REBUILD THE ALTAR

 

REBUILD THE ALTAR

 

What is an ‘altar’? It is usually a raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship. (Merriam-webster)

The Hebrew word for ‘altar’ is ‘mizbeah’ meaning ‘to slaughter’. 

The altar is a place where something is offered to God.  It is a place of worship.

The first mention of someone building an altar in the Bible is found in Genesis 8…

Noah, his family, and the animals had spent a wearisome year inside the Ark where all they could see day after day if they were able to look out was endless miles of water.  

No dry land was could be seen until the waters finally began to abate. The Ark touched land at last, but it sounds like they may have still spent another 2 months inside the Ark as they waited for the ground to dry out after being saturated with flood waters for so long. (Gen 8:13-14)

By this time, everyone and the animals were most likely all anxious to exit the Ark and be able to move around freely as before. The first thing the Bible records Noah doing after he, his family, and the animals exited the Ark was to build an altar to the LORD. (Gen 8:20) 

 

Generations passed and Abram was born.  Abram was a friend of God for he walked and talked with God often.  God told Abram to leave his homeplace, leave his relatives, and leave his father’s house and go wherever God leads him.

Although he was 75 years old and childless, God promised that his descendants would become a great nation and that his name would become great.  God promised Abram that he would be a blessing, and that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed.  

Abram obeyed God and began to wander wherever God led. He came to the land of Canaan unto the plain of Moreh.  The LORD again appeared to Abram and promised to give him and his descendants the land where he was standing.

Abram had a lot of faith and trust in God because God was giving him a promise concerning his children and grandchildren which he did not have at that time.   It’s one thing to believe a promise concerning children and grandchildren when you’re young or even middle age.  But Abraham believed God although he was 75 years young and it was accounted to him for righteousness. (James 2:23)

The first thing Abram did after God promised to give him the land and future generations was to build and altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. (Gen 12:7)

Abram then moved from that place of Promise to a mountain on the east of Bethel, pitched his tent and there he built an altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. (Gen 12:8)

THE PLACE OF THE ALTAR

When God told Abram to leave his kindred, he did not fully obey.  He brought his nephew lot with him.  A severe famine came upon the land where they were currently dwelling so Abram, Sarai, and Lot went down to Egypt. 

Egypt is a typology of the world – Abram nearly got himself and his poor wife Sarai in trouble while there, but the LORD had mercy and protected them. Pharoah asked them to leave so they left Egypt (the world) and returned to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: (he returned to his early altar) and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. (Gen 13:1-4)

Everywhere Abram moved, he built and altar…

He moved to the plain of Mamre and built there an altar unto the Lord. (Gen 13:18)

Abram was now 99 years old when God again confirmed His promise to give Abram and Sarai a son. At 99 years old, God changed his name to Abraham promising that he would be a father of many nations. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, for she also would be blessed and become the mother of many nations even though she was now 90. (Gen 17)

Abraham could not have had such great faith to believe and trust that what God said He will surely do, regardless of how impossible it may appear to man’s eyes and reasoning, if he had not had a daily walk with God.

Isaac was born to Abraham when he was 100 and Sarah was 91 – who would have thought that would be possible? But God! Isaac grew (it is believed by this time he was in his late 20’s or mid to upper 30’s) when God again came to test Abraham’s faith as He commanded Abraham to offer Isaac (God calls him his only son) as a burnt offering.

It was a very hard task that God was asking Abraham to perform, yet Abraham stood upon the Promise of God that what He had promised, He would fulfill.  He had worked the impossible before. He would do it again! 

So, Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice upon an altar – believing God had promised and would fulfill.  He had to walk by faith at that moment, not by what man can see or comprehend. (Gen 22:9) Because Abraham and Isaac were both obedient to God’s command (Isaac didn’t fight it), God spared Isaac.  Abraham called that place Jehovahjireh (meaning: the LORD will see/the LORD will provide).

