AT THE ALTAR
Sunday 26th June 2022~ Altar Sunday second service
Genesis 12:1-7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built any altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 13:3-4 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the point place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Abraham made a detour from the Lord but when he returned, he went back to the same place where he had built the altar.
When Abraham detoured, God protected his wife because Abraham had a covenant with God at the altar (Genesis 13).
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
The cool of the day refers to the time that God had organized to meet with Adam at a particular place.
God loved Adam. That's why He killed an animal to dress him when he sinned and removed him from the garden of Eden so that he doesn't live outside redemption as a result of eating of the tree of life (Genesis 3:21).
From the time of the fall of man to the time of the cross, God provided means of fellowship with man by the speaking of blood. That is why God killed an animal.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it [is] the blood [that] makes atonement for the soul
We cannot interact with God outside the blood. This means that there must be a sacrifice for any altar to work.
The altar has a voice. That is why when Abraham went astray, the altar still spoke for him (Genesis 13).
1 Samuel 7:10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.
Raising an altar is a sign that you have handed your issues to God and when He starts fighting for you, it is a sure victory. An altar is a place where help comes to you from God (1 Samuel 7:11-13).
Hebrews 4:16 (AMPC) Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
We don't prepare for war in the time of war but in the time of peace.
A time will come in life where you cannot fast, pray, or read the bible but the altar will speak for you like Abraham's altar did in the palace of Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-20).
An altar is a place of complete humility, brokenness, and contrition that will attract the help of God. Otherwise, doing the acts without offering ourselves does not move God, He requires us to offer ourselves (Romans 12:1 GNT).
Genesis 18:1-2 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw [them,] he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground
Abraham was able to discern his kairos moment (set time) even when he was in his usual time. He saw three men from afar but he was able to recognize God among them (Genesis 18:3).
Genesis 18:4-5 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."
Genesis 18:6-8 .... And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave [it] to a young man, and he hastened to prepare
