DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTION

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTION: The right thigh or the šôq hayyāmîn is reserved for the officiating priest and considered as the choicest part of the animal.

In 1 Samuel 9:24, the right thigh was the portion that was reserved for the guest of honor.

The thigh is one of the tenderest parts of the carcass, and so it is especially suitable for offering to visitors. However, as far as nourishment is concerned, all sections of meat from given animals are of equal nutritional value.

Why would God allocate the best part of the offering to the officiating minister?

It’s because God loves His people, and He has a special blessing for anyone — full-time or otherwise — who would contribute to advancing His Kingdom and doing His work. God blesses individuals and the church community is willfully contributing to His purposes.

Contribution is the modern meaning of târumah, which means to set aside. In the context of the passage, the best portion is set aside. The breast and thigh are approved by God to be the portions of the peace offerings that legally belong to the Aaronic priesthood, and be perpetually due to them. Based on the archaeological excavations at Lachish, Canaanite temple, the ruins had a large number of animal and bird bones, all of which came from the upper section of the right foreleg.

This discovery indicated the ritual of the Israelites of setting apart the thigh. Very few bones had contact with fire, suggested that the meat had been boiled (cf. 1 Sam. 2:13-14), which was a common method of food preparation.

Leviticus 7:35-36 is legislation that ensured the integrity and continuity of the food supply for God’s ministers, starting from the time the Aaronic priesthood was established and ordained.[i]  The one who gives his contribution, for his part, is taught not to worry about food, drink, or clothing for the morrow (Mt. 6:31), since these are unsuitable concerns for those who are seeking Christ’s Kingdom and his righteousness.

The believer who gives his offering can trust that the Lord is his reward, and the Lord would reward him significantly because of his obedience and faith.

For every sacrifice of the believer, the officiating priest received something. It is the priest’s anointed right (Lev. 7:35). He was entitled to a share in sacrifices by virtue.

The breast is said to be a dedication (tənûp̄ah) (Lev. 7: 30), whereas the leg is described as a contribution (tərûmah) (Lev. 7:34).

Dedication is a sacred gift to God and/or his priests, but the contribution is more mandatory. A contribution represented the first stage in giving anything to God. Only certain objects went to the dedicatory ceremony in the sanctuary itself, which is why they are dedicated.

 

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SUPPORTING THE WORSHIP OF THE LORD

SUPPORTING THE WORSHIP OF THE LORD

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Leviticus 7 reveals final directives for the ongoing support of the ministry at the tabernacle. If there is a worship service with offerings that are overseen by God-called ministers, then there is also the responsibility on the part of the worshipper to contribute to the material aspects of the worship service.

Using the specific word “portion” means the author is attributing the portion of the gift exclusively to ordained ministers.

The meat from the peace offerings is one of the main means for supporting the work of the Lord. As an Israelite who is making his offering, he gave the breast and thigh of the animal to the priest as their portion of the celebration. In Leviticus 10:35, the word “portion” occurs only in this passage in the whole Testament. “Portion” is directly translated to mishchah; the same term also means “anointing oil”.

The word is carefully selected by the author because it is translated as “anointed” in verse 36.

This verse pertains to the ordination service of the priests who received an anointing oil as a sign of their unique role. Using the specific word “portion” means the author is attributing the portion of the gift exclusively to ordained ministers.

The order of distribution of the gifts communicated the divine means by which they practice aspects of the worship is provided.

In Leviticus 10, the worshipper by “his own hands” brought the gifts to the Lord (v. 30).

The worshipper sets apart the fat with the breast and lifting up the breast heavenward and this motion represents the declaration that these gifts were transferred from earth to the divine realm.

The distribution of the animal’s parts communicated the way by which God supported operation of the sanctuary, which we can relate to the famous Christian saying, “if it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill.”

The Lord described burning up the fat, which was the portion that was reserved exclusively. The worshipper personally hands over the breast part to the priestly family for their portion. The worshipper also took the right thigh and gave it directly to the officiating priest for his personal portion.

The distribution of the animal’s parts communicated the way by which God supported the operation of the sanctuary, which we can relate to the famous Christian saying, “if it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill.”

The layperson was offering contributions to the Lord, not to the priest per se. However, it was the Lord who reassigned the select portions for his ministers so that they can obtain their daily livelihood.

 This provision for the servants at the tabernacle was continually supplied by the Lord (vv. 34, 36).

