Zechariah 2:5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
Image if God’s protection:
God is not only our Savior but He is also our protector. The song writer says, A wall of fir about me, I’ve nothing now to fear. God does not save us and make us a part of His family and then let us alone to face the evils and dangers of this life and world. Zechariah says that God will be a wall of fire about Jerusalem and He also protection for us. The safest place for anyone to be is in the will of God – for there we can rest in peace and assurance of God’s protection (Psa 34:7). God is like a fortress mountain about His children (Psa 125:2). In Rev 21:24 we are told of the New Jerusalem and the high walls about her that symbolize protection from adversaries as well as evil. Isaiah probably is speaking of this time in Isa 26:1.
When the enemy came after Elisha God was seen as horses and chariots of fire 2 Ki 6:17. We also see that when the apostate king of Israel demanded Elijah come to him the fire of God came down and killed those sent to bring him to Ahab (2 Ki 1:9). God protected Israel when they came out of Egypt in a pillar of cloud and fire (Ex 14:19-20).
Fire shows God’s approval and presence:
When God gave the law on Mount Sinai He came down with numerous evidences and among them was fire. (Ex 19:18). When Elijah had the contest with the prophets of Baal and he challenged the people to return to God, his prayer was answered by fire (1 Ki 18:38). In Ezekiel’s vision he saw fire representing God Eze 1:4. The writer of Hebrews saws God is a “consuming fire” Heb 12:29.
Fire is a purging agent:
Fire is used to purge material to make them pure. God uses fire in this way in various applications. God says as fire is used to melt, He also will use persecutions as fire to melt Israel (Eze 22:20).The time of trial during the tribulation is spoken of by Zechariah as a purifying of Israel by God (Zech 13:9). Today fire is also used as a cauterizing agent to stop bleeding. God uses the image of fire to cleanse and purify believers to make them holy and remove impurities (Acts 2:1-3).
Fire as judgment:
When Israel was in the Promised Land there was a valley called the Valley of Hinnom which was like garbage dumb. There refuse would be burned and people would cast things there to be burned and the fire seemed to burn continually. In the NT is was referred to as the Valley of Gehinnom – translated hell in Matthew and other passages. It was here that Israel worshipped Moloch and burned their children in the valley, Jer 7:31, therefore it was used symbolically as the eternal place of torment. Hell and the Lake of Fire is eternal judgment. God also used fire to judge as the soldiers that came after Elijah and also Nadab and Aihu when they offered strange fire before God (Lev 10:1-2).
Many other images of fire in Scripture and they represent God and his purposes and workings. Elijah was taken to heaven in chariots and horses of fire (2 Ki 2:11)