Topical Bible: Priest: Duties of Keep the Sacred Fire Always Burning

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In the ancient Israelite religious system, the role of the priest was central to maintaining the spiritual and ritual purity of the community. Among the various duties assigned to the priests, one of the most significant was the responsibility to keep the sacred fire on the altar perpetually burning. This duty is rooted in the instructions given by God to Moses and is detailed in the book of Leviticus.

The commandment regarding the sacred fire is found in Leviticus 6:12-13 : "The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not be extinguished."

The perpetual fire symbolized God's eternal presence among His people and served as a constant reminder of the covenant between God and Israel. The priests, as mediators between God and the people, were entrusted with the sacred duty of ensuring that this divine symbol was never extinguished. This task required diligence and faithfulness, as the fire was to be tended to both day and night.

The priests were to add wood to the fire every morning, a task that signified the renewal of the community's dedication to God each day. This daily ritual underscored the importance of continual worship and the need for ongoing atonement and reconciliation with God. The burning of the fat portions of the peace offerings further emphasized the communal aspect of worship, as these offerings were expressions of thanksgiving and fellowship with God.

In addition to the practical aspects of maintaining the fire, the priests' duty to keep it burning had profound theological implications. The unceasing flame represented the constancy of God's grace and the unbroken line of communication between the divine and the earthly realms. It was a visible manifestation of God's holiness and a call to the people to live in accordance with His statutes.

The sacred fire also prefigured the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would later be described as tongues of fire in the New Testament (Acts 2:3). Just as the priests were charged with keeping the physical fire alive, believers are called to maintain the spiritual fire within their hearts, nurturing their relationship with God through prayer, worship, and obedience.

In summary, the duty of the priests to keep the sacred fire always burning was a multifaceted responsibility that encompassed both practical and spiritual dimensions. It was a task that required vigilance, dedication, and a deep understanding of the symbolic significance of the fire as a representation of God's enduring presence and covenant with His people.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 6:12,13
And the fire on the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The House of Zacharias.
... in his heart, Zacharias continued to fulfil the duties of his ... but from Calvary; and
when the great High Priest would utter ... The Lord bless thee and keep thee. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/meyer/john the baptist/ii the house of zacharias.htm

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
... giving of the amount at which the priest might value ... for thou art righteous."[356]
And the duties of the ... "And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant ...
/.../the ordinance of covenanting/chapter v covenanting confers obligation.htm

Questions on the Explanations
... 603. What are their duties? 604. ... 768. On what day do we keep a saint's feast? ... 790.
Can the priest say a "nuptial Mass" for a husband or wife after their death? ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/questions on the explanations.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1808, to the ...
... that real religion has its appropriate duties, and that ... superintend the encampment
at night, to keep order, to ... What a sacred fire has been kindled at this holy ...
/.../chapter 8 from the close.htm

The Day of Atonement
... the atonement was made, and we shall keep to that ... own righteousness; rest from your
toilsome duties: rest in him ... When the priest had made the atonement, it was ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the day of atonement.htm

Letter Lii. To Nepotian.
... letter is a systematic treatise on the duties of the ... preserve thee: love her and
she shall keep thee. ... among the remaining tribes; but, like the Priest and the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lii to nepotian.htm

Faith Illustrated
... Of all the duties I have done ... back, while the poor fugitive hides himself behind
the robes of the priest. ... let me wrap thee in my crimson vest to keep thee from ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/faith illustrated.htm

Treatise on the Priesthood. Book vi.
... them the slower in the performance of spiritual duties. ... are aggravated through the
dignity of the Priest, who dares ... For these reasons I keep to this cell, and ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/treatise on the priesthood book 6.htm

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
... to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the ... were made under the direction of the high
priest, for the ... for the right discharge of their official duties, though on ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xv formation and history.htm

The French Reformation
... Let there be light," but the emperor had sought to keep the darkness ... He did not receive
consecration, nor did he fulfill the duties of a priest, but he ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 12 the french reformation.htm