The truth of the matter is the priests had no other means of income. As most pastors today, they were totally dependent upon the Lord to provide for their needs. How did the Lord provide for them? He used the contributions to Him to be shared with His ministers.

The New Testament Scripture supports this pattern of ministry support in the pragmatic aspect of sharing the Gospel. Paul acknowledged that Christians in the New Testament church must give to the Lord all they are and all they have. They give out of the means as the Lord has provided for us (2 Cor. 8:3-5; 9:9-11).                                       These gifts to the lord would be used to sustain His ministers and to enable the church’s mission.

Paul’s epistles showed how he taught his churches to give liberally from their resources (1 Cor. 9:13, 14)

As believers, we benefit from the bodily sacrifice of Christ and from the worship of the Lord by His church. We have the duty to make a contribution to the work of the Lord. However, some church members are simply disobedient to this call and neglect the work of the Lord. It’s a heart issue that each individual Christian must deal with.

How can we say we have truly given ourselves, our families, and our destinies into the hands of the Lord if we cannot entrust the Lord with our finances. Is money even an issue to the God of the Universe?

 

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The-Portion-to-Be-Eaten

The Portion to Be Eaten

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“We can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of every menu. We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize quality over quantity. And we can help create a culture-imagine this- where our kids as for healthy options instead of resisting them.”

-Michelle Obama

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.

Genesis 9:3 NRSV

What is given to the priests?

In Deuteronomy 12:17-19, Moses detailed what people cannot eat because of what must be set apart. This measure is holy and it belongs to the Lord. Instead, they must be brought to the Lord as an offering — a sign of the Israelite’s devotion to the lord.

17 Here are the things you must not eat in your own towns. You must not eat the tenth part of your grain, olive oil, and fresh wine.

It belongs to the Lord. You must not eat the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers. Don’t eat anything you have promised to give. Don’t eat any offerings you have chosen to give. And you must not eat any of your special gifts.

18 Instead, you must eat all those things in the sight of the Lord your God. Do it at the place he will choose. You, your children, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns can eat them. God filled you with joy in the sight of the Lord. Be joyful in everything you do.

 19 Don’t forget to take care of the Levites as long as you live in your land. (Deuteronomy 12:17-19)

It’s important to analyze this passage. In fellowship, the people can eat their offering as an activity declared during the time. However, they cannot eat all of it.

In verse 18, Moses said, the offering of the Lord can be eaten and the people are to be filled with joy in the sight of the lord as a result of bringing the offering and consuming part of it.

The priest and his family have the divine right to consume the offering for personal nourishment.

Even when the people consume what they had offered, there is a portion that they cannot touch because it is holy, and the Lord assigns the consumption of this portion to the priest.

In this passage, there is an important reminder for the people. The Lord is saying, “Don’t forget to take care of the Levite as long as you live in the land” (Dt. 12:19). The Levite is the priest. In this context, it is a heave-offering. The priests symbolically lift up what is offered as if to say, “I acknowledge that this is yours.”

A portion of these offerings is assigned to them.  The attending priests receive the offering as his food. The priest and his family have the divine right to consume the offering for personal nourishment.

When God blesses us, it is usually for two things; to provide a seed that we must sow, or to provide food for nourishment. When the people offer up from what God provided, they are sowing a seed. They are making their entire wealth holy. However, for the priest, the portion allotted to them is for personal consumption. The Lord directly says that they are to eat the portion that is appointed for them.

 

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THE BIG PICTURE

THE BIG PICTURE

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The provision for the priests is just a small slice that contributes to what God wants to accomplish.

THE BIG PICTURE:

What is the purpose of the tabernacle that the people are building? Why are there priests who are collecting for this work? Every detail of the tabernacle has been given in order to for a masterpiece to be created. The provision for the priests is just a small slice that contributes to what God wants to accomplish. We should not lose sight of the big picture.

43 There I will also meet with the people of Israel. My glory will make the place holy.

44 “So I will set apart the tent of meeting and the altar. And I will set apart Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.

Ultimately, the Lord wanted to have His signature on the community that builds Him a temple. God explained what He is trying to do with the tabernacle, which is to make His glory dwell among the people. It was so He can meet with His prophet and His people. He was establishing a point of contact so He can speak to them. God wanted to open channels of communication. He wanted a relationship. God said that when everything was holy, then:

45 …I will live among the people of Israel. And I will be their God. 46 They will know that I am the Lord their God. They will know that I brought them out of Egypt so I could live among them. I am the Lord their God. (Exo 29:45-46)

When the provision comes from God and not from secular work, the ones receiving the provision are also made holy.

