Proper arrangement!
Judges 6:25“….and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down."
God hand-picks Gideon as a leader to deliver the Israelites from the hands of the Midianites (enemies) who were oppressing the people of God; however, before entering the battle field, God wanted certain things straightened out at the father’s house of Gideon. God speaks to Gideon in the night: “tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it..”
I have some valuable teachings for you today, especially for those who have embraced Christianity from other religions. Everyday I receive many emails from people seeking advice regarding marriage, their future etc. Now listen, God wants you to be thoroughly cleansed from sin as well as idol worship. God says, “flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14) God further categorically commands not to have anything to do with “ the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:20) Which means, you cannot participate in hindu rituals and partake in their worship. Beware, God has clearly explained what we ought to do! Dear friends, there is a price of obedience and separation that we need to pay in order to adhere completely to the Word of God. There are many people who love Jesus, who attend church, participate in the worship and YET there are idols in their life. They think it is no big deal to just have a few idol pictures, or just visit hindu places of worship( though you may not participate), or perform hindu rituals to please the family. NO, all this is an abomination to God! Observe, God tells Gideon in verse 5 ”tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it;..” Did you get that ? Besides the main altar, he had to also cut down the grove that was beside it, the plantation of young trees, designed to beautify the place. Which means, every small thing that represents idol worship has to be destroyed in your life. Mark it, don’t take your walk with the Lord lightly, God is serious about complete purification, consecration and separation.
God goes on to say, “build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement.” Note, proper arrangement! God directs him to the place where he should build it, on the top of the rock, perhaps in the same place in which the angel had appeared to him, near to the altar he had already built: and he must not do it in a hurry but in an orderly manner. I have a holy fear as I read this! I understand that God wants me take my spiritual walk seriously! If anything is chaotic in the life of a Christian, it is his spiritual life! Christians do not even know where the Bible is, zero knowledge about fasting, ignores church and attends work, smokes, drinks and yet pats himself to be a Christian. Daring and shameless! Many of our lives are in a mess, because we have not built the altar for God in the PROPER ARRANGEMENT! The gardens, the corridor, the balconies, even the bathrooms are in proper order - except the altar for God!
More than white-washing your walls and changing your upholstery for Christmas, it is the right time to check out if you have built an altar for God in your life. In proper arrangement!
Now don't take this impersonally! This is God speaking to you!
