חבקוק, פרק ג׳, פסוק ה׳

The arrival of God is accompanied by massive, destructive forces acting as His messengers. Whether appearing as deadly natural events or destroying angels, these powers pave the way before Him and clear out those who stand against Him. As He advances, a deadly plague marches ahead. Right alongside or closely following His arrival, another fierce force emerges [מצודת ציון, רד״ק]. There are different ways to understand this accompanying power. Some view it as literal coals of fire and sweeping flames [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others understand it as a burning, feverish illness, closely related to the plague itself [רד״ק, אבן עזרא].

The primary approach among commentators is that this scene points back to the conquest of Canaan. Before the Israelites even entered the land, plague and fire went ahead of the Ark of the Covenant, striking and burning the Canaanite nations to prepare the way [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, some suggest these destructive forces were actually directed at the Israelites themselves. In this view, the plagues served as severe punishments for their sins while they wandered in the desert [רד״ק, אברבנאל].

On a more conceptual level, these forces represent God's hidden providence. Even when His direct involvement is unseen, He works quietly behind the scenes to defeat His enemies through natural disasters. The fiery sparks represent spiritual powers kept close to God, while the plague is sent out to operate far ahead of Him [מלבי״ם].

Another layer of meaning connects these events to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. When God arrived to give the Torah, He actively drove away the Angel of Death, represented by the plague. He did this so the angel could not accuse the Israelites of the sin they would later commit with the Golden Calf. In place of the Angel of Death, God brought angels of fire, who emerged right beside Him at the mountain [רש״י, צאינה וראינה].