God took so much trouble in making sure the tabernacle was sanctified, and everything in it was set apart for His purposes. When the provision comes from God and not from secular work, the ones receiving the provision are also made holy. He did it to consecrate a place for the presence of His glory, to live with his people and be their God and so that they would understand the meaning of their salvation.

 

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MINISTRY

God does not expect His people to serve Him in full-time ministry for nothing

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What is the bigger picture? God does not expect His people to serve Him in full-time ministry for nothing. He does not expect pastors to leave their professions to do pastoral work without having any provision to feed themselves or his family. God is not like that. God provides for His church, what more for His priests. He promises to provide for everyone’s needs, and this includes those who are in full-time ministry.

In the Old Testament, God provides for His priest by giving them a portion of the sacrifice. It is a similar context in the 21st-century church. A portion of the tithes and offerings are given to the minister to provide for him and his family.

18 Scripture says, “Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.”(Deuteronomy 25:4) Scripture also says, “Workers are worthy of their pay.” (Luke 10:7) (1 Timothy 5:18)

Even when Scripture defends what God rightfully assigns to the minister, a lot of Christians do not feel they have a part in the big picture.

They understand God provides for His priests, but they feel that it is God’s responsibility, not theirs. They do not feel that they have a part in providing for their ministers and other Christian workers.

Myth: Pastors Should Be Poor

If supporting your ministers is not bringing joy to your generation, then there must be a corruption of the mind when it comes to generosity and obedience.

A lot of people assume that because people in full-time ministry are “godlier” (there’s no such thing), that they can (or should) live in poverty. There are a lot of issues with this mindset.

According to the Bible, a generous share of what we give God rightfully belongs to those who minister in His name. Participating in this ancient practice has brought joy to God’s people. If supporting your ministers is not bringing joy to your generation, then there must be a corruption of the mind when it comes to generosity and obedience.

The blessing does not stop with the ministers. There is a wider principle here. The church is a royal priesthood, in which every believer has the priestly duty to serve the living God. Thus, God is able to provide for everyone who does this duty. It’s just the more obvious and apparent ones in this office are the pastors. The bottom line is this — the God who apportioned to His priests nice, juicy pieces of meat can graciously supply whatever you may need.

 

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GOD’S HOLY WORK

GIVING FOR GOD’S HOLY WORK

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According to Exodus 25, the Israelites contributed to the holy work of building God’s tabernacle.

What is the purpose of this offering?

The Lord said, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them” (Exo. 25:8). At the end of the day, the main purpose of the Lord is still to build a stronger relationship with His people. He wants to dwell among the Israelites. We give to God’s Holy work so that His presence can be with us, because of our obedience and faith.

When we give to the Holy work, when we support His ministers and participate in what He wants to build, God makes us His dwelling place.

God is pleased with our obedience. It is a fragrant offering to the Lord. When we give to the Holy work, when we support His ministers and participate in what He wants to build, God makes us His dwelling place. How wonderful a place becomes when God chooses to stay in it. He begins to dwell in our Church, our households, and our everyday lives.

1The Lord says,

“Heaven is my throne.
The earth is under my control.
So how could you ever build a house for me?
Where would my resting place be? (Isaiah 66:1)

God promised to be present with His people in a special way, not for His benefit, but for theirs. It is not the amount of the offering that attracts the Lord. It is the obedience of the people. God promised to be present with His people in a special way, not for His benefit, but for theirs.

When the Lord’s presence is in your life, not just your church or your household, there is blessing, peace, and joy. You want the Lord in your camp. You must do everything so that His presence dwells among you.

God wants to make His presence known, and He wants other peoples to see what it is like for a nation to have the Lord dwell with them. In the end, all glory would go back to the Lord.

Our tithes and offerings support the local church. They provide for the pastor who preaches God’s Word. They pay for the staff who teach, provide spiritual care, lead ministries, and help meet people’s practical needs.

Our giving also supports the worldwide work of missions. Your offering funds evangelists to preach the gospel, pastors to plant churches, teachers to witness to their students, and doctors to heal physical and spiritual wounds. There is much work to be done, and God is calling you to contribute and to participate in this widescale work that He is doing (and funding) in the world today.

