Take yourself back to the day of Pentecost, just after the Messiah ascended, Acts 2:2-4: "And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled ell the
house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire,
and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy spirit, and began to
speak with other tongues me the Spirit gave them utterance" Then, in verses 16-18, Peter
says, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 'And it shall come to pass in
the last days,' says Yahweh, 'I will pour out, of my Spirit, upon all flesh: and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, and your young man shall see visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those
days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.'"

John the Baptizer said in Matthew 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:
hut he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall
baptize you with the Holy spirit, and with fire."

• Do you want to receive the pouring out of the Holy Spirit?
• Do you want to receive the baptism of the Holy spirit from the Messiah?
• Do you want to receive the baptism of fire from the Messiah?

JOHN TELLS IT STRAIGHT

Many will eagerly answer "Yes!" to all three questions. The first two are good; but let's look more
closely at this 'baptism of fire.' Look at the rest of the story in Matthew 3:7-12. But when
[John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, "Oh
generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? .... And now also
the ax is laid to the root of the trees therefore every tree which does not bring forth good
fruit is cut down end cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:
but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall
baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. His fan is in his hand, and he will
thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the
chaff with unquenchable fire".

John was talking to BAD people among his audience. 'Vipers,' he called them: snakes. They were
coming to John to be baptized only because of their fear of punishment. They had heard that John
was a REALLY righteous man with a message from Yahweh.

Many ordinary people went out to hear John, were compelled to repent, and were, in turn,
baptized in the water of the Jordan River. He was preparing the way for the Messiah. John was
showing the people their sins and encouraging them to lead a good, simple, righteous life before
Yahweh. The movement was really catching on.

Some Pharisees wanted to be part of that movement just to protect themselves in case there was
something to it. John saw that they were not actually ready to give up their false ways and self-
righteousness.

John knew their ways. He judged them as he did all who came to him: by their fruits. John knew
the end awaiting those who have such fruits: The Lake of Fire. He told them that Yahweh's
Anointed One was coming to set things to right; to reward the just and punish the unjust among
his audience. He was saying that Yahshua would immerse the Just in the Holy Spirit and would
immerse the unjust in destroying fire.

THE MESSIAH GIVES THE FACTS

Yahshua talked about this in Matthew 7:15-20, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they ars ravening wolves. You shall know them by their
fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree brings
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth avl1 fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring
forth good fruit is cut down, end CAST INTO THE FIRE. Therefore, by their fruits you
shall know them."

Also Luke 3:9, "And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree
which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and CAST INTO THE FIRE." And in
John 15:6 "If a man does not abide in me, he is cast away as a branch, and is withered; and
men gather them and CAST THEM INTO THE FIRE, and they are burned."

Here we see the baptism of fire again! Those without good fruits, the false prophets, are going to
be immersed into fire, simply burned up!

Yahshua also said in Matthew 13:40-42, "As therefore the tares are gathered end burned in
the firs; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels,
and they shall gather out of his kingdom ALL THINGS THAT OFFEND, and those who
do iniquity; and shall CAST TEEM INTO A FURNACE OF FIREz there shall be wailing
and gnashing of teeth." The immersion in fire is for those who offend. That includes the
chief offender: Matthew 25:41, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, "Depart
from ms, you cursed, INTO EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels."

Yabshua counsels us to do anything we have to do to AVOID being immersed into that fire:
Mark 9:43-44 "And if your hand causes you to offend, cut it off: it is better for you to enter
into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be
quenched, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

Did you think someone will come to put out the fire after Yahshua has kindled it to cleanse his
kingdom? It shall not be quenched. It will burn until it burns up all those who offend.

THE APOSTLES AGREE

The apostle Paul echoes the same thought in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: And to you who are
troubled, rest with us. When the Master Yahshua shall be revealed from heaven with His
mighty angels, in FLAMING FIRE taking vengeance on those who do not know Yahweh,
end who DO NOT OBEY THE GLAD TIDINGS of our Master Yahshua the Messiah. Who
shall be punished with eternal destruction from the presence of Yahweh and from the glory
of his power.

Yahshua's disciple Peter agrees. 2 Peter 3:7: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the
same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and destruction of
unrighteous men.

FIRE IS FOR THE UN-RIGHTEOUS

The Apostle John was shown the picture of this baptism in fire and recorded it in Revelation 14:9-
10: And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If any man worships the beast
and his image, and receives his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the
wine of the wrath of Yahweh, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the
presence of the Lamb. . .

Revelation 19:20: And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles
before him, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who
worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 20:9-10: And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded tho camp of
the saints, and the beloved city: and fire cams down from Yahweh out of heaven, and devoured
them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the
beast and the false prophet were cast, and he shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Verses 14-15: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And
WHOEVER WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS CAST INTO THE
LAKE OF FIRE. Revelation 21:8, But the fearful, unbelieving, the abominable, murderers,
whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part IN THE LAKE WHICH
BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, which is the second death.

LET'S KEEP IT CLEAR

Many people who don't think clearly or have not carefully read these scriptures believe that the
'baptism of fire' sounds good. They may say:

1. The Messiah is going to bring it, according to John the Baptist. Anything the Messiah brings
must be good, right?
Wrong! Appropriate? Yes. Correct for the situation? Yes. Enjoyable for the one receiving it? Not
necessarily.

2. It has 'baptism' in it and baptism is good, isn't it?
The word 'baptize' just means to 'plunge into' or 'immerse'. Baptism is not good or bad. Women
baptize their dirty dishes every day and don't think of it as anything special.

3. It also has 'fire' in it and maybe fire is good. Wouldn't it be good to be 'on fire for the master'?
Maybe, but we don't find that expression in the Scriptures.

4. The Apostles had flames of fire on their heads at Pentecost? Wasn't that the baptism of fire?
No! Read it carefully. They had what LOOKED LIKE tongues of fire OVER their heads. This is
nothing like being thrown into a fire. Also, this is mentioned only once in this account and then
never again. It is not to be dismissed; but it does not seem to be VERY important.

The baptism of fire is not something we should strive for. Being plunged into fire is the
punishment reserved for those who refuse to obey Yahweh. If we love Yahweh, we will keep his
commandments and be thankful if we are immersed in water and in His Holy Spirit.