Song of Songs 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. (NRSV)
Set me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal on thine arm, For strong as death is love, Sharp as Sheol is jealousy, Its burnings are burnings of fire, a flame of Jah! (YLT)
Recently, I had a dream where I was given a Scripture. When I awoke, I wanted to recall that Scripture and I knew it was located in the Song of Songs. That Scripture eluded my consciousness until now. A seal is like a signet ring and I believe it refers to a “circumcised” heart of Love. A seal upon the arm refers to the strength of Love, even unto death. True Love has a fierce passion that is more certain than death. This Love is likened unto a raging flame. This is the focus of this writing- the baptism of Love.
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Is it possible that we assumed John’s declaration of baptisms were two events when actually he was declaring three separate events? Three separate baptisms at three separate times? The water baptism is not the issue here, it is the separation of the baptism of Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire. When I was 20 years old, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. It was a unique experience and I had virtually no understanding of its impact at the time. I simply submitted myself to receive this baptism. Was the old man burned up at the time? Unfortunately, No! Since then, I have operated in the various Gifts of the Spirit at certain times, but not in full measure by any means. Our Heavenly Father’s grace and mercy have prevailed over my life, for sure. Being pragmatic, I must say that I have yet to be fully baptized in fire for I must deal with my fleshly old man as everyone else does. It is my innermost desire to be fully baptized in Love and I believe this is the baptism of fire that John declares in Luke 3:16. I believe he was actually speaking of two separate events rather than the one in Acts 2:
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
In the above Scripture, a flame of fire “sat upon” each of them, it was not a raging fire. I am looking for that fire that entirely consumes that fleshly old man, the ego. Circumcision is to remove the fleshly covering. The first step upon entering the Promised Land was for the men to be circumcised:
Joshua 5:2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.”
Could the “second time” point to the second baptism of fire in John’s declaration? Do you know anyone who has been baptized with fire as of today? Could this dream indicate that the Baptism of Fire and Love is upon us? Bring on the fire!