 

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Giving-is-an-act-of-worship

Giving is an act of worship

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The offering is collected as part of the worship service because giving is an act of worship.

The church member is not paying the price of admission or paying our dues. We are offering something to God as an expression of our adoration and praise We are dedicating our wealth to God by giving back the portion God commands to be given back. Psalm 96:8 says, “Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him. Bring an offering and come into the courtyards of his temple.”

Bringing an offering is one of the best ways to express our devotion to God. It is something you do, not just something you say. It’s the walk that backs up your walk. When we bring in our offering, God is not only glorified but we are also blessed in the process. It’s already a blessing to participate in God’s work, but to actually receive material blessings because of our giving is truly out of God’s abundant love for us.

If you think about it, everything we have belongs to God already, and He would be well within his rights to take it back. Instead, God allows us to offer it to him as an act of worship. Imagine a father who gives his children money to buy him a birthday present. The kids are delighted to do this for this father because they love him.

When he opens the gift, he is getting back his own money’s worth. But the giving of the gift is significant for the father-child bond. It’s like that with God. and not about the money or where it came from—it’s about the love that the children express for their father.

It’s not about the money or where it came from—it’s about the love that the children express for their father.

God is the same with us. If He wanted to, God could have performed a miracle and simply built the tabernacle before the people’s eyes. Why did He have to instruct them through the processing of collecting an offering, and building? God wanted to build a relationship with His children. He wanted to go through this messy, teaching process so that the children can know their Father’s heart.

God gave the Israelites an opportunity to contribute to its construction. Throughout the bible and human history, this is how God usually works: He gives people an opportunity to participate. Although people can never repay Him, believers can offer themselves for His service.

All of the things that the Israelites brought were things that they already received from God. They brought gold, silver, and precious gems from the plunder that God provided from the Egyptians. It was God’s grace that the Egyptians even agreed to give them these treasures.

Worship:

35 They did just as Moses had directed them. They asked the Egyptians for things made out of silver and gold. They also asked them for clothes. 

36 The Lord had caused the Egyptians to treat the Israelites in a kind way. So the Egyptians gave them what they asked for. The Israelites took many expensive things that belonged to the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35-36, emphasis added by author)

Aside from this, the Israelites brought wood from trees that God caused to grow from the land. They brought cloth that came from animals God put in their flocks. There was nothing Israelites could bring that did not come from God, to begin with.  God is the Ultimate Cause, and they were brought in everything that God caused to exist.

The Israelites are a nation of slaves, a people without money or power. Like us, unless God gave them something to bring, they would have nothing to offer. They would be incapable of bringing in an offering.  But out of the riches of his grace, he provided something for them to give. Some people withhold the offering that God already gave them the capacity to bring in. God has given us the resources to respond to His grace. Whenever we bring an offering, we are simply giving back a portion of what He has already given to us.

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Giving-is-an-act-of-worship

Raise as a Contribution So I Can Dwell Among Them

Raise as a Contribution So I Can Dwell Among Them

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Raise as a Contribution So I Can Dwell Among Them:

The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.

-G.K. Chesterton

“Your happiest while you’re making the greatest contribution.”

-Robert F. Kennedy

Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7 NRSV

 

A worship service in ancient Israel

In Exodus 24, God confirmed his covenant with Israel in a public worship service. This ancient worship service is similar to what we experience. It’s a call to worship, a confession of faith, a reading from God’s Word, and a celebration of communion.  It was all done in the glorious presence of the Lord on the basis of a blood covenant. Even by this day’s standard, it was a complete worship service.

The only thing the assembly did not do was take it upon offer. However, this is to be rectified in chapter 25. Moses went up the mountain again, as he waited for six days for God’s next instruction on what to do next. On the seventh day, the prophet was allowed to enter the glory of God.

The first thing God said was to take up an offering for the tabernacle. They were to set up a Holy Sanctuary so that God may dwell with His people.

Just like when we have a building project for our church, and we take up a special offering for it, the Lord commanded Israelites to take up an offering specifically to build him a sanctuary. The people were to fund the building of a sanctuary so that He can dwell among us.

