Just as at Israel’s wandering in the Sinai wilderness God’s consuming fire burned up offenders among his people, so his fire again consumes their evildoers and enemies alike as his coming to the earth draws near. God’s instrument of burning is the king of Assyria, who personifies the fire that burns them up. While in the days of Noah the earth was baptized with water, in the end it is baptized with fire.
Isaiah 66:15–16Jehovah comes with fire,
his chariots like a whirlwind,
to retaliate in furious anger,
to rebuke with conflagrations of fire.
For with fire and with his sword
shall Jehovah execute judgment on all flesh,
and those slain by Jehovah shall be many.
Isaiah 42:25In the heat of his anger
he pours out on them the violence of war,
till it envelopes them in flames—
yet they remain unaware—
till it sets them on fire;
yet they take it not to heart.
Isaiah 9:18–19Wickedness shall be set ablaze like a fire,
and briars and thorns shall it consume;
it shall ignite the jungle forests,
and they shall billow upward
in mushrooming clouds of smoke.
At the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts the earth is scorched,
and people are but fuel for the fire.
Isaiah 33:12–14Whole nations have been burned like lime,
mown down like thorns and set ablaze.
Take heed what I have done, you who are far off;
you who are near, be apprised of my might!
The sinners in Zion are struck with fear;
the godless are in the grip of trembling:
Who among us can live through the devouring fire?
Who among us can abide eternal burning?