Exodus 29:37b Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

 

 

Where are the altars? 

 

In today’s world, many churches have no altars.  I am afraid we are losing something very important in the scriptures.  The relationship of God, the alter and us bringing ourselves to the place where God works in our lives and heart to make us holy.

 

MOST HOLY

 

In Exodus 29:36-37 God instructs the priest to consecrate the altar by placing the blood of bulls over it as a sin offering for seven days.  God said the altar will become MOST HOLY.

Holiness is God’s work.  Only He can make something holy.  We can never become holy by our own actions.  The source of Holiness is with God. “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty”  Isaiah 6:1-3,  Revelations 4:8.  It was God who made the altar MOST HOLY after the priest obeyed his commands for its construction and consecration.

 

“Whatever touches it will become HOLY.”

 

The altar is made ready and MOST HOLY. The altar is so holy that whatever touches it, no matter how sinful the offering represents,  no matter how long the sin,  no matter how often the failure, the sacrifice becomes HOLY if placed on the altar. It is made HOLY by God’s work and not our own.

 

Walking to an altar

 

The act of us walking to an altar is to acknowledge we need something in our lives that only God can fix.  We need to lay something on an altar that is broken and dirty and allow God to make us HOLY again.  In Matthew 23:19  Jesus is talking to the church leaders and He makes a statement about the altar. “For which is more important—the gift (sacrifice) on the altar or the altar that makes the gift (sacrifice) sacred?

 

It is the act of acknowledging our need for God’s Holiness and our recognition of our sin and brokenness.  The miracle is this…what ever touches the alter becomes HOLY.  That part of us that we know is broken and messy becomes HOLY as we come to the altar of repentance and honesty before God and place our life on His altar.

I remember a time when I knew I needed to repent of jealousy about another pastor’s situation.  I was at a revival and the preacher said if you have sin in your life come down to the altar.  Pride kept me at my seat for a while but as I began to walk to the altar I felt a growing realization,  I was going to meet God and my sinful feelings would be covered by God’s Holiness as I lay my sacrifice (confession and repentance) on the alter.  I stood up from the altar Holy and free.

You can make an altar anywhere but I would hope to see more alter times in churches.  After worship and preaching the hearts of many are ready to meet with God but suddenly,  the service is dismissed.  We need more altars!

The cross became the MOST HOLY ALTAR ever and always.

Jesus died on the cross and that cross became the MOST, MOST HOLY altar.  Take your broken sacrifice to the cross and lay it down.  God will meet you there and His Holiness will be invested into your heart.

There is an altar right beside you

Right now.  There is an altar right beside you.  Place your brokenness and failures on that altar.  Confess your sins and need of Christ’s blood to cleanse your heart.  As you place your sacrifice of confession and honesty on the spiritual altar “whatever touches this altar will be made HOLY. ” In Colossians 1:20-22 “having made peace through the blood of His Cross. And you who were once alienated and enemies through your mind by wicked works He has now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”

Let God’s holiness brighten your lightnside.