Not Man-made

Deu 27:5  And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. 

Deu 27:6  Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:

Our pastor believes that we should have an altar in the church for the people to seek the LORD. Many churches have taken away the altars, but we have two. They are wooden platforms, like fine cabinets of hardwood. Last year the pastor wanted to have stone tops made made for the altars. He was searching for the right size and almost decided on a material that was man made.  He changed his mind and procured granite tops for the altars. They had rounded edges and a polished surface. As this was talked about, I thought of these verses in Deuteronomy. Using all natural materials was good, BUT, no iron tool was to touch the stones. We no longer offer burnt offerings on stone altars, but we are to offer ourselves, as in Romans 12:1 and 2. We are living sacrifices. Why were they not to use iron tools on the stones? Perhaps to keep it all God made and not man-made. When men start making things, sometimes the things become objects of worship, like the brazen serpent that Moses made; King Hezekiah had it destroyed.

 

2Ki 18:4  He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

We offer ourselves to God, not by works that we have made, but by faith completely in HIM.

 

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Titus 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It was the tools of iron, the terrible iron nails that hung our Lord Jesus Christ on that cross. Jesus has become our spiritual place of sacrifice. He suffered and died so that we may live, as forgiven people of God. Thank you Jesus, my Lord and my God.

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