, where there is no meetness for the place! And how can we enter into the holiest but by the blood of Jesus? Heb. x. 19. And of what use can this sacrifice be to those who do not properly believe in it? And can any faith, even in that sacrifice, be effectual to salvation, that does not purify the heart? Reader! earnestly pray to God that thou hold not the truth in unrighteousness.

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John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 24. And there came a fire out from before the Lord , etc.] Either from heaven, or from the holy of holies, where was the symbol of the divine Presence, and Jehovah had now took up his residence: and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering, and the fat ; according to Aben Ezra, the burnt offering of Aaron, and of the people, and of the daily sacrifice, for so it is written, besides the burnt offering of the morning, ( Leviticus 9:17) and the fat of the calf and ram of Aaron, and of the goat, ox, and ram of the people, which though they were laid upon the altar at the time of their offering, yet it is thought by some they were not burnt till now: it is a conjecture of Bishop Patrick’s, that this burnt offering was the burnt offering of the evening sacrifice, which was consumed by the fire from the Lord; he supposes that the offering of the above sacrifices had taken up the whole day, from the time of the morning sacrifice until the evening; and that all the other sacrifices were burnt with common fire, but this with fire from the Lord; but then, what was the fat that was consumed? however, this was a token of acceptance; in like manner as it descended on the sacrifice of Abel, as is thought, ( Genesis 4:4) and on the sacrifices offered at the dedication of the temple, ( 2 Chronicles 7:1) and on the burnt sacrifice of Elijah, ( 1 Kings 18:38) testifying the divine approbation and acceptance of them: for though in the mystery, the fire may design the wrath of God as a consuming fire, which was very distressing to Christ, and brought him to the dust of death; yet, with respect to the persons for whom this sacrifice was offered, it denotes acceptance of it, that it was an offering by fire, and of a sweet smelling savour to God, his law and justice being satisfied, and having honour done them: concerning this fire, and the perpetual burning of it, (see Gill on “ Leviticus 6:12-13”). The Heathens, in imitation of this, have pretended to have fire come down also from heaven on their altars, as the Brahmans, among the Indians, taken notice of in the above note. And so Solinus f199 speaks of the Vulcanian hill in Sicily, where they that serve in sacred things lay wood of vines on the altar, but put no fire; and if God is present (and so the sacrifice is approved) the branches, though green, will take fire of themselves, and a flame is kindled by the deity sacrificed to, no one setting them on fire. And Servius says f200 , that with the ancients fires on altars were not kindled, but they procured a divine fire by their prayers, which kindled on the altars; but these were mere pretences, and juggling tricks, in which they were assisted by Satan to vie with this wonderful appearance of God in the acceptation of the sacrifice of his people: [which] when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces ; Aaron blessing them, and the appearance of the glory of God unto them, no doubt, gave them joy and pleasure, as the spiritual blessings by Christ, and the gracious presence of God do to his people, ( <19A301> Psalm 103:1-4 4:6,7) but what filled them with joy unspeakable was the acceptance of their sacrifices, as typical of the sacrifice of Christ, and atonement by it, which made them shout, and the court to ring with it; and yet fell down on their faces with all reverence and humility, under a sense of the divine Majesty being so near unto them, in this sensible token of his presence.

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Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 22-24 - When the solemnity was finished, and the blessing pronounced, God testified his acceptance. There came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed the sacrifice. This fire might justly have fastened upo the people, and have consumed them for their sins; but its consumin the sacrifice signified God's acceptance of it, as an atonement for the sinner. This also was a figure of good things to come. The Spiri descended upon the apostles in fire. And the descent of this holy fir into our souls, to kindle in them pious and devout affections towar God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the lusts of it, in a certain token of God's gracious acceptance of our persons an performances. Nothing goes to God, but what comes from him. We mus have grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot serv him acceptably, Heb 12:28. The people were affected with this discover of God's glory and grace. They received it with the highest joy triumphing in the assurance given them that they had God nigh unt them. And with the lowest reverence; humbly adoring the majesty of tha God, who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a sinfu fear of God, which drives us from him; a gracious fear makes us bo before him __________________________________________________________________

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Original Hebrew

ותצא 3318 אשׁ 784 מלפני 6440 יהוה 3068 ותאכל 398 על 5921 המזבח 4196 את 853 העלה 5930 ואת 853 החלבים 2459 וירא 7200 כל 3605 העם 5971 וירנו 7442 ויפלו 5307 על 5921 פניהם׃ 6440