Altars

Last week we studied about those who "walk with God" as Enoch and Noah did. This week, we will look at one of the great men of scripture, Abraham, a servant and friend of God. We can see Abraham's relationship with God beginning in Genesis 12. For the first time, we hear God's communication with Abram: "Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen. 12:1-3). Based upon those commands and promises of God, Abram obediently left his father's house, which had been in Haran, to begin his walk with God into this new unknown. The LORD brought Abram to the land of Canaan, and promised to give the land to Abram's descendants (v. 7). At the place that the LORD appeared to Abram with this covenant promise, Shechem, scripture says: "And there he built an altar to the LORD who appeared to him." (Gen. 12:7). Shechem, the place in Canaan where Abram built an altar, has an interesting meaning in Hebrew for those who know Christ. Shechem refers to the upper part of the back and shoulder blade area. It can also mean "consent" (see Jn. 10:18) or "portion" (see Isa. 53:12). It is the same word used in the following verses: "...and the government will be upon his shoulder..." (Isa. 9:5, 1 Cor. 15:24-25). and "The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder..." (Isa. 22:22, Rev. 3:7). Shechem also means "the member on which blows are inflicted" (see Isa. 50:6: "I gave my back to those who struck me"), and Shechem also means "those that bear either a burden or a yoke" (see Mt. 11:28-30). The Hebrew root word for Shechem is sakam meaning "to rise up early" (see Jn. 21:1). Therefore, this first place of arrival of Abram in Canaan, having followed God's directions, is also a place of meaning regarding our Messiah, Jesus. To us, therefore, Shechem is the perfect place for Abram to build an altar, a place of sacrifice to God. The Hebrew word and root word for altar, mizbeah/zabah, means just that: sacrifice, slay, offer, to slaughter in divine judgment, to immolate. Abram built other altars to God as God instructed him to: "Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." (Gen. 13:17). Abram built an altar between Bethel (meaning "the house/family of God") and Ai (meaning "a heap of ruins"): "...there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD." (Gen. 12:8). Now, the altar is also used by Abram as a place to call upon the name of the LORD. It is a place of intercession. At one point, as Abram walked the land, he returned to the first altar that he had built at Shechem. An altar is also a place to which we can return in order to re-visit or renew our relationship with God. After having revisited this altar, Abram allowed his nephew Lot to take the seemingly best land for himself in order to end the strife that had arisen because of the two herds sharing the same location (Gen 13:9-11). This must have been a sad day for Abram, as he separated from his nephew, and sacrificially gave him the best of the land, but that isn't the end of the story. Immediately after this (v. 14), the LORD not only repeated His promise to give all of the land to Abram, but also revealed to Abram that his descendants would be so many that they would not be able to be numbered (v. 14-16). This promise of God to Abram was made to an elderly man whose wife was barren. What a remarkable promise this was for Abram to receive! What did Abram do? "Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt...in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD." (Gen. 13:18). Hebron has a powerful meaning in both the Hebrew and Arabic languages. The Hebrew meaning and root is "association, conjunction, to unite, to join together, to couple together". In Arabic, Hebron is referred to as "the city of the friend of the merciful God". Abram found a deeper, more intimate relationship with God at this altar, even as his relationship with his nephew, Lot, changed. As New Testament believers, we may think that the altars built by the patriarchs like Abram have no application to our lives and walk with Christ. However, I think that they have even a deeper meaning for us, not as to building a physical place necessarily, but as establishing spiritual places in our lives that act as altars. We generally overlook the preciousness of the altar in the sight of God, and the impact of the altar in a believer's "walk". As believers in Christ, we also need to keep in mind the kind of altars that we establish throughout our spiritual walk. Are we building altars to the gods of this world? What a terrible shame that would be! Along my spiritual walk, I want to build the kinds of altars like Abram built - altars that memorialize the Lord's sacrifice and promises to me, and places and occasions where I have called upon His name, and He has heard me. Some think that the only altars that are important are the ones that are officially consecrated, and contained within a church building, but the altars established in our personal and intimate walk with Christ are important also, perhaps even more so. These personal spiritual altars are the ones spoken of in the New Testament, as we will see. The locations of the altars that Abram built would have a great importance to Israel in future generations. What of the spiritual altars that we build, and the impact that they will have for future generations? Let's