Back To The Altar
Genesis 12:7 (KJV)
And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
I was raised on “black river road,” it has a letter but we never called it by its letter just black river road. About a mile and ½ up on the left hand side of the road was the house that I will always think of as home. Growing up the youngest of eight children and the seventh son, it was a necessity for mom’s sanity that when the weather permitted, we played outside. We lived on land that connected to Mark Twain forest, so there was no limit to places to play. There was however, one place that was our favorite. We called it Rock Mountain. The granite protrudes up into the sky, as a little boy, it seemed to be a thousand feet. In reality it was much less and just a little smaller mass of rocks than Elephant Rock State park which was across the way from our house. It was on this mountain of granite that many of the memories that I have growing up took place. We use to hunt rattle snakes there, climb the bluffs, have rock fights, play hide and seek, it was there that my brother Darren use to trap. And there where he got sprayed by a skunk one day before school. Some people will do anything to stay out of school. Anyway, on the east side of this mountain, was a great hiding place. You had to climb down through the rocks and down along the side of the rock to a place where a larger boulder overhung, producing a cave of sorts. That is where my brothers would stay when they ran away from home. It is where I dreamed of mountain lions and explorers, of gold diggers and dinosaurs. A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of walking with Tammy and the girls up to “Rock Mountain.” I am sure they enjoyed it as much as I did. We walked over Moss Mountain and I told them of forts and cowboys and Indians, and a thousand other stories about “when I was a kid.”
It wasn’t long until we reached the place that I had not seen for nearly 20 years. It was awesome! I probably was the only one that thought so but in front of me was that place where dreams lived. As we began to climb some of the rocks I saw that place. There on the east side of the mountain was, ‘The cave!’ Memories came alive as I relived those days from long ago. I just had to go check it out. As I walked up the rock and down the side of the mountain, which by the way has gotten smaller than when I was a kid, I arrived at this wonderful hide out. Now my point in sharing this story with you was so that you could go with me to a place that though insignificant to many was a place of awe and wonder to me and those of us who spent time there. It was a place where I would go when a spring or summer rain would come up and I wanted to find a refuge from the storm, or where more than once I would just sit and think.
As I shared that story, many of you began to think of those special places that were a refuge in your life, a get a way if you will. Friend, I want you to know, there is a place of refuge that is even more important to me than that place at “Rock Mountain.” There is a place that I have run to when the storms have come up and a place that I have gone to when I just needed to meditate. It, like that childhood hiding place is a place where I can hide in the cleft of the rock, it is the greatest place that I have found to go. It is that wonderful place called the altar of prayer. I remember long nights kneeling at what they use to call the mourner’s bench until the thing that drove me there was no longer important. My first trip there was when I met the Master and he took my sins away and it was there that I prayed through to the sweet Holy Ghost! I know that you can pray anywhere but there is something special about the altar. The altar is where countless thousands and dare I say millions have come and found a refuge for the soul.
Listen to the words of our General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Brother Thomas Trask; “One of my greatest concerns is the lack of an altar within the church, that entire area between the pulpit and the first pews. It’s there that conversion takes place. It’s at the altar that people met God. It’s at the altar that lives are changed. I appreciate the worship that God has brought to the church, and that’s needful, but worship must never take the place of the Word or the altar… So worship, yes-but then the Word followed by the altar.” He went on to say, “I kind of stand on tiptoes and say, God, what are You going to do, how are You going to do it, and where will it break out? I just want to be in the center of the coming revival…!” I want the Assemblies of God to be big enough in God that we can say, “Whatever You want to do, just breathe upon us! Let it be fresh from Your throne!”
Friend, I echo that sentiment and say, “It all starts at an altar of prayer!’ Before the fire fell, Elijah had to rebuild the altar. And before the fire fell, he made sure the wood was wet. I still believe that when the wood is wet the fire will fall. God won’t send the fire in some of our churches because the fire would destroy us. You have to soak the wood of the altar with hot tears. The natural mind says, “How can there be a fire when the wood is wet?” May I remind you, we are not looking for a natural fire! We are looking for a blazing infernal of God’s Holy Ghost and Fire to come down once again and do what He did on the day of Pentecost! Set the Church on Fire! Lord Set the Church on Fire!
Thank God for the Fire! Thank God for the Altar! That sacred Holy place where Heaven meets earth!
The Theological Significance of the altar;
Altars in the Bible were places of sacrifice. Beyond that function, altars also were places of God’s presence. The patriarchal narratives regularly record the building of an altar at the site of a theophany, a place where God had appeared to an individual (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 26:24-25). It was quite natural to build an altar and commemorate the appearance of God with a sacrifice. If God had once appeared at a site, that would be a good location for Him to appear again. Thus sacrifices would be offered there with the feeling that God was present and would accept the offering. With the building of the Solomonic Temple, the presence of God was associated especially with the Ark of the Covenant. The altar of burnt offering then came to signify more of a sense of reconciliation or mediation. The worshiper brought a sacrifice to the altar where it was burned and thereby given to God. The acceptance of the offerings by the priest symbolized God’s acceptance, manifest in blessings (Exodus 20:24) and covenant renewal.
