The Altar

There is no altar in Eden.

Genesis 4:1–5 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.”

I know that some of you will say that the clothes of skin Adam and Eve recieved must have must have come from some place. That must have been the first substitutional death. I get that, its important, I want to focus on the altar. There were two sacrifices Cain’s was of the ground, able’s was of the flock. It says right in there that Cain was a tiller of the field. If God had accepted Cain’s sacrifice He could have said. Look what I have done, it was a sacrifice of Faith!

Cain came to the altar with his works and was rejected.

Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

Able came to the altar with faith in the blood and was accepted.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Fear the God of the Altar.

Exodus 20:18 “Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off.”

God is Holy and all powerful, He set the standard of perfection, the law. Because God is Holy and terrible, not bad but His holiness invokes terror. We are a far off. Seperated for the God of the altar.

The law keeps you far from God!

Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Do you notice how Christ is the answer to all this, Christ died in our place, it is Christ who brings us near, it is CHRIST CHRIST CHRIST!

The law teaches us we deserve death, the fear of the God of the altar brings life.

Exodus 20:19 “Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.””

Ephesians 2:1–2 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,”

I don’t care if you want to look at Ephesians 2 or Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” either way law and sin bring death in the holy presence of God, but we find life at the altar

Fearing God keeps you from sin. (Breaking the Law)

Exodus 20:20 “And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.””

The law teaches you sin, God keeps you from sin. We come to the altar paid for by Christ to come near to God, we are spared death that we deserve in the presence of God at Christ’s altar, we come to the altar to keep us from sin. The altar is important. Why do you avoid the altar? You afraid of what people will think?

The God of the Altar brings you out of darkness.

Exodus 20:21 “So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.”

Jesus went to the altar to bring you out of darkness.

John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””

Why know the fear of the God of the altar?

The Law brings, death, separation, sin, and darkness.

Christ and His death the sacrifice for sins, the shedding of blood his gift on the altar fixes them all. Do you fear death come to the altar, do you feel lonely depressed come to the altar, are you a sinner tired of your sin. Come to the altar. Are you living in darkness, do you feel the darkness in your heart, come to the altar!

The Altar

The altar was a memorial.

Hebrews 10:1–5 “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.”

In the millennial kingdom there will be an altar.

Isaiah 56:6–8 ““Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant— Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.””

It is very interesting three prophets say that there will be animal sacrifices during the 1000 year reign of Christ at the marvelous temple that will trump all others. These sacrifices never did and never will pay for sins they are a memorial of the cross. We live at a unique time in history were we don’t sacrifice animals as a reminder of the cross. But we clearly remember the sacrifice of His son on the cross. Never forget it.

The Altar comes from heaven.

Exodus 20:22 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.”

Jesus came from heaven to die on the altar of the cross.

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Altar is simple, focus your attention on the sacrifice.

Exodus 20:23–24 “You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you.”

There is nothing elaborate about a cross it isn’t special. The cross is where Jesus died for your sins that is all. No fan fair no pomp no circumstance just two sticks of wood I am sure that they were plained and some nails. Look at the Savoir on the cross.

Look at Jesus

Hebrews 12:2 “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The Altar has nothing to do with you.

Exodus 20:25–26 “And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’”

No Hewn stone.

Daniel 2:34–35 “You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

There was to be no craftsmanship on the altar. You corrupted the altar with your handiwork. You corrupt Christ’s sacrifice if you think that you will do anything to earn your way to heaven. You can’t earn your way to heaven.

You can’t earn your way to heaven through the Law, Salvation is found at Christ’s altar.

Galatians 2:21 “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.””

God gives the Law, immediately He provides the altar.

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Sacrifice is made at the Cross forgiveness is found at the cross. Heaven comes down sacrifice was made the Savior of the broken Law. Remember Seperation, Darkness, Sin, and death are defeated at the altar. Jesus died already this is a memorial. Christ died once for all. COME TO THE ALTAR, the mercy seat, bring your burdens law them at the feet of the Savior. Why do you carry them. JESUS WANTS TO SAVE YOU!