Last week, we studied Yahweh Nissi, the Lord my Banner. This name was given by Moses after they defeated the Amalekites in battle. One of my favorite parts of this story is how Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses and held his arms up in battle to ensure the victory.
Has Yahweh Nissi ever sent others to help you in the midst of battle? Who and how?
My Sunday school class is mine; they held me up during our health scare.
What does it mean to you that “His banner over me is love”?
To me it is walking in the confidence of knowing that God loves me and there’s nothing I can do to mess that up.
This week, we will be studying a couple of names that I am not as familiar with, Esh Oklah and El Kanna. Esh Oklah means consuming fire, and El Kanna means jealous God. These two names are paired together in Deuteronomy 4:24, “Yahweh your Elohim is Esh Oklah, El Kanna.”
The word “Oklah” means “consume,” “devour,” “burn up,” or “eat,” and “Esh” means “fire.”
What do you think of when you think of fire?
I often think of a fireplace for warmth or aesthetics, fire for cooking if I am camping or grilling, or more often than not, I think of fire as destructive.
In scripture the presence of God is often associated with fire.
In Genesis 15 he was the smoke and fire that passed between the animal pieces to seal the covenant with Abraham.
In Exodus 3 he was the burning bush when he spoke to Moses.
In Exodus 13 he was the pillar of fire who led the Israelites.
In Exodus 19 he came down as fire on Mt. Sinai when he spoke to Moses.
In Leviticus 9 fire came out of Yahweh’s glory and consumed the burnt offering offered by Aaron in the presence of the Israelites.
In 1 Kings 18 fire came from heaven and consumed the offering, altar, and trench of water set up by Elijah.
In Judges 6, fire flared up from a rock and burned the meat and bread that Gideon offered to the Messenger of Yahweh.
In 2 Kings 2 he was the fiery chariot and horses that took Elijah up to heaven.
And in Acts 2 he appeared as tongues of fire when the Holy Spirit filled the believers.
He appeared as fire to show his holiness, his guidance, his power, his acceptance of sacrifice, his authority over false gods, his calling, his glory, and the power of the Spirit.
I am sure there are more references in scripture that I didn’t mention, but that is what I found in a quick search and what I could think of. However, one I left out of the list is Numbers 11; it is where fire from Yahweh began to burn those who were complaining. Now, I don’t know about you, but I am sensing a theme with God and people who complain. He has threatened to abandon, refused to let them into the promised land, and sent fire and snakes, that I can think of, to deal with complainers. I am really beginning to take Philippians 2:14 to heart. Stay away from complaining.
Their complaints were complaints about Moses and God and what they felt was the lack of belief that God couldn’t or wouldn’t take care of them, which is why their punishment was so harsh. This wasn’t just a venting of frustrations; their complaints were based in lack of faith and trust in God. It was a heart problem, not a bad day problem.
So consuming fire represents God’s holiness and judgment; it also represents his refining and purification, as mentioned in Malachi 3:2.
We are to approach God with awe and reverence, as Hebrews 12:28-29 says, “We must be thankful that we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Because we are thankful, we must serve God with fear and awe in a way that pleases him. After all, our God is a consuming fire.”
God’s fire is not only about his holiness; it is also about His love and covenant.
Just as fire consumes, surrounds, and protects what it has engulfed and claimed, God refuses to share the hearts of his people with idols or divided loyalties.
This is where our second name, El Kanna, comes in. Our God is a jealous God.
What do you think of when you think of jealousy?
Jealousy often comes from a place of fear or insecurity. It can cause pain and damage.
Human jealousy can be selfish and controlling. But God’s jealousy is different. It comes from a place of love, His covenant love and His holiness.
Last week, we talked about Yahweh Nissi, and I made a post about his banner over us being love. Because of that love, we can walk confidently in knowing that he loves us, and under his banner, we have an identity, a belonging. El Kanna is jealous of that love for us. He does not want to share us with other idols or split loyalties.
The jealousy of God is not petty; instead, it is an intense, zealous protection of His people. Deuteronomy 6:4 “The Lord our God is one.” Deuteronomy 4:39 says, “Remember today, and never forget that Yahweh is Elohim in heaven above and here on earth. There is no other god.” This signifies that there is only one God, our Elohim, El Shadday, and our loyalty to him should not be split.
His jealousy is inseparable from his holiness. Deuteronomy 4:24 says, “The Lord your God is a consuming fire; he is a jealous God.”
Now, God is not jealous OF you. He doesn’t want what you have. He is jealous FOR you. His jealousy is protective. He wants to keep you from things that will destroy you. We are referred to in scripture as the Bride of Christ. Just as we would be jealous for our spouse, we want to protect the intimacy, the exclusivity, and the commitment with our spouse. In the same way, God wants to protect our intimacy, exclusivity, and commitment with Him.
He wants to protect you against idolatry, specifically against idolatry in worship. When our worship is split between God and something else, we begin to give our affection, our time, our attention, and our dependence to things that were never meant to fill that space.
Idolatry is not always a golden calf. Today it is often viewed as success, self-image, approval of others, money, or ownership of things that take the place of honoring God. Whatever the thing is that is keeping us from spending time with God and that which takes our worship from him. God knows that anything that we place above him will fail us. That is why he is so jealous FOR us, because he wants to protect our hearts that were created for him, and him alone.
El Kanna passionately pursues his people who are devoted to him. Esh Oklah burns away what competes with Him. He refines us for him and into who we are made to be.
In scripture, we see a pattern of his people; when they turn to idols, God’s jealousy stirred in Him to call them back to Him. He wanted to restore them to him. To protect them. The same God who raised the banner over his people is the same God who burns with a holy fire to keep that committed love undivided.
So, as we start this week with El Kanna and Esh Oklah, what are some things that might be competing with our devotion to God? Is there something, or even someone, that we have placed in a higher place in our lives that should belong to God? Or maybe there is something that we are allowing to take up time and space in our lives, and it is diverting us from worshipping God the way we need.
Are there things that have taken the place of worship, trust, or dependence on God?
Are we willing to allow his fire to refine us and draw us back to him?
His consuming fire isn’t meant to destroy us; it’s meant to purify, restore, and protect us.
It’s going to be a good week getting to know Esh Oklah and El Kanna.
Have a great day with Jesus.
