"Fire on the Mountain" - Bishop John E . Putnam

Main Point: God still reveals Himself through holy fire, and every step toward His presence is worth the climb.

• Throughout Scripture, mountains and fire symbolize places where heaven meets earth and where God reveals Himself to humanity.
  
• Mountains represent elevation, revelation, stability, and divine encounter. Fire represents God’s presence, holiness, power, and purification.
  
• From Eden to Sinai to Calvary to Pentecost, God continually called people upward toward deeper relationship with Him.
  
• Noah’s ark rested on a mountain. Abraham climbed a mountain and found God’s provision. Moses climbed Sinai and encountered holy fire. Elijah called down fire on Mount Carmel.
  
• Moses’ burning bush experience teaches that observation must become pursuit—many see the fire, but only some turn aside to seek God.
  
• God’s first words to Moses were instructions about holiness: “Take off your shoes.” The climb toward God always involves surrender and reverence.
  
• The Church today still stands on holy ground, and there is still “fire on the mountain” for those willing to climb higher.
  
• Spiritual growth requires continual climbing—past experiences with God cannot replace present hunger for His presence.
  
• Pentecost was also preceded by a climb—Jesus instructed His disciples to go, wait, and seek until fire fell again.
  

Key Scriptures:

• Isaiah 2:2 – “The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established…”
  
• Hebrews 12:28–29 – “Our God is a consuming fire.”
  
• Psalm 121:1–2 – “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills…”
  
• Exodus 3:2–5 – Moses and the burning bush.
  
• Genesis 22:8 – “God will provide himself a lamb…”
  
• Jeremiah 20:9 – “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire…”
  

Major Themes:

• Fire Represents God’s Presence: God still desires to reveal Himself to hungry people.
  
• Mountains Symbolize Pursuit: Spiritual growth requires intentional climbing.
  
• Observation Must Become Pursuit: Seeing the fire is not enough—you must turn aside toward it.
  
• Holiness Matters: God’s presence calls for reverence and surrender.
  
• Keep Climbing: Past encounters with God should create hunger for deeper encounters.
  
• The Fire Still Falls: God’s Spirit is still moving today just as it did throughout Scripture.
  

Reflection Questions:

• Have I stopped climbing spiritually because of comfort or routine?
  
• Am I merely observing the fire—or pursuing God’s presence personally?
  
• What distractions or attitudes might be keeping me from climbing higher?