Altars were:
• Built by Noah. Genesis 8:20
• Built by Abraham. Genesis 12:7-8; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 22:9
• Built by Isaac. Genesis 26:25
• Built by Jacob. Genesis 33:20; Genesis 35:1-7
• Built by Moses. Exodus 17:15; Exodus 24:4
• Built by Balaam. Numbers 23:1; Numbers 23:14; Numbers 23:29
• Built by Joshua. Deut. 27:4-7; Joshua 8:30-32
• Built by Reubenites and Gadites. Joshua 22:10; Joshua 22:34
• Built by Gideon. Judges 6:26-27
• Built by Samuel. 1 Samuel 7:17
• Built by Saul. 1 Samuel 14:35
• Built by David. 2 Samuel 24:18-19
• Built by Elijah. 1 Kings 18:31-32
Now I don’t know about you but if these men needed an altar then I need an altar.
Abram built an altar to the Lord.. Built of rough stones and earth, altars often remained in place for years as continual reminders of God’s protection and promises.
The Altar in the Bible was a place of sacrifice. Beyond that function, altars also were where the presence of God was made known.
The Place
The patriarchal narratives regularly record the building of an altar at the site of a theophany, a place where God had appeared to an individual (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 26:24-25). It was quite natural to build an altar and commemorate the appearance of God with a sacrifice. It can be anywhere but I think the most natural place for an altar is in the House of God, right up front where our commitment is known to all, not as a show but as a testimony. I have heard it said that you don’t have to go to the altar to pray. There have been times where individuals have gotten mad at me for pushing so hard for folks to come to the altar but I am more convinced than ever that there needs to be a designated place to meet with the Lord. In some churches, the only ones who come to the altar are sinners, people have never been taught that this place of sacrifice is also a place of worship. Here at the altar the presence of God is felt and the Glory of the Lord comes down. Thank God for the place where I was saved, but I am glad to report to you, if he met you there to receive your sacrifice he’ll show up there to accept your praise. He’s waiting for His church to get back to the altar.
The purpose
Abram regularly built altars to God for two reasons: (1) for prayer and worship, and (2) as reminders of God’s promise to bless him. Abram couldn’t survive spiritually without regularly renewing his love and loyalty to God. Building altars helped Abram remember that God was at the center of his life. Regular worship helps us remember what God desires and motivates us to obey him.
Let me say that the purpose of the altar is to have a meeting place, a designated, dedicated place where though there are a thousand onlookers, I can have a God encounter. That place where I can come and cast all of my cares on Him, where I can come to rejoice or weep. It’s purpose is what ever you may need. It’s what every one of us need. You may say, “Pastor, I regularly go to the psychiatrist when I need to unload some burdens.” No my friend, at the psychiatrist’ office you share your burdens with someone who can only listen, when you come to the altar and tell it to Jesus, you find a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is the mountain mover, load lifter, and life changer. He is the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent God and he is calling His church back to the altar. At the altar you will discover your destiny. At the altar you will hear the voice of the Shepherd telling you that you are His and your burden is His. It is a place of worship, where with hands raised and tears falling you can shout for all that He has done in your life. As my home pastor used to say, “where heaven comes down and the earth goes up and you are right in the middle of the smack!” At the altar sinners become saints and saints become sanctified, and sanctified people accept the call to carry the Gospel of Jesus to a world that’s lost and dying.
The Power
Altars were used in many religions, but for God’s people, altars were more than places of sacrifice. For them, altars symbolized communion with God and commemorated notable encounters with him. The power of the altar is unspeakable. To many it’s just a piece of wood but to those of us who have walked down that “green mile” where the sin man dies, we can testify that it’s where the power of sin meets the power of God. When I went to the altar I died, and suddenly God showed up and breathed life into me. There is power when I kneel in that holy place and cry out to God. I don’t know what your need is today but let me tell you that what every one of us needs is a place to pray. We need a place to die and live again. There is power not so much in the altar as there is in the one who is waiting for you there! He stands with arms outstretched, crying, “Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” How many of us could say, “it was at an altar that I met Jesus.”
The Problem
In far too many of our churches we have removed the altar and relegated the Spirit of God to the back room or totally out of the building. We preach great messages and sing great songs but we fail to give place where they can meet with the Great God. For that reason people leave with good ideas and warm fuzzy feelings but lives are not transformed. On Monday when they are confronted with the powers of darkness they lack the strength to push back, they are weaponless and defenseless.
The Plan
What is the solution? There is only one conclusion! Last year when I was facing what was undoubtedly one of the most trying times of more than 25 years of preaching, I was awakened in the midnight hours with a dream that I believe was from the throne. I saw in this dream an altar being built and I heard from heaven, “It’s time to build again the altar of the Lord!” From that time that’s what we have set out to do. Today is the day that we move into the next chapter of our destiny. Today we say to the King of Glory, “We welcome you into this house! We will offer you our very best worship, we will step up to the next level in every facet of ministry and we will build again the altar of the Lord!” Father you deserve nothing less! I believe it’s time to bring the altars back into the church and it’s time to get the church back to the altar.
The master is waiting, your healer is waiting, your peace is waiting, your deliverer is waiting! What are you waiting on! Come, come, come says the spirit!
