Genesis Marks the Spot Between Glory and Ashes 2: God Is a Consuming Fire - Episode 154
In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey continues tracing the theme of fire through Scripture—this time by pairing it with the biblical theme of glory and the language of God as a “consuming fire” and “jealous God.” We explore how glory functions as weight, radiance, presence, boundary, purification, guidance, evaluation, and honor—and how fire shows one way those realities are enacted.
Walking through key passages like Deuteronomy 4, Exodus 13–14, Numbers 9, and Hebrews 12, demonstrates how God’s jealous love guards covenant loyalty, guides His people, and exposes what cannot survive His holy presence. Along the way, we situate these texts in a Divine Council framework and wrestle with different readings of the “allotment of the nations.”
Finally, we step into the water–fire–Spirit framework of baptism: how the flood, the Red Sea, and Pentecost help us see baptism not just as a declaration of allegiance, but as a boundary marker, a call into sanctification, and an invitation to live near holy love without being consumed.
You’ll also hear about a Frame Semantics Study Guide on Glory & Fire, created to help you visualize the overlapping frames that Carey describes throughout the episode.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why glory is more than “brightness”—it’s God’s gravity, weight, and worth
- How glory and fire overlap but are not identical (glory answers why, fire answers how)
- Deuteronomy 4’s “consuming fire and jealous God” in light of the Divine Council
- Several textually plausible options for what it means that the nations are “allotted” to the heavenly host—and why Carey leans toward a “handing over” reading
- The pillar of cloud and fire as a moving fence, guide, and protector in Exodus and Numbers
- Hebrews 12’s contrast between Sinai and Zion, and why “acceptable worship with reverence and awe” still matters for the church
- How baptism sits inside a broader water–fire–Spirit pattern: flood, Red Sea, Spirit as distributed fire, sanctification as a furnace
- Why baptism is more than a finish line—it enrolls us into a space where God’s jealous love guards, purifies, and forms us for communion and mission
Resources mentioned:
- Frame Semantics Study Guide on Glory & Fire: God is a Consuming Fire: How “Glory” and “Fire” Frames Help You Read the Bible
- Carey’s broader Frame Semantics Study Guide can be found here.
On This Rock Biblical Theology Community: https://on-this-rock.com/
Website: genesismarksthespot.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot
Music credit: "Marble Machine" by Wintergatan
Link to Wintergatan’s website: https://wintergatan.net/
Link to the original Marble Machine video by Wintergatan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q&ab_channel=Wintergatan