CrackerJackAg said:
Pretty sure that's a simple one. Author is Jewish. He is speaking to Jewish audience. It's a literary device meant to put the onus on the listener or reader. The author is condemning his audience to snap them out of their complacency.
"This message is for YOU!! I'm talking to you Jack. YOUR GOD demands blah blah blah!!!" Type thing.
That is a nice opinion. But the text itself also says that Deut 4:4 "But you who have held fast to the YHWH your God are all alive today".. Later the author commands Deut 13:4 "You are to follow the YHWH your father and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, serve him, and cleave unto him" I don't think God is simply demanding that we cleave to a fire. That is impossible to do and live.
The angels of heaven are made of fire (PS 104:4) , and YHWH himself can devour them. If you look at a fire you will see there are at least two parts .There is a blue or black part at the bottom near the fuel and there is a white or orange light above. The white or orange light ascends, resting on the blue or black flame as a throne. The blue or black light acts as a throne of glory for the white or blue. The blue or black light consumes anything below it. The white or orange light does not consume anything below it. We being in the realm of humans are below God. God being a fire, must be made of different aspects, the blue part consuming us, what is below. The white or orange light does not consume us who are below.
