WHAT IS THE BAPTISM OF FIRE
Yesterday, we saw a rainbow after a hard rain, it was across the street from us, and you could literally stand at the end where it went into the ground. And seeing it reminded me of God's covenant with mankind after the flood, that He would never destroy mankind with a flood again, and the rainbow was the sign of it. Genesis 9:11-13 The apostle Peter mentions the destruction of man by flood, but also reminds us that there is a coming "baptism of fire," where the earth will burn up with fervent heat. 2nd Peter 3:3-13 says:
3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Pays to be good!
The new earth is where righteousness will dwell! The wicked will all be destroyed in the fire.
"But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells." All evil people will be burned up in the baptism of fire that is coming on the earth, and it falls on a single day, which is "kept for the DAY of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." In the last chapter of the Old Testament, it says the wicked will be ashes under the feet of the righteous. The wicked will be burned up, not burning forever on that coming day.
The apostle Peter mentions the destruction of man by flood, but also reminds us that there is a coming baptism of fire, where the earth will burn up (utterly) with fervent heat. Is this the baptism of Fire? It must be. The 3 righteous men Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were types of the righteous spirit beings who will walk in the fire unharmed at some future time.