Isaac learned from his father, Abraham, to build an altar to the LORD. (Gen 26:25)

Jacob learned from his father, Isaac, to build an altar to the LORD and called it Elelohe-Israel (meaning: the mighty God of Israel). (Gen 33:20)

God told Jacob to return to Bethel (the place of his grandfather’s early altar) and there he was to build an altar unto God as well. (Gen 35) He called it Elbethel (meaning: the God of Bethel). (vs 7)

Jacob couldn’t go off his Daddy’s, his Mommy’s, or his Granddaddy’s altars (walk with God) – He had to have one for himself.  It’s the same for us – we have to get a walk with God for ourselves.

Moses built an altar and called it Jehovahnissi (meaning: the LORD is my banner). (Ex 17:15)  Moses learned to walk with God from his mother, but  he still had to get a walk with God for himself.   Sometimes it takes a wilderness experience to get us to where God can use us in the capacity He desires to.

Later, God gave Moses instructions concerning building an altar of earth to sacrifice burnt offerings upon. (Ex 20:22-26)

Joshua built an altar (Josh 8:30) and later built a GREAT altar (Josh 22:10).

Gideon built an altar called Jehovahshalom (meaning: the LORD is Peace) – Jud 6:24.

Samuel, the Prophet, built an altar to the Lord in Ramah, the place where he dwelt and judged Israel – 1 Samuel 7:17.

 

The children of Reuben and the children of Gad built an altar which they called Ed as a witness between them that the LORD is God. (Josh 22:34)

Sometimes you need to build an altar to remind yourself that the Lord is God!  There is nothing He cannot do!

 

When calamity happens to us or around us, the place we need to run is to the Altar.  Sometimes it’s our prayers and our worship that can change situations for others, not just ourself…

David purchased a threshingfloor from a man named Araunah, a Jebusite, to build an altar to the LORD and offer sacrifice in an effort of worship to the LORD so that He would stop the plague that was killing many in Israel.  In response, the LORD was intreated and stopped the plague. (2 Sam 24:18-25)

 

An angel appeared to Samson’s mother and father (who were childless) before he was conceived to deliver the promise that they would soon have a son.  They were unaware that it was an angel. They thought they were possibly talking to a prophet/a man of God as the angel gave them special instructions concerning what the mother and the child were allowed to consume, not consume, or do. 

After the angel finished giving the instructions Manoah offered a sacrifice to God upon a rock which he used as an altar.   As the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, the angel of the LORD ascended up in the flame off the altar. This is when Manoah finally realized the message was delivered by the angel of the LORD. (Jud 13:20-21)

Sometimes it takes an altar and a sacrifice before God opens our eyes to see the supernatural.

SOME ALTARS ARE BUILT FOR WRONG REASONS….

Balaam was hired by the king of Moab to curse Israel.  He instructed Balak, the king, to build 7 altars and offer sacrifices upon them to see if God would come meet and talk with him. 

God did meet him and instructed him that he was not to curse anyone that He has not cursed. Nor was he to defy God’s people whom He had not defied.  (Num23)  He did not have to offer a sacrifice to know that God would not curse the nation of Israel whom He had promised to bless.

THERE ARE SOME ALTARS THAT NEED TO BE DESTROYED…

Many do not realize they have altars built in their heart that are worshipping the wrong things such as:

Work – they won’t miss work yet they will easily miss Church.  Often this goes hand and hand with money.
Money – seeking and chasing after riches.  Or perhaps not trying to get rich, but working more and attending Church less so they can get money to pay bills or buy a nicer car or bigger house rather than seeking FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  God promised if we do, the rest will be provided.
Fame – trying to become popular and well known; striving to obtain ‘stardom’
God is not a priority – other things are. Prayer and Bible reading are slacking and maybe even shelved because they’re too busy with other things that they ‘have to get done!’ or maybe just want to do. Whatever a person makes a priority above God, above spending time with Him, will keep that person out of heaven.

These are altars built where worship is made to other things whether they realize it or not. 

God warned to have no other gods before Him – that is anything that is made a priority or deemed more important than time spent with Him.

We all need to be careful and watch that we are not making relationships more important than time spent with God. We need to be careful that we do not spend more time fellowshipping with each other than we spend fellowshipping with God.  He is a jealous God.  

And there are altars of distraction that need to be destroyed.

