A BRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE FIRE

I was standing by a bus stop a few years ago when I overheard a group of taxi-drivers discussing excitedly about a certain pastor of a Nigerian-based ministry, while waiting for passengers to fill up their cabs. I was particularly struck by the description of this Minister of God by one of the taxi-drivers. He said, and I quote, in our local Nigerian Pidgin English, “Ah, Pastor XYZ, that one na firebrand o!!!” And they went on and on about how fierce, fearless and fervent the pastor usually was when on the pulpit.
As I pondered over the topic of this discourse, ‘A brand plucked out of the fire’, I couldn’t but recall the incident recounted above. I smiled again as I remembered yet another beautiful story about the famous revivalist John Wesley who after he had miraculously escaped death from a burning house was told these words by his mother, Susanna, “You, indeed, are a brand plucked out of the fire”. John Wesley certainly didn’t leave us in doubt of that fact.
Let us examine the scripture before us. In order to better understand the context, it will help to begin from the first verse, and end at the fifth, for now.
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, the LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. Zech 3:1-5

This story is so real, so relatable. So I enter the scene, it’s like a throne room. I see Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord. I look to his right and I’m not surprised at whom I see. There he is, that old serpent, Satan, the Devil, opposing the High Priest of God. I am not surprised because I recall that in Rev 2:9-10, he is the accuser of the brethren, and this he does before God night and day. Always ready to bring a charge against God’s elect. Ever prepared to take up a cause against the beloved. Waiting for the slightest mistake, the tiniest loophole that he may find an occasion to attack the brethren. He is ever mustering his unseen array, waiting for our unguarded hours.
But as he pours out his endless and baseless accusations (most of them false, because he’s a liar and the father of lies), he is silenced; Oh, a divine interruption. The voice of the Great One cuts him short. “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan!” I can hear it; it’s loud and clear. “Even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee!” He (the adversary) is stunned. He cannot believe his ears. He looks at Joshua and points at him, sneering, “See how filthy his garments are”. “Enough!” thunders the Lord Almighty, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”
At this time I’m caught in the intrigue. I see his face (I mean the accuser), defeated. There’s not another word to be heard from him. I see Joshua, trembling. I look at His countenance (the Lord), if I can behold it, but I’m near-blinded by the beaming ray of mercy from His eyes. I look away, awe-struck. “Take away the filthy garment from him,” the Lord commands, and lo, it is done. He continues, “I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” Then enters Zechariah, the prophet, saying, “A fair mitre, Lord, be set upon his head.” And it is done. I see a new Joshua with new garments and a nice headdress. I can’t hold the tears from my eyes. I cry out like the Psalmist, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!” – Psa 32:1.

God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). When we had on our filthy garments of sin and self-righteousness (Isa 64:6), he washed us, cleansed us, purged us, took away the filthy garments and gave us a change of clothes, presenting us holy, righteous, spotless and blameless before the presence of His glory (Eph 1:4, Eph 5:27, Jude 1:24, I Thess 5:23). He plucked us out of the fires of hell and eternal destruction and damnation, pouring out the fury of His wrath upon His Son, in our place. Behold, we are escaped! Like a bird out of the snare of the fowler (Psa124:7). We have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Pet 1:4) and are now partakers of His divine nature.
He took away the record of offenses and accusations against us, nailing it to His cross (Col 2:14-15), spoiling/defeating principalities and powers (disarming and rendering them powerless over us). 

Many have witnessed great deliverance from sin, sicknesses and diseases, demonic oppressions and manipulations, addictions, immorality, uncleanness, masturbation, pornography, drug abuse, lying and deceit, failure, the list is endless, because God in His mercy plucked them out, that they may not be consumed by these vices. If only you can believe and subsequently understand what happened at the Cross and at redemption, you too will experience this mighty saving power of God. He will pluck you out of the wild olive tree and graft you into a good olive tree (Rom 11:24). Hallelujah! 
Our approach to witnessing to souls is wonderfully described in Jude 1:23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire…” In the same way as Christ plucked us out so we are to pluck others out of the fires of hell and destruction.

There is yet another perspective of this discourse that completes the picture and sets us in motion. When I examined the key words in the second verse of the chapter. I made a few findings. The story will not be complete without this aspect. This is the very reason why we were plucked out of the fire.
The root word for brand in our text is firebrand referring (in many different places in the scripture), to a lamp, a torch, or a burning/flaming arrow. (Judges 15:4; Pro26:18; Isa7:4; Amos4:11). It was what Samson fixed between the tails of the foxes when he tied them tail to tail in Judges 15:4. In ancient times, burning/flaming arrows were important weapons of war. Typically, they were launched in large numbers, shot out as missiles by skilled marksmen or by tanks like cannonballs and even from a distance were effective in razing down the enemies camp in flames. Lamps and torches were also used to illuminate; usually one person holding the torch could brighten the entire court by igniting certain receptacles which had in them wood chippings or saw dust and were placed along the paths or by the doors.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, A firebrand is a torch or burning stick with a flame at one end. It also describes a revolutionary; one who agitates against the current situation, changing and overthrowing a standing/pre-existing mindset.

So we are FIREBRANDS:

1. As Torches and Lamps: Igniting and Illuminating. (Matt 5:14-16; Luke11:33; John 5:35
2. As Burning/Flaming Arrows: Destroying the enemy’s territory. (Judges15:4-5; 1John3:8)
3. As Revolutionaries: Challenging the status-quo, changing what is to what should be (John 1:23; Acts17:6; Heb 11:32-38).

We are instruments in the hands of God to bring illumination to the world around us, to frustrate the devil’s schemes as weapons of warfare in the Master’s hand and be agents of change in the world around us. (See Scripture references above). There’s an army rising up! Are you in the army? Let us pray!