Family Matters 7 | The Family Altar

Family Matters 7 | The Family Altar (Genesis 35:1-7)

The altar represents the place of worship, prayer, and sacrifice to God.

Christian families have neglected the family altar of prayer at the home in these last days.

1 Kings 18:30 “And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.”

Setting Up The Altar

Make - manufacture - to work materials into suitable forms for use.

Decision to Build (vs.2)(then Jacob said), (vs.3) (I will make there an altar)

The head of the household made the decision to obey God and build an altar!

Your wife shouldn’t have to beg you to have a family altar.

Your children shouldn’t come crying to you begging you to have a time of prayer.

Directions to Build (vs.2)

Remove Idols (put away strange gods)

2 Corinthians 6:14–16 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

Rinse Inwardly (be clean)

Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me:”

1 John 1:6–9 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Repent of Iniquity (change garments)

Ephesians 4:22–24 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Return to What’s Important (vs.3) (Go to Bethel)

Genesis 31:3 “And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.”

Bethel - “house of God”

Sacrifice for the Altar

(vs.4) They gave to Jacob

Sacrifice Their Paganism (vs.4)(strange gods)

Sacrifice Their Pride (vs.4)(earrings)

Sacrifice Permanently (vs.4)(hid them under the oak)

Shechem means “back”

we need to dig a grave and bury some things and let them die so we can get the family altar built!

Supplying Before the Altar

Because Jacob and his household were getting their hearts right and starting to obey God’s commandments, God supplied for them, even before they built altar.

Supplying of Strength (vs.5) (they journeyed)

Shechem to Bethel was 1000ft elevation up in elevation geographically.

We need strength in this life. They only way we can get help is in the Lord and asking for it at the altar!

Come boldly!

Supplying of Security (vs.5) (they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob)

Psalm 17:4 “Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.”

Showing Up After the Altar

Rearing up of the Altar (vs.7)

Response of the Almighty (vs.9-15)