|
Many good men and women naming themselves after Christ worship God only because of fear of punishment or hope of reward. This condition, brought to birth and nourished by the hucksters and barkers of the carnival commonly called the "Church", is one which God allows for this time of processing. BUT -- GOD WILL BE WORSHIPPED simply because HE IS GOD -- the `I AM'.
"We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat" (Hebrews 13.10, NIV).
(Other translations of the words "no right" in the above verse are:
All are valid, and need not, as they do some of our nit-picking brethren, further detain us.)
"The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin. They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings and sacrifices of the people and serve them. ...But the priests, who are Levites and descendants of Zadok and who faithfully carried out the duties of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign LORD." (Ezekiel 44.10-11, 15-16. NIV).
There is a call beyond a call and an altar beyond an altar and deep beyond deep -- as the LORD leads His elect onward, and always there are those who GIVE ALL so that they may have a closer communion, a more intimate joint-participation, in Him. It's beyond words; it's beyond the creeds and doctrines of the harlot church whose ministers have changed "I believe" to "It seems reasonable to assume, etc." It's a relationship with Christ, a fellowship wherein we WORSHIP HIM from every avenue and with every aspect of our being.
The word of the LORD came to His people through Hosea:
I think these verses are very descriptive of the present condition of the church that professes to be "christian", weakened and corrupted by luxury, prosperity, and idolatry. I'm not passing judgment on the mega-ministries and mega-churches, because only God knows the heart of those involved in such activity, but there are those who have certainly "increased their altars", they have built their IMAGES, dividing their affection and energy between them all. Their hearts appear to be divided between true worship before the LORD and all of man's other carnal expression -- to entertain in fun, food, and fellowship. Yes, for a while they begin to ascend and draw near to God, --then suddenly they turn back to soulish expressions that appeal to and flaunt the emotions and the flesh.
In Hosea, above, God says in the most emphatic terms that HE will break down their altars and destroy their images. He will shake everything that can be shaken, and the judgment of His house shall be openly displayed.
This is a matter for rejoicing -- because all of His judgments are corrective in nature, and since they are designed to bring His people back to the true altar and worship of the LORD, that's exactly what they'll do. There is coming a restoration of true worship -- a worship that is holy to Him.
(As for the aforementioned "mega" churches and ministries, with their several "services" or "masses" per day, their great numbers of what they name "communicants", I simply remind them that David sinned when he numbered Israel.)
The LORD gave His instructions concerning the altar to be built to Him in Exodus 20.24-26:
"Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. If you make an altar of stones for me, do no build it with dressed stones, for you defile it if you use a tool on it. And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it." (NIV)
These primitive forms were very plain and simple. The first of God's altars were either mounds of earth or piles of rock, but their simplicity didn't rob the worshippers of God's blessings. He, whose throne is in the heavenly places and earth His footstool, has said, without any regard to the pomposity of earthly, man-inspired temples: "Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you." It is manifest that HE causes all honor at His true altar.
Every earthen vessel, every man and woman, can draw near to God RIGHT WHERE HE OR SHE IS, by opening the heart to the Spirit of God, and truly offering himself or herself to Him as a living sacrifice.
There is a simplicity, a singleness, here that is essential for us to understand in this era of apostasy.
Babylon insists that we build a structure, not only a great building, but an organization -- and that we shape it, fashion it, and drape it according to the design and pattern of some particular theological aberration. Then when all conditions are just right, with a form of godliness (without the power, however) --we can worship the LORD. But the LORD says: "MOUND OF EARTH, LUMP OF CLAY, I will come to you and bless you". When we open our hearts to Him, He who inhabits eternity and whose name is Holy says that He'll dwell "with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit" (Isaiah 57.15).
He comes into our earth, and we worship Him at this altar.
We truly desire to be "changed from glory to glory" until we can offer up spiritual sacrifices of rare incense and pure spirit -- yet we see that our LORD has so condescended to mankind that we can give our first offering to Him offered on an altar of earth, the very basic level of mankind and all creation. "...we have this treasure (His infinite life) in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves." (2 Corinthians 4.7, NASB, my parenthesis). God's purposes don't nullify the earthen vessel, because He has secreted His treasure there -- hidden and ever increasing according to His good pleasure, a treasure to be brought to light in His time, no one else's.
Acceptance of our earthen state doesn't mean that we accept sin and evil. We simply realize that Our Sovereign LORD subjected us to this realm of humanity for a period of processing, and we will learn to control our own body (vessel) in a way that is holy and honorable. (See 1 Thessalonians 4.4).
It's marvelous!! We can begin to worship HIM right now, in spirit and truth, though we are still in our earthen state!!
Our gifts are offered to the LORD upon altars of earth, because we know that "...inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." (Matthew 25.40). This great revelation (some say "Maxim") of our LORD has been more abused than used in offering. Even the use is more often than not an ointment applied to the conscience of the giver in hope of purchasing favor in His loving heart.
