The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. The requirement is stated twice in two verses — must not go out appears in verse 12 and again here. The repetition communicates the absolute nature of the requirement: the fire on the altar is not optional, not seasonal, not dependent on whether there are many offerings or few. Through the wilderness period, through the settlement in the land, through the monarchy and the temple — the fire on the altar must burn continuously. The fire that must never go out is the symbol of the covenant relationship that must never be abandoned: God's presence among His people is continuous; their response of worship must be equally continuous.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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