Ex 34:12 – 17, Dt 7:5, 12:3, Judges 2:2, 6:25-28

 

 

 

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU BUILD NEAR YOUR ALTAR…

God warned in Dt 16:21-22 not to place anything that might be worshipped near to the altar.  This is anything that might distract or draw you away from your time spent in prayer and Bible reading. NOTHING should be placed on top of our Bibles – it is God’s Holy Word and should be reverenced.

THE ALTARS OF THE TABERNACLE….

God gave Moses specific instructions for building the Tabernacle and the articles that were to be placed within and without. Where each article of furniture was to be placed was important in how the priests and Levites were to minister before the Lord.

There was only one of each piece of furniture EXCEPT there were TWO ALTARS. 

The first thing that everyone would see as they entered the outer court was the BRAZEN ALTAR (also known as the Altar of Burnt Offering - Ex 39:39, 40:6).  The Brazen Altar was the largest piece of furniture.  It is where the sacrifices were offered to make atonement for the people’s sins.

The Brazen Altar is symbolic as a place of repentance.  We need to have an altar built (a place of repentance) that we go to every day: repenting of every wrong thought, every wrong word spoken, every wrong feeling, every wrong action, rebellion, hate, unforgiveness, fear, worry, anxiety, and so on.  

THE FIRE ON THE ALTAR WAS TO BE FOREVER BURNING AND NEVER GO OUT! (Lev 6:13)

Next was the Laver of Water where the ministers washed.  The Ministers were to wash and be clean inside and out before they could come near any of the altars to minister. (Ex 30:20) 

Inside the Holy Place, just before the Holiest of Holies was the GOLDEN ALTAR (also known as the Altar of Incense - Ex 39:38, 40:5) which represented the prayers of God’s people.  It was a place of intercession.  The incense/the prayers would come up before God as a sweet smell.

It is the coals from the Brazen Altar (Sacrifice & Repentance) that ignites the Fire on the Altar of Incense (Prayers and intercession). (Lev 16:11-13)

 

 

BUT THEN THE ENEMY…

The enemy invaded the land of Israel.  They attacked and tore down the walls of protection.  They invaded and destroyed the altar (place of repentance and sacrifice) and the Temple (Place of worship). They destroyed or stole the things within: the Altar of Incense (Prayers/Intercession); the Table of Shewbread (representing Bible Reading/our DAILY Bread); the Golden Candlestick (representing the Light of God’s presence and the oil of the Holy Ghost).

The fire that was to be forever burning went out.  The light from the candlestick went out. The fire on the altar of incense went out.  The bread was no longer available to feed body or soul.  

Sometimes, things happen in our lives which cause the fires that were once burning brightly to dim and barely flicker. Maybe even go out.

Sometimes it feels like an onslaught from the enemy and other times, he’ll attack in subtle ways sending busyness and distractions to make sure the altar that once upon a time was visited frequently and loving care was given to maintain may now feel like it’s in disrepair. Maybe even destroyed.  The fire is barely flickering.  Perhaps it feels like it has gone out.

The enemy of our soul will attack and distract any way he can to try to keep us from praying, distract us from visiting the altars and offering up our sacrifices of praise or humbling our knees in repentance. 

The enemy of our soul will make sure things keep us from visiting the Table of Shewbread and feasting from the Bread of Life (Bible reading).  

Remember your early altars. 

Is the fire blazing brightly on them? Daily?

Are you daily offering up prayers of repentance as well as prayers of praise, worship, and intercession?

Are you daily feasting from God’s Word?

Are you daily praying in the Holy Ghost and letting His light shine brightly through you?

If not, it’s time to rebuild and repair our altars. 

It’s time to stoke and stir up the fire of the Holy Ghost within us. Get it blazing and burning brightly.

It’s time to rebuild and repair the Temple of the Holy Ghost and make it a place of worship and prayer once again.  We are the Temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor 6:19). 

Are we a place that God is pleased to dwell or is there too much clutter and sin in our lives to make Him feel comfortable and welcome?

Just as they rose up long ago to rebuild the altar of the God of Israel after the enemy had destroyed them, God is calling us to rebuild the Altars in our lives and NEVER let the fire go out. (Ezra 3:2)