From the Rabbi’s Desk
Rabbi Rich Cohen
Kahilat (Congregation) Ben David
Lev 9:23-24
23 Moshe and Aharon entered the tent of meeting, came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of Adonai appeared to all the people! (iii) 24 Fire came forth from the presence of Adonai, consuming the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
2 Chron 7:1-3
When Shlomo had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Adonai filled the house, 2 so that the Kohanim could not enter the house of Adonai; because the glory of Adonai filled Adonai’s house. 3 All the people of Isra ’el saw when the fire came down, and the glory of Adonai was on the house; they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the flooring; prostrating themselves, they gave thanks to Adonai, “for he is good, for his grace continues forever.”
2 Chron 5:11-14
11 When the Kohanim came out of the Holy Place (for all the Kohanim who were present had consecrated themselves; they didn’t keep to their divisions; 12 also the L’vi’im who were the singers, all of them — Asaf, Heman, Y’dutun and their sons and relatives — dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, lutes and lyres, stood on the east side of the altar; and with them 120 Kohanim sounding trumpets), 13 then, when the trumpeters and singers were playing in concord, to be heard harmoniously praising and thanking Adonai, and they lifted their voices together with the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments to praise Adonai: “for he is good, for his grace continues forever” — then, the house, the house of Adonai, was filled with a cloud; 14 so that because of the cloud, the Kohanim could not stand up to perform their service; for the glory of Adonai filled the house of God.
Acts 2:1-4
The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them.
All Scripture is quoted from the Complete Jewish Bible
On the 28th of July, I attended a leadership breakfast in Vineland New Jersey in preparation for a 3 day + gathering to bring revival to New Jersy. This gathering happens to coincide with the 152 anniversary of the Vineland revival that took place in 1874. (for information go to http://njrevive.org)
God’s anointing fire first fell on the alter in front of the tabernacle, a temporary structure, a tent, movable not permanent. Hundreds of years later, that same fire fell on the altar in front of the Tempe, a stone structure, permanent, not moveable. Yet both structures disappeared with all their furnishings. Why? The fire on these altars never went out. Yes, the physical fire was kept burning, but another fire went out. The Fire in the heats of the people to serve the God oh Heaven and Earth.
After several hundred years another fire fell from heaven. This time not on a structure made by the hands of man but on one created and made by God Himself. When the Fire finally fell on the new altar of the Body of Messiah it exploded across the land scape. 1 Peter 2:9-10 declares
9 But you are a chosen people, the King’s Kohanim, a holy nation, a people for God to possess! Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; before, you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. CJB
If or since we are the people of God, the body of Messiah, both Jew and Gentile believers’ it is up to us the keep the fire going. To clear out the old ash and put new wood on the fire.
Lev 6:3-6
When the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, the Kohen, having put on his linen garment and covered himself with his linen shorts, is to remove the ashes and put them beside the altar. 4(11) Then he is to remove those garments and put on others, before carrying the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 5(12) In this way, the fire on the altar will be kept burning and not be allowed to go out. Each morning, the Kohen is to kindle wood on it, arrange the burnt offering and make the fat of the peace offerings go up in smoke. 6(13) Fire is to be kept burning on the altar continually; it is not to go out. CJB
If we are The Kings Priesthood (Kohanim) Then lets put new wood on the fire and allow the Holy spirit to ones again ignite the fire of revival in our heats and in our communities.