also look at the Hebrew letters in the word for altar, which also have individual meanings, and will give us a deeper look into the meaning involved here. The Hebrew word for "altar" is mizbeah, מִזְבֵּחַ, and the letters that comprise the word are mem, zayin, beth, heh. One of the meanings of these individual letters when placed together is: "The mighty water and blood that comes from within the pierced body is revealed or seen". This is so beautiful to me in the amazing Word of God! Even each individual letter testifies of Christ, just as Jesus told us. The purpose of the altar in our lives, as in the Old Testament, is to reveal the sacrifice of Christ, and the place where we spiritually sacrifice ourselves as we take up our cross and follow Him (Mt. 16:24/Lk. 9:23, Mk. 10:21). Here is the altar in the New Testament: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable (meaning speech, the sayings of God, the living voice, of the mind, soul, spirit) service (worship of God, perform sacred services). And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). We build altars in our lives. They need to be the kind of altars that exhibit Christ's sacrifice and victory for us and in us, and the place where the will of God is proven in us. If you would like to be an altar-builder in your walk with Jesus, you can join in this prayer as I pray for myself: "Lord Jesus, You sacrificed Yourself for me, not on an immaculate, beautifully arrayed altar in a grand edifice, but on an altar outside the holy city, at a place meant for shame where common criminals were executed, at a place called "The Skull". It was at that altar that You called on the Name of the LORD, and took the sin burden of men on Your shoulders. You have called us also to this kind of altar where we take up our cross and follow You. Because of You, it is no longer an altar of shame and condemnation, but an altar for the glory of God, impacting us, and our future generations as well. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit who shows me how I may become a spiritual altar-builder for the glory of God, and for the establishing of His good, acceptable, and perfect will. I ask this in Your name, AMEN."

Walk

We certainly live in extreme times, don't we? I have never seen such times as these. Dangerous illnesses are sweeping through every nation. Extreme weather is occurring in unexpected places and creating havoc. Rage and violence have intruded into every activity: road rage, airplane rage, school rage, workplace rage, subway rage, pedestrian rage, political, economic, racial and social rage. There is an on-going shortage of food and goods. Justice is difficult to obtain. It even seems that a type of tyranny is emerging where the lives of the many are dictated by the interests and strange ideas of the few. The world seems to have been turned upside down, and so many people just want to see everything to go back to the way things were two years ago. They look forward to the future when they can eat and drink freely at restaurants, go to concerts and stadiums again, go back to school as in the past and have graduations, proms, and parties, or attend church as it used to be. People want to be able to marry and have the kind of weddings that we remember, and gather with family and friends like we used to. So many hearts are saddened and perplexed, even fearful. How are we as believers in Christ to go through these trying times? Jesus said that the days leading up to His return would be like the ones that we are now experiencing (see Mt. 24, Lk. 21). He pointed to a similarity to the time of Noah. Noah's time was a time when men's hearts were evil, and violence ruled (Gen. 6:5, 11-12). The human race had been corrupted by rebellious angels, and the offspring produced were physical giants, called Nephilim. Many write that these giants were also tyrants in the earth (see Gen. 6:1-4). In comparing the days of Noah to His return, Jesus said: "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Mt. 24:37-39). However, scripture tells us that Noah was different from the others on the earth: "...Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God." (Gen. 6:9). God began discussing His impending judgment of the earth with Noah long before the event occurred, instructing Noah to build a means of escape and safety for himself and others according to God's specific instructions (Gen. 9:13-14). The term "walked with God" as it was used to describe Noah, was also used to describe another man - Enoch: "After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." (Gen. 5:21-24). I think it would be important to know more about the phrase, "walked with God", since it was uniquely applied to these two very important men connected to very unusual circumstances in scripture. The word "walk" in Hebrew used in these verses is halak, written as הָלַךְ, which means "to go, depart, manner of life, proceed, move, live, to lead, follow". I would especially like to look at the Hebrew letters that compose the word halak, meaning to walk. The letters in this word are he, lamed, and kaph. Each letter in the Hebrew language has a meaning, and we get a deeper look at what it means to "walk with God" as we look at these individual letter meanings. He means "to look, behold, to reveal, to show". Lamed means "a shepherd's