As you know, Texas has been in the worst drought since the 1950’s.
Nearly every county in the state has been under a burn ban for several months – until yesterday.
My home county and a few more surrounding us decided that the smidgen of rain that happened a few days before.
Granted, we had a pretty good rain yesterday but far from enough.
However, we get to answer the age old question that has perplexed scholars through the ages; if you lift a burn ban will somebody start burning?
The answer is positively YES!
Last night we could see the orange glow over the treetops.
We got in the truck and went to see what it was; my fear was a house but thankfully it wasn’t.
Someone had started burning a brush pile!
I know the burn ban is lifted but I personally don’t see the priority of burning brush until the conditions are more ideal.
I have piles too but they can lay there and rot before I’ll attempt burning them without several days of rain.
In fact, I’d much rather burn them in a slow drizzle.
That brings me to another burn ban from the Bible.
The Hebrews were required by Torah to offer a burnt offering; Ex 29:38 – “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually.
This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations. Ex 29:42
They failed miserably and abandoned the requirement or offered it to false deities.
But our loving heavenly Father had a better plan for the Hebrews and the rest of us.
It is written “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:8-10
The burn ban is on; there is no more need for sacrifice!
There is no more need for the burnt offering!
Jesus has offered sanctification to each of us through His own body!
Praise the Lord we don’t have to burn (sacrifice) and we don’t have to burn (in the lake of fire)!