SUNDAY August 6, 2017
The Altar of Our God
We cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for bringing the wood offering into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God as it is written in the Law. - >Nehemiah 10:34
Among the priests and the people, were chosen those who would bring wood into the house of God. They made an altar for the burnt sacrifices, according to what was written in their Law (Exodus 38:1-7). In the Old Testament, God required an animal sacrifice for sins. Hebrews 9:22 explains: And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Interestingly, God tested Abraham and told him:
“Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2).
Abraham obeyed the Lord:
So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together (Genesis 22:6).
Isaac questioned the absence of the sacrifice in verse 7:
“My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Abraham answered: “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” God did not allow Isaac to be killed as He had provided a ram in the thicket (Genesis 22:8-14). On that very same place; 2000 years later, Jesus died on the cross. The Lord had provided an offering, Jesus became a living sacrifice. Our heavenly Father gave to us His only Son for the sins of the world (John 3:16).
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
~John 1:29~
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