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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD
Encountering an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue #291 October 14, 2001
ALTARS OF BRICK
I came across a little passage in Scripture the other day, which was revealed in a new way (new to me). It deals with building altars, something we’re not in the habit of doing in everyday life, but it is really relevant to our daily lives.
All day long I [the Lord] have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations -- a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; Isaiah 65:2-3 NIV
I’d never paid much attention to the offering of altars made on brick before. It ties back to God’s instruction about building altars:
If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. Exodus 20:25 NIV
They were to use strictly natural stone, because the altar sanctifies the gift and it must be holy. If the altar was made of brick or carved stones, it would represent the workmanship of men not God. Those who made the sacrifice would be doing it on their own efforts not based on God.
So what? We don’t build altars anymore, and we don’t give blood sacrifices like they did in Old Testament times. How could this possibly be relevant?
We do offer sacrifices in a sense, when we accept and serve Christ we are offering ourselves as living sacrifices. The question is, on what altar do we give them?
Do we offer ourselves based on our own efforts and merit, trying to earn our favour with God? Or do we do so, knowing that our sacrifice is only acceptable to God because of what Jesus did on the cross?
You don’t need to offer yourself based on your own efforts and perfection. You can’t. Only through acceptance of Jesus, His death and resurrection, will your sacrifice be acceptable.
Until next time, may all you offer to God be done through the power of Christ not on an altar of brick.
God bless.
Kevin
Are you working hard on being a "good person" to gain favour with God? That won’t do the trick. To gain favour with God, you simply accept His offer.
Email me and I’ll share some Bible verses that will explain why a relationship with Jesus is important and a prayer that will make it possible.
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© 2001 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin
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