An Accelerant
The fire that Jesus brought to the earth was a all-consuming fire!
When starting a fire with an accelerant, there are two methods of applying the accelerant that vary significantly in both their placement and the end result. In one instance, the fire accelerant would be placed on top of the flammable material. The result of this type of application would be a fire that burned brightly and quickly consumed the accelerant, likely without fully burning the flammable material. These fires may burn hot, but they extinguish quickly, leaving unburned materials behind. Because partly burned material is left, one might label such fires as trashy.
In the second instance, the accelerant is placed inside the flammable material. For example, if the material were a stack of wood, the accelerant would be positioned inside the stack with logs surrounding it. When initially lit, the fire accelerant may give no visible evidence of burning, and there may be no signs that the fire is going for some time. For this reason, these types of fires are considered slow to develop. Puffs of smoke will eventually rise from the material. As the fire grows, it catches the flammables in its immediate vicinity on fire. Eventually, the fire will become extremely hot and intense at the core of the flammable material. The fire will break out of the core and will consume all flammable materials around it. These fires tend to burn for a long time and with a lot of heat. They also tend to be harder to put out than the previously described fires. They are all-consuming fires. There is nothing left in the end.
Luke tells us in his gospel that Jesus said, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Through His life, death, burial, and resurrection, there is no question that our Messiah started a fire! But what kind of fire do you think Jesus created? Was it a fire lit with an accelerant on top? A fire that burned quickly and put out heat fast, but extinguished just as fast, and left a lot of trash? Or did our Savior place His fire’s accelerant inside the flammable material so that the fire would develop thoroughly and consume completely?