There are some super-religious people who disdain using an altar of earth -- forgetting God's command and building their own altar of bricks which include the straw of selfishness and self-righteousness. God doesn't recognize such an "altar" -- and any offering made on it would be defiled.
A handful of flowers, a bowl of soup, a cup of water: illustrate as you wish -- if it is given in right spirit of HIS LOVE, given as unto the LORD, He receives it and is pleased. But the altar is polluted if these offerings are given grudgingly, out of a sense of duty only, or because of what people might think. The richest offering in the mind of man is given in vain if given with pride and hope of purchasing our Saviour's favor; the unclean gift on the adulterated altar WILL NOT be received by our God.
It may be that we build Him "an altar of stones". There are probably many applications that can be drawn from this, but I want only to pursue this one: stones are often symbolic of trials, difficulties, "hard times" -- obstacles that are found in our progress. These "rocks" aren't something we ask for and we have no part in their formation because they are produced and placed there by our Redeemer Himself. HE brings these difficulties into our life -- but He says we may build them into an altar at which we WORSHIP HIM. WE FALL ON THE ROCKS AND BREAK -- and offer ourselves as a sacrifice to Him in the midst of hard, stony situations. We praise Him IN and FOR these things -- and purer worship never rises from the heart than during these times when we have fallen on the rocks, are broken before Him, to say from the depths of our being "NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE". Then the offering of adoration, love and praise is complete, acceptable and pleasing to our Creator.
But He has offered a special caution when we build an altar of stones:
"If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you defile it if you use a tool on it."
None of man's craft is to be used in worship!! We must not try to shape the stones to our liking before we accept them as stones for our altar, because MAN'S work, in the sphere of worship, corrupts!!
Further, there are not to be series of steps leading up to the altar. The higher man ascends by his own efforts, the more of the shame of his "nakedness", his self-righteousness, his Unrighteousness, is revealed. God said, "I WILL COME TO YOU" -- and our approach to HIM is quite secondary. Whether we "dress the stone with a tool" or "go up by steps" -- the altar is polluted or our carnality is exposed -- both unacceptable in true worship.
We can do nothing to raise ourselves to an acceptable height...HE COMES TO US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE, and then, by HIS grace raises us up together and seats us in heavenly realms in Christ! (Ephesians 2.6 -- look it up!!).
Jesus once asked the Pharisees, "...which is more important the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?" (Matthew 23.19, NASB). He was directly referring to God's edict concerning a purified and consecrated altar: "...then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy." (Exodus 29.37, NIV). Lawful gifts placed on the altar as offerings were cleansed and set apart, just as was the altar itself.
The law was very specific as to the "gifts" offered. There couldn't be an offering of an animal that was blind, broken, maimed, injured, or anything with warts or sores. There were exceptions but only in particular circumstances. (See Leviticus 17.25 for a fuller explanation.)
Malachi charged Israel with profanity and irreverence because they brought injured, diseased, or crippled animals to the Lord’s altar and kept the best of their flocks for themselves. (Malachi 1.13).
The Holy Spirit tells us in Romans 12.1 to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, "holy and pleasing to God". Obviously, in order for the offering to be holy and pleasing, there must be in it NO mixture of the old man, the Atomic nature. Rather, it is the NEW MAN, the new CHRIST-LIFE in which God will be well pleased. This is what Peter means when he speaks of "offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2.5, NIV). BUT -- no matter how good the offering might be, if the altar isn't one commanded and sanctified by the LORD, the altar sets the "gift" apart to its own realm; a polluted altar pollutes the good gift -- and it is NOT acceptable to HIM.
The LORD admonishes an apostate Israel in Amos 5.23 and tells them, sharply, "Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps." Let's consider this thought: the melody and rhythm and beat of the music are the altar and the words are the offering upon the altar. Many people think that because the words are good, carry a message, and speak of our LORD, that this sanctifies the whole thing to Him.
IT DOES NOT!!
When the beat is the polluted, satanic beat of the world's music -- rock, punk rock, rap, hard rock, whatever -- that beat sets it apart and lowers the altar to a defiled level. All the offering (words) placed upon a defiled altar become noisome, and unpleasantness to God -- and don't produce a true spiritual worship.
Just one more illustration: It has become common practice for entertainers of various genre -- whether "pop", "country", "rock" etc., to close their program with a hymn or two. No doubt this improves the quality of the entertainment -- which isn't difficult to do considering the quality of the "worldly" music already presented -- but it DOES NOT mean that singing of the hymns constitutes worship acceptable to our Lord.
A hymn placed on the altar of a secular music program is relegated to the same level as that altar -- and it is only entertainment, NOT WORSHIP.
I'll not press this point further. Let the Spirit bear witness in our hearts of the various altars we have used to offer Him worship. Perhaps then we can better understand why He, in His great mercy, is removing so many of those altars from our lives. He desires us to stand only before HIS altar -- worshipping in spirit and truth.
