Altar- Noah

What is an altar?

When y breakdown the word in the original the word for altar has at its root the original word for sacrifice.

It literally means “the place of sacrifice”

We discussed last week the reality that our lives are to be a sacrifice and that it is on the altar of this body that I present sacrifices to my Lord

And that is the basis for why we will spend time studying the altars in the Old Testament

This body of mine is the altar on which I offer sacrifices to my Lord and savior.

So this week we are going to start the same place we left off last week.

Genesis 8:20

Genesis 8:20 KJV 1900

And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

What is going on in this passage?

Humankind has become so corrupt that God determines to whip out all of mankind with a worldwide flood.

This is Gods judgment on mankind.

What then is Noah trying to communicate through this offering?

Thanksgiving for Gods mercy

If we look back into chapter 6:5 we see that the wickedness of mankind was “great on the earth”

But then we read my favorite words in Scripture...”But God”

God looks around and sees Noah and responds in grace towards him (8)

Noah endured the ridecule for believing it would rain

Noah endured the 40 days and 40 nights in the ark

Noah was not judged like the rest of mankind but he still endured a portion of Gods wrath.

In spite of the events he endured how does Noah respond?

With thanksgiving!

How do we offer thanks to God…when…where?

1- We can offer thanks privately anytime.

It takes you no extra time or energy to thank God for things as they happen.

Luke 18:43 KJV 1900

And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

tells of the 10 lepers. They call out to Jesus to heal them.

He tells them to go and show themselves to the priest, as they go they notice taht they are healed. One of them puts this into practice…as soon as he saw he was healed he turned back and glorified God

I see thanksgiving like prayer…y cannot and will not be corrected for doing it too much.

It is just a matter of developing the mindset to see the hand of God in our lives and take the time to thank Him.

Or you can make it a part of your personal time with the Lord (Matthew 6:6)

2- We thank Him publicly.

Listening to how god works in the lives of others ought to be encouraging to other believers.

I understand that at times it can be a challange

College and thanks chapel

The thanksgiving of other believers ought to strengthen our faith in God.

Back to the 10 lepers, his recognition and thanks was done publically

In almost every epistle Paul is thanking God

Miriam sang and danced in praise and thanksgiving after the Lord allowed them to cross the Red Sea on dry ground.

David thanks God for victory over the Philistines

Solomon publicly thanked God for the Temple

Jesus publically gave thanks before feeding the 5000 and before the Last Supper

And others

It is intentional that we have testimony time

It allows us to glorify God and encourage one another

3- We ought to give thanks to God as families.

This is a way to help grow the faith of our children.

As we give thanks to God it displays the character of God to our children.

4- We display our thanks by being benevolent.

What God has so graciously given to us can be used to meet the need of another.

then not only can you physically display your thanks you also have the opportunity to verbally thank God for the provision and opprtunity to bless someone else

Then that individual has the opportunity to give thanks to God for His provision through you.

What can we thank Him for?

1- His love

2- His mercy

3- His provision

4- His forgiveness

5- His Word

6- His creation

7- His people

8- His plans

9- For His correction

10- For everything

Lets use our lives and these bodies to declare thanks to the Lord