staff, to teach, yoke together, to control, to prod, to guide, to urge forward". The letter Kaph used in this word means, "palm of the hand, the power to lift up or suppress, to bend, open, allow, cover". As these two men walked with God, we can see that God revealed or showed things to them: the Shepherd's hook (Jesus is the Good Shepherd) guided them, taught them and urged them forward. As they walked with God, they were also covered by His hand, and understood and walked in God's power to lift up or suppress, to open or close concerning all things that pertained to them, and creation. God wants us to walk with Him in the same manner as Enoch and Noah, and He will get us through the days ahead. Jesus said regarding those who walk with Him, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." He also said, "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." (Jn. 12:26). This Sabbath's reading portion deals with the timely story of Noah in Genesis 6, and also the reading of Isaiah 54. The portion from Isaiah also reflects a "walk with God" and with our Shepherd Jesus, if we will walk with Him as Noah and Enoch did: "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me (says the LORD)...For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed...In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you...No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me", says the LORD." Our walk with God, in the revelation of His Son, is reflected in how we walk. According to scripture, this is what our walk should look like if we are indeed walking with God: we should be walking in newness of life (Rom. 6:4), walking after the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1, Gal. 5:16, 25), walking by faith (2 Cor. 5:7), walking worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1), walking not as other Gentiles (Eph. 4:17), walking in love (Eph. 5:2), walking as children of light (Eph. 5:8, Jn. 8:12), walking in Jesus (Col. 2:6), walking in wisdom (Col. 4:5), walking as Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2:6), walking in His commandments (2 Jn. v. 6), walking in truth (3 Jn. 1:4, see also Jn. 17:17, Jn. 14:6). It means something important to walk with God, and we need to know about it during these difficult times especially. God has provided this privilege for us in order to keep us, protect us, and to bring us through any and every circumstance. There are those who desire to walk with God, and those who don't. I want to be one of the ones who does want to walk with Him, and I want my family to be doing so also. If you would like to begin walking with God, or to renew your walk with Him, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, like Enoch and Noah, I desire to walk with You. You have provided in that walk the revelation of our Good Shepherd, Jesus. I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and rose again from the dead. I want to be one who hears His voice, and follows Him. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can walk in the way that reflects walking with You. I thank You, Father, that in my walk with You, You establish me in righteousness, and You keep me far from oppression and fear. I praise and thank You for calling me, and allowing me, to walk with You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."

Walk

This entry is based upon the Torah and Haftarah readings assigned to last week's Sabbath, and this Sabbath. Even those these two sections of scripture are read a week apart, I believe they have a common thread. As is true with all scripture, these scriptures have insights that are very pertinent to our walk with Christ and these current times. We will see the ruling image of Christ in these scriptures as well. Last week's Sabbath section of scripture in the Parshah, or assigned reading, is titled "Noah" or "Rest". God had concluded that because of the thorough wickedness of men, and the evil that was in their hearts continually, He would destroy men from the earth: "And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." (Gen. 6:6-7). Onto this scene of impending judgment and destruction, Noah is inserted: "But Noah found (encountered, acquired) grace (favor, acceptance, mercy, supplication) in the eyes of the LORD. This is the geneology of Noah. Noah was a just (righteous, correct, lawful, cleansed) man, perfect (complete, without blemish, in accord with truth; finished, to be completely crossed over) in his generations (also an age, a period, to dwell). Noah walked (to die, live, manner of life) with God (Elohiym-plural name of God)." (v. 8-9). Last week's Sabbath section of scripture in the Parshah, or assigned reading, is titled "Noah" or "Rest". God had concluded that because of the thorough wickedness of men, and the evil that was in their hearts continually, He would destroy men from the earth: "And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." (Gen. 6:6-7). Onto this scene of impending judgment and destruction, Noah is inserted: "But Noah found (encountered, acquired) grace (favor, acceptance, mercy, supplication) in the eyes of the LORD. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just (righteous, correct, lawful, cleansed) man, perfect (complete, without blemish, in accord with truth; finished, to be completely crossed over) in his generations (also an age, a period, to dwell). Noah walked (to die, live, manner of life) with God (Elohiym-*plural name of God)." (v. 8-9). (*The use of the name "Elohiym" here for God lets us know that, as a plural, the Son and the Holy Spirit are understood also.) From the Hebrew meanings, including root meanings, of the description of Noah, we can see that he was a forerunner in the Spirit of a follower of Christ in his age. As such a follower, he received the characteristics of Christ through grace. He would provide a place of rest in prepartion for the coming judgment. We are called to have a similar walk with God during the approaching judgment of the earth. Not only would the rest be for himself and those immediately with Noah, but there would be a promise of the same rest for Noah's descendants, his future generations. The haftarah portion from Isa. 54 tells us that God was still keeping His covenant promise established with Noah to show His mercy and kindness to Noah's descendants. God called it His covenant of peace with them. As in the case of the description of Noah here in these verses, we also are "predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren." (Rom. 8:28-30), in our age, which is the age of Christ and His Church. We also therefore are called to provide a place of rest against the shakings and coming judgment of God. That place of rest is the same place of rest as in Noah's day, in Christ. In this week's assigned Torah reading, the section of scripture is called "Lech Lechah", or "Go forth yourself!" It begins in Gen 12, as Abram is told by God: "...Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation...and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen. 12:1-3). In the same way that Noah was described as "just", which in part means "completely crossed over", Abram would begin a journey, or walk, through which he will become "completely crossed over", spiritually speaking. Like Noah, having made this spiritual journey, he will impact many generations, and all the families of the earth. In these first nine verses, Abram is brought from a place of burning, scorching, parching, anger (Haran), to a place of humbling oneself, the bending or falling to the knees (Canaan), to a place where the back and shoulders are offered (consented to) for carrying a burden, and upon which blows are inflicted (Shechem), to the place of teaching, instruction and the early rains (Moreh), to the spiritual place of intercession: positioned between iniquity, perversity, destruction and ruin (Ai) and the House (tent, family, descendants) of God (Bethel). We can clearly see a journey in Christ in these places where Abram was directed to go. This reflects our journey as well as we are brought from death to life through Christ's sacrifice. The work of our walk also includes intercession as we stand between destruction and the House of God, praaying the mercy of God. In the corresponding Haftarah portion for this week's Sabbath, the prophet Isaiah describes the work that was accomplished through Abram, and the generations to follow him: "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, "You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away...I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isa. 41:8-10). The LORD also declared in this assigned passage for this Sabbath, "Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last, I am He." (v. 4). As we see the use of the term "beginning", as well as "first" and "last", we can understand that this reference is to Christ, Who identified Himself in these terms in the Book of Revelation (1:8,11, 17)). Christ's work through our walk with Him, is not just with us, but to establish a relationship with us from which to call future generations to Himself. The journey of Abram was a "walk with God", as it was with Noah. This walk produced the work of Christ in these men, as it is also produced in us. The work is not just a change for one man, but a change impacting many generations into the future. We are assured of this great fruit into the distant future because the generations produced out of this Christ-like work, are generations ordained by Christ Himself, the First and the Last. We can see why this Sabbath's section of the Parsha is titled "Go forth yourself!" We can rejoice in the fruit that the Lord guarantees from every life walked with Him. May you be encouraged in your walk with Christ, and may the Lord bring forth His work of rest out of judgment, and the establishment of His covenant blessing to many generations through us. Our Father has called us to walk with Him in Christ. If you would like to begin to walk with God through His Son, Jesus, Who is the First and the Last, we can pray this life-changing, and life-giving confession of faith: Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me. I believe that You rose again from the dead, and are returning soon to rule and reign on the earth. I confess my sins to You, and believe that You have cleansed me of those sins. I believe I have received the promise of everlasting life in You. Fill me with the Holy Spirit Who will teach me and lead me in this walk to follow You in Your ways of truth and righteousness. I give You thanks for hearing my prayer, and receiving me into the eternal loving covenant family of God. In Your name, I come to the Father. Amen.