Ezekiel 44, (above, page 1) tells of a part of the Levitical priesthood that was permitted (and privileged) to serve the tabernacle. They could perform all necessary duties that ministered to the people who approached the gates. The ministry was severely limited in service and worship, and was people-ward rather than God-ward, but there was another group in the priesthood: the sons of Zadok, whose calling was higher. They had access to another altar, to stand before the LORD and minister to HIM. It was this that the Holy Spirit makes reference to in Hebrews 13.10 where we have read, "We have an altar, from which they who are serving in the tabernacle have no right to eat."
There's a consecration and a sacrifice which goes far beyond the general service and enters into the Presence which is within the veil -- to stand before the Creator and minister to Him only.
There are many who delight in standing before the people, having charge of the gates; seen by all who enter or leave, busy with offerings and programs, and receiving a kind of glory for their ministry from all who observe them. But when this people-oriented ministry is over, how are they prepared to stand before the LORD? Of some we have read that they are "to come near to minister before Me. They are to stand before Me...". Not only are they to COME NEAR -- but they are to STAND BEFORE THE LORD TO MINISTER TO HIM.
Ministry to Him doesn't require a lot of holy-hullabaloo. It DOES require unqualified thorough inworking of His Sovereign grace to bring us to that place in His processing where we are able to just STAND BEFORE HIM with a quiet spirit, and solely by our God-given state of being receive and return His unconditional love -- worshipping Him.
Correctly translated Hebrews 13.10 reads, "We have an altar from which they who are serving in the tent (tabernacle) have not the power to eat". (My italics and parenthesis). This passage indicates the present tense in the Greek present, active participle: "latreuontes" and is just as valid today as it was when written. A lot can be made of the fact that churchanity doesn't allow anyone to partake of the piece of soda-cracker and sip of grape juice (or wine and "host" of the Roman heresy) called "communion" unless they've been "accepted", "confirmed", et cetera, into the fellowship of some denomination. So the people-oriented miscreant ministers of Babylon interpret this passage to have no deeper meaning. Such presumption is a fowler's snare.
In fact, scripture tells us there is a realm beyond the bare satisfaction of ourselves in worship and sacrifice -- for we must offer ALL TO HIM -- every atom of our being. "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name" (Psalm 103.1). In true worship there are no reservations to self -- ALL is given to Him.
Genesis 22 tells us of a time when the inworking grace of God brought Abraham to a place where he could worship without holding back. Abraham was ready to offer his son Isaac on the altar -- a realm of sacrifice and worship beyond anything Abraham had known before. "For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me." (Genesis 22.12).
Yes, Abraham had a son other than Isaac, -- Ishmael -- but Isaac was the ONLY SON OF PROMISE, the only son of Sarah and Abraham, the ONLY son through which Abraham's seed was to be called. And it was this ONLY, this ALL, that was to be placed on the altar -- no reserve, just total giving. With Isaac went ALL -- no other son of promise in the tent to return to. This giving completely stripped Abraham and left him absolutely vulnerable. What God required was all or nothing of Abraham and we marvel at his surrender, and rejoice in the blessing which followed. His giving of all opened the "windows of heaven" for God's ALL in return; a promise that through his seed ALL the nations of the earth would be blessed.
No man could ever be capable of filling the promise and God well knew man's limitations when He promised. In effect that promise was and is the surety that GOD HIMSELF, in due time, would come, partake of the seed of Abraham, and be that great Blesser of all nations for all the ages.
I must again emphasize that there is a dimension of worship that requires total abandonment of self. That dimension is total surrender of all self-gratification and pours out the offering of unreserved submission to HE WHO IS: our Saviour God.
There is an interesting example on record in Acts -- that some refer to as a "parable". Chapter 5.1-2 of Acts tells us: "Now a certain man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back a part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostle's feet."
There was no "law" requiring Ananias to bring all the money from the sale to Peter -- and Peter told him so (verse 4). It seems that Ananias wanted the outward appearance (and perhaps the blessing) of "giving all" while in fact he gave only part.
That doesn't work. It was Ananias' falseness, his inner corruption, that was then dealt with -- severely.
The Greek word for "kept back" in verse 2 and "keep back" in verse 3 are two forms of "nosphisathai" , which means to withdraw covertly and appropriate to oneself; or to embezzle or to purloin (see Titus 2.10). I think EMBEZZLEMENT is an interesting word when thinking in terms of offering to God as a part of our worship. To set apart for self -- to embezzle and hold in reserve for self, means simply that our surrender is not complete -- and we're stealing from the LORD. It means we still want OUR will to be done, OUR plan of salvation, OUR actions of processing rather than His. Sure, we want God's will if it coincides with our will! (Ananias' story is recorded as instruction for us.)
Yes, THERE IS AN ALTAR that requires the unconditional abandonment of self, the giving of ALL. At this altar we have no right to eat or to partake for ourselves, and worship there must flow to God unsullied with self and there is no thought of receiving anything in return.
We shall pursue this further as He wills.
| Home | Reading Room | About | Links | Legal |
|
 |
|
|
Copyright© 2006-2008 Keystone Christian |
Powered by Webnet 77 |