Related commentaries – Judgment

The Lord’s Judgment on Israel – Deuteronomy 32:15 – 32:33

Ironside - The Flames Can Not Reach Us

Pioneers were making their way across one of the central states to a distant place that had been opened up for homesteading. They traveled in covered wagons, and progress was slow. One day they were horrified to see a long line of smoke in the west, and soon the dried grass was burning fiercely and coming toward them rapidly. They had crossed a river the day before but it would be impossible to go back to that before the flames would be upon them. Only one man only seemed to have understanding as to what could be done. He gave the command to set fire to the grass behind them. Then when a space was burned over, the whole company moved back upon it. As the flames roared on toward them from the west, a little girl cried out in terror, “Are you sure we shall not all be burned up?” The leader replied, “My child, the flames cannot reach us here, for we are standing where the fire has been!” What a picture of the believer, who is safe in Christ! The fires of God’s judgment burned themselves out on Him, and all who are in Christ are safe forever, for they are now standing where the fire has been. (H.A. Ironside, Illustrations of Bible Truth, Moody Press, 1945, pp. 34-35)