THE ALTAR PART TWO

A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER

GENESIS 28: 10 AND JACOB WENT OUT FROM BEERSHEBA, AND WENT TOWARD HARAN. 11 AND HE LIGHTED UPON A CERTAIN PLACE, AND TARRIED THERE ALL NIGHT, BECAUSE THE SUN WAS SET; AND HE TOOK OF THE STONES OF THAT PLACE, AND PUT THEM FOR HIS PILLOWS, AND LAY DOWN IN THAT PLACE TO SLEEP. 12 AND HE DREAMED, AND BEHOLD A LADDER SET UP ON THE EARTH, AND THE TOP OF IT REACHED TO HEAVEN: AND BEHOLD THE ANGELS OF GOD ASCENDING AND DESCENDING ON IT.

13 AND, BEHOLD, THE L ORD STOOD ABOVE IT, AND SAID, I AM THE L ORD GOD OF ABRAHAM THY FATHER, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC: THE LAND WHEREON THOU LIEST, TO THEE WILL I GIVE IT, AND TO THY SEED; 14 AND THY SEED SHALL BE AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH, AND THOU SHALT SPREAD ABROAD TO THE WEST, AND TO THE EAST, AND TO THE NORTH, AND TO THE SOUTH: AND IN THEE AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.

15 AND, BEHOLD, I AM WITH THEE, AND WILL KEEP THEE IN ALL PLACES WHITHER THOU GOEST, AND WILL BRING THEE AGAIN INTO THIS LAND; FOR I WILL NOT LEAVE THEE, UNTIL I HAVE DONE THAT WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEE OF. 16 AND JACOB AWAKED OUT OF HIS SLEEP, AND HE SAID, SURELY THE L ORD IS IN THIS PLACE; AND I KNEW IT NOT.

17 AND HE WAS AFRAID, AND SAID, HOW DREADFUL IS THIS PLACE! THIS IS NONE OTHER BUT THE HOUSE OF GOD, AND THIS IS THE GATE OF HEAVEN. 18 AND JACOB ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND TOOK THE STONE THAT HE HAD PUT FOR HIS PILLOWS, AND SET IT UP FOR A PILLAR, AND POURED OIL UPON THE TOP OF IT 19 AND HE CALLED THE NAME OF THAT PLACE BETHEL: BUT THE NAME OF THAT CITY WAS CALLED LUZ AT THE FIRST.

JACOB BUILT AN ALTAR TO COMMEMORATE HIS ENCOUNTER WITH GOD 1. THE LORD MET JACOB IN A TIME OF CRISIS. 2. GOD BLESSED JACOB WITH A PROMISE OF DIVINE PROSPERITY. 3. GOD SPOKE A WORD OF PROTECTION OVER JACOB. 4. JACOB RECOGNIZED GOD’S PRESENCE AND RESPONDED BY BUILDING AN ALTAR AND RENAMING THE PLACE BETH-EL (THE HOUSE OF GOD)

HOW IS THIS ALTAR A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER? 1. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE GOD MEETS PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CRISIS. 2. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE GOD GIVES YOU A WORD FOR YOU TO PROSPER AND FOR YOUR SOUL TO PROSPER 3. THERE IS SAFETY AT THE ALTAR FOR THOSE THAT SEEK GOD. 4. THIS IS PLACE WHERE PEOPLE RECOGNIZE GOD’S PRESENCE AND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE A NEW IDENTITY.

A PLACE OF FORGIVENESS

THE BRAZEN ALTAR: EXODUS 27:1-20

ITS USES. IT WAS - (1) THE PLACE TO WHICH THE PEOPLE BROUGHT THEIR OFFERINGS TO GOD; (2) THE PLACE AT WHICH RECONCILIATION WAS MADE FOR SIN; (3) THE PLACE ON WHICH THE PARTS OF THE SACRIFICES WHICH BELONGED TO GOD WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE.

HERE, AT THE ALTAR, WERE THE VICTIMS SLAIN; AROUND THE ALTAR THE ATONING BLOOD WAS POURED OR SPRINKLED; IN THE CASE OF THE SIN OFFERING, THE BLOOD WAS SMEARED UPON THE HORNS: WITH LIVE COALS FROM THE ALTAR DID THE PRIEST REPLENISH HIS CENSER WHEN HE WENT IN TO BURN INCENSE BEFORE THE LORD.

ON THIS ALTAR WAS LAID THE DAILY BURNT- OFFERING, TOGETHER WITH THE "SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS," "THE BURNT-OFFERING, AND WHOLE BURNT-OFFERING" (PSALM 51:19), BY WHICH THE PEOPLE EXPRESSED THEIR CONSECRATION TO GOD. HERE WERE CONSUMED THE FAT AND CHOICE PARTS OF THE PEACE- OFFERINGS, ETC.

ITS TYPICAL SIGNIFICANCE (1) THE ALTAR, AS THE PLACE OF ATONEMENT, REMINDED THE WORSHIPPER OF SIN, AND OF HIS NEED OF CLEANSING FROM SIN'S GUILT. IN THIS WAY, IT POINTED FORWARD TO CHRIST, IN WHOM THE WHOLE RITUAL OF SACRIFICE REACHES ITS CONSUMMATION.

(2) AS THE ALTAR OF BURNT-OFFERING, IT TAUGHT THE DUTY OF UNCONDITIONAL AND ENTIRE SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF GOD. THIS OFFERING UP OF THE WHOLE BEING TO GOD IN INWARD CONSECRATION UNDERLIES THE SPECIAL ACTS OF CONSECRATION SYMBOLIZED IN THE SHEW-BREAD, IN THE LIGHTED CANDLESTICK, AND IN THE ASCENT OF INCENSE FROM THE GOLDEN ALTAR.

(3) AS GOD'S ALTAR, IT WAS A WITNESS TO THE DIVINE READINESS TO PARDON; YET A TESTIMONY TO THE STERN TRUTH THAT WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION (HEBREWS 9:21-22). 21MOREOVER HE SPRINKLED WITH BLOOD BOTH THE TABERNACLE, AND ALL THE VESSELS OF THE MINISTRY. 22AND ALMOST ALL THINGS ARE BY THE LAW PURGED WITH BLOOD; AND WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION.