God's Holy Fire: The Nature and Function of the Scripture

The title of this volume, God's Holy Fire, is taken from William Butler Yeats' poem, 'Sailing to Byzantium.' This poem speaks of a yearning for a place of truth and beauty that is beyond our daily routines. Like the poet, we desire to live in such a place. The image of fire also evokes the words of Jeremiah 20:9, 'Is not my word like fire?' Fire has the power to consume and renew life. Jeremiah speaks of a 'fire in [his] bones' so overpowering that he can no longer hold it within himself (20:9). The image indicates that the Bible contains potent words for any age. - from the Introduction