In my home town of Luscar, Alberta, houses were made of wood, and people had wood and coal heaters. It was seldom that a house caught fire, but if one did, everyone in town came to see if they could help. I remember the time when the town café burned down. The hotel was nearby and men were scurrying in every direction to rescue things that might burn while others were trying to douse the flames. I recall one very strong man literally tearing the front porch off the café in order to reach the flames that seemed to be coming from below. All of the efforts failed and the café did burn down—never to be rebuilt. That was also the fate of houses that caught fire, as we had no firehouse.

When somebody’s house caught fire, no one asked how it happened and who was to blame. The first concern was for any living thing within the house, then valuables if they could be rescued, and all the while people were busy trying to put out the fire. Everyone was involved, and it seemed everyone felt the sense of loss. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it.” Those words were lived in every small town in our nation. Neighbors worked with all of their might to put the fire out if it was your barn or house—and you would do the same for them.

Thomas Jefferson’s words referred to the condition of affairs in the United States of America. We all have some major “fires” that may not cause visible flames in our homes in Canada and in other nations around the world. Families are being destroyed because their “homes” are burning, and too many nations are in a state of chaos and danger. Usually, these homes cannot be rebuilt as they once were—just like the café in our town. If we consider this world to be a home, and if we see the “fire,” then we need to be shouting an alarm so that everyone can lend a helping hand to put the fire out before it consumes everything in its path. This world seems to be “on fire” when we consider the many chaotic areas of unrest. We have fire alarms in our homes to inform us when a fire just breaks out. Smoke detectors can be very sensitive and heeding them can help us to avert a major fire. Many place fire extinguishers in several strategic places. We need such detectors within our nations and families as well—and we need to be adept in the use of preventative measures.

God gave laws to Israel, which placed the responsibility for a fire on the one who started it. In Exodus 22:6, Moses was instructed to write that if a fire broke out and consumed stacked grain, standing grain, or a field, the one who started the fire would be called upon to make restitution. Among people, we see both peacemakers and those who seem to want conflict all of the time. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). We can say, “Blessed are they who put fires out” or “Blessed are the firefighters.”

God called Ezekiel to be a watchman over Israel. He was a sort of smoke detector for them. Ezekiel wrote that God did not want the house of Israel to die (Ezekiel 33:11), but there was an impending destruction due to their wicked ways. God was hoping they would repent—thus the warning had to be sent. Ezekiel 33:4 and Ezekiel 33:7 give the focus of the warning. An individual and the nation of Israel were warned. Israel had a huge fire in “the home.” God looked high and low for one who would fear Him and keep His commandments—and found nobody (Isaiah 41:26, Ezekiel 22:30). In real life, people sometimes sleep on while the fire rages. When they notice and attempt to take corrective action, it is too late. Israel was sleeping.

We experience problems in life that are a danger to our nation, to our families or to ourselves. All of those problems can be considered to be fires. Some people tend to stand helplessly by or even grow hysterical when a fire starts. They simply cannot seem to move and do not know what to do. When trouble was brought upon Israel, they grew faint and had feeble hands and weak knees (Ezekiel 7:6, 17). When Jonah told Nineveh that their house was on fire, they acted! The king called an immediate fast for everyone (including animals) and ordered that prayers and supplications be made. God changed His mind and did not destroy the city (Jonah 3:5-10). They put the fire out! God is seeking those who recognize their sin and turn to Him in repentance. He is full of mercy, and gladly pardons a repentant sinner or nation (Isaiah 55:7).

God gives the example of Jacob or Israel as one who was “on fire” but did not realize it. Psalm 78 explains that a fire was kindled against Israel because they did not acknowledge or remember all that God had done for them. That fire ended up devouring the nation. Psalm 78:17 and Psalm 78:21 tell us that they sinned in greater ways and brought God’s wrath on them. The fire of indignation and anger was fanned by the sins and actions of Israel. In verse 63, Asaph wrote that the fire consumed the young men. A raging fire such as this one gathers momentum and soon becomes impossible to control. It was never God’s intention or desire to cause harm to His chosen people, but they had a great inner problem that resulted in the destruction of their “house.”

James used the concept of a fire that may be small at the beginning, but that could grow until it engulfs everything in its path. He stated that the tongue could start a fire that would leave great destruction in its wake (James 3:5-6). The fire may be small at first, but left unattended and with flammable material nearby, it can soon mushroom into a destructive force. We live in an age where the concept of family and devotion to one mate for a lifetime is becoming increasingly rare. Our homes are burning with a destructive fire that will eventually destroy the nation. People get into arguments that escalate until they simply want to escape. Yet, when asked precisely what the root cause of the destruction was, they cannot find a reason big enough to have been so terrible. Marriages need constant attention because there are flammable materials lying about.

Years ago I worked in a small garage. We had gasoline cans standing around as well as oil containers, grease on the floor, and flammable items such as tires, wood, and paper throughout the building. We also had a fire extinguisher nearby. With care, the garage stood for years. All who worked there were mindful of the danger. It only took one act of foolishness to burn the building to the ground—and I was witness to that. There are many parallels in our lives that match this short story. One sinful act can destroy a marriage and, in some cases, a nation. King David pretty well accomplished that when he took Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed. Israel was never the same after that. God told David that the sword would never depart from his descendants (2 Samuel 12:10-11). The simple act of Adam and Eve’s sin is another example of starting a fire that burns to this day (Genesis 3:16-24). We need to be on guard for burning things and know how to respond.

Look for a fire within yourself, your family, or your relationship with God. We need to evaluate ourselves from time to time (monitor our direction and actions). Even when things seem to be going forward beautifully, a constant vigil is needed. Paul stated the need for a spiritual self-examination on an ongoing basis. “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28). If you find a hot spot or potential danger and realize it is the kind of fire that is destructive, put it out right away while it is still small. If we maintain a constant vigil, we will never be engulfed by flames we cannot control.

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