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This flaming sword was prefiguring the power of God that would be exercised by the third part of the trinity, the Holy Ghost. It was showing the role of the Holy Ghost even in our day, and that is to point mankind to the tree of life, Jesus Christ. Christ taught this would be the role of the Holy Ghost while on earth.

This sword is often referred to as the “Sword of the Lord” and was used by God down through the ages, to show the power. When God’s people were led by Moses out of captivity, God taught them what is called the “Song of Moses” to be reminded of God’s power and blessings, and we find in that song the words “If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies.” This shows the power and perhaps the fearful side of the role of the “Sword of the Lord.

As Joshua was to lead God’s people to the promised land, he looked up and saw a man with the sword drawn, and Joshua asked whether he was for or against. He answered, neither, for as the captain of the host of the Lord, he was for the Lord, and Joshua was told to take off his shoes as he was on Holy ground. We see clearly that the Holy Ghost will always stand up for the Lord.

200 years later, Gideon was instructed to go to battle with 300 men armed with trumpets, pitchers and lamps. To us it would appear a hopeless state, but as they sounded the trumpet, broke the pitcher to reveal the light inside and shouted “The Sword Of the Lord”, the enemy began to kill each other and the battle was won. This shows that when we are prepared to break the darkness and let our light shine and call on God’s spirit in us to take over, we can over-come all our wordly cares and battles.

200 years on and King David sinned against God by numbering the children of Israel, and God spoke through the prophet, giving him the choice of three years famine, three months to be destroyed by his enemies, or three days under the “Sword of the Lord”. David chose the “Sword of the Lord” for he knew of the great mercies of the Lord. As the time commenced, 70,000 men were struck down by pestilence and David looked and saw the Angel of the Lord with the sword stretched over the nation, and he fell down with the Elders and confessed to God he was to blame, and to have mercy on the people. David was instructed to build an Altar and make an offering, and God instructed the sword to be withdrawn. We see the role of the Holy Ghost in pleading with man, but also as a spiritual access for our petitions for Christ to act as our intercessor and the means of dispensing peace after confession.

400 years later the prophet Jeremiah saw that this sword of the Lord would be used for the judgement of the world and asked the question, when will it be able to be put up in peace? Over 600 years later, the Apostle John saw in the Revelations, the time before the end, and he saw the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and his heavenly armies go forth with the sword in his mouth to smite the nations. We see that as it proceeded from his mouth that it represents The Word of God, and this is confirmed in Revelation 19:13; “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called “The Word of God”. We know that it is only by the Holy Ghost that the Word of God is given to us, and that is why we must give ourselves to hearing and doing the Word of God, and then we will appreciate and value and not be fearful of this Sword shown in our text, but realise that it is leading us to the Tree of Life.