The first of four instances where offerings were consumed by fire from heaven is found in Lev. 9:22-24. The occasion was the institution of the Levitical order of things at the commencement of the wilderness journey under Moses and the law. The second instance occurs in 1 Chron. 21:25-30, where David has numbered the people and the judgment of God is visited upon them. He buys Oman's threshing floor and builds an altar there. He offers a burnt offering and peace offerings on that altar, and the Lord answers with fire from heaven, commanding the angel to sheath his sword. Upon this display of God's mercy and grace, David becomes afraid to approach the Lord any more on legal ground at the tabernacle which Moses had made in the wilderness. He continues, therefore, to present himself and his sacrifices at the altar which is located at Oman's threshing floor.
The third instance is found in 2 Chron. 7:1, 3. The temple has been built and is being dedicated by King Solomon. When he is finished with his prayer, fire comes down from heaven and consumes the burnt offering, and the temple is filled with the glory of the Lord. The final instance is in 1 Kings 18:36-39. Elijah has built an altar of twelve stones and saturated the altar, the wood, and the sacrifice with water. Then, he calls on the Lord to show that He is God and to turn the heart of the people again to Himself.
Each of these four instances seems to mark the beginning of something new. The passage in Lev. 9 seems to mark the beginning of the legal dispensation, while the passage in 1 Chronicles seems to mark the end of that order of things and the commencement of the present dispensation typically. Then, the passage in 2 Chronicles would seem to represent the beginning of the earthly kingdom with Christ as the King of Peace. Finally, the passage in 1 Kings speaks of the restoration of hearts to the Lord and, therefore, the commencement of renewed communion when it has been broken by other objects coming in. It is an individual kind of thing and might be our experience again and again. All these beginnings look forward to that work of Christ on the cross, which would constitute the foundation of all beginnings with God. D. Graham