As a kid I often saw my dad sharpening a tool on his table grinder. The sparks that flew brought wonder. They were myriad and beautiful. When he was done there was a tiny pile of shavings that I could play with. I’d get a magnet and create fantastic miniature sculptures with the whisks.
What is a spark? You might be surprised.
Robert Hooke studied the sparks created by striking a piece of flint and steel together. He found that the sparks were usually particles of the steel which had become red hot and so melted into globules. These sparks can be used to ignite tinder and so start a fire.
In colonial America, flint and steel were used to light fires when easier methods failed. Scorched linen was commonly used as tinder to catch the spark and start the fire but producing a good spark could take much time. A spinning steel wheel provided a good stream of sparks when it engaged the flint and a tinderbox designed to do this was known as a mill.
In a modern lighter or firesteel, iron is mixed with cerium and other rare earths to form the alloy ferrocerium. This readily produces sparks when scraped and burns hotter than steel would. This higher temperature is needed to ignite the vapour of the lighter fluid (Wikipedia).
Why all of this talk about sparks? In Zechariah 12 God foresees the tiny clans of Israel as a type of spark which would ignite and consume the nations. If you look at a map of the world you might wonder how such a seemingly insignificant country like Israel might be used to kindle such scorching devastation. However, if you look throughout chapter 12 you notice several metaphors that foretell how God will use that minuscule nation in the end times.
It was said that an overturned lantern in Mrs. O’Leary’s barn started the great fire that devoured Chicago in October of 1871. Others believe that is was a mere spark from a passing train. Whatever the case it was a devastating blaze that cost millions and killed three hundred people.
One day soon God will spark the tiny nation Israel to consume this phase of world history. When that day comes there will be no doubt about the source of the blaze. The God of Israel will cause the destruction. Those without the fireproof Salvation that Christ offers will be burned.
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