Giving and Commitment

Giving to God is a significant sign of our commitment to Christ. Our willingness to give back some of what we own is a strong indicator of spiritual health. A Christian who is not giving is probably not growing. Stewardship helps a Christian grows. When a Christian is giving to the Lord, then he is exhibiting stewardship. A lot of Christians are embarrassed or timid to talk about money. They view their finances to be a private matter, and it’s none of the church’s business.

A person who wants to hear the Word would hear a sermon on giving because finances is an important biblical theme. More than 400 Bible passages talk specifically about money, and a lot more than covers principles for Christian stewardship. Exodus 25 is one of those passages. The instructions God gave a talk about the Christian’s duty to give our best to God — from each of our hearts — for his holy work.

 

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Raise as a Contribution So I Can Dwell Among Them

Deuteronomy.

DEUTERONOMY 12:11-12

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The next chapter talks about the importance of bringing in the offerings that the Lord prescribed, where He commanded it to be brought, and how the people would be filled with joy, as a result. In Deuteronomy,  God places His name in the place He commands people to bring their offering to.

11 The Lord your God will choose a special place. He will put his Name there. That’s where you must bring everything I command you to bring. That includes your burnt offerings and sacrifices. It includes your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. It also includes all the things of value that you promised to give to the Lord.

12 Be filled with joy there in the sight of the Lord your God. Your children should also be joyful. So should your male and female servants. And so should the Levites from your towns. The Levites won’t receive any part of the land as their share. (Deuteronomy 12:11-12)

Correct worship brings a joy the world cannot replicate. Worship is for everyone. The Levite is especially noted because he is not given a place of inheritance like others, but he must still worship in the place God designated.

 

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TARUMAH

TÂRUMAH AS A SACRIFICE

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The heave-offering or the târumah offering is found in the Old Testament. Practicing the giving of the târumah is a spiritual exercise that trains our hearts and minds to keep an altar for the Lord. We are to set apart the târumah offering and to give it generously. The Lord is a holy God and this practice is our declaration of our obedience and trust in the Lord.

Numbers 5:9

According to Numbers 5:9, “All the sacred gifts the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.”  Exodus 23:19 tells us, “The choice first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.” The heave-offering belongs to the priest.

In Numbers 5:9, the term “gifts” here is directly translated as the târumah.

Gifts are made “sacred,” not because one brings them to the priest. Instead, the gift is sacred because the giver sets it apart from his income.

Gifts are made “sacred,” not because one brings them to the priest. Instead, the gift is sacred because the giver sets it apart from his income. The first fruits of the income are set apart as tithes and offerings, as well as târumah or heave offering. The act of separating the first fruits makes the entire income holy because the giver is declaring that God is the source of the entire provision. Even when the giver is sacrificing only a portion of the income, the Lord can bless the whole lot, depending on the attitude of the giver’s heart.

Deuteronomy 12:6: In the passage below, we see that the târumah or the “special gifts” is different from the tithe.

The passage said bring your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. If it were the same, it would have said special gifts or a tenth of everything you produce. Thus, they are different offerings that are commanded of the people.

6 Take your burnt offerings and sacrifices to that place. Bring your special gifts and a tenth of everything you produce. Take with you what you have promised to give. Bring any other offerings you choose to give. And bring the male animals among your livestock that were born first to their mothers. (Deuteronomy 12:6, emphasis added)

Where you are right now, if you have peace in your heart about the local church you belong to, then this is the place God chose you to worship, and you must bring the offering here.

Different kinds of offerings are brought to God’s chosen place of worship. The Lord specifically guides the believers as to where they are to bring the offering. Where you are right now, if you have peace in your heart about the local church you belong to, then this is the place God chose you to worship, and you must bring the offering here. The people are called to sacrifice and to offer it unto the Lord as worship.

Deuteronomy 12:6 is followed by verse 7, which is a verse that speaks of joy:

7 You and your families will eat at the place the Lord your God will choose. He will be with you there. You will find joy in everything you have done. That’s because he has blessed you. (Deuteronomy 12:7)

Giving results in joy, not in sorrow, in the Christian life.

Out of the people’s obedience, there is a joy as a result of blessings. Joy is underlined by the fact that it appeared twice in the chapter accompanying sacrifices and offerings (Dt. 12:12; 18). Giving results in joy, not in sorrow, in the Christian life. We go back to how Paul related generosity with an attitude of cheerfulness:

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You shouldn’t give if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t give because you are forced to. God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

As a people, may we find joy in giving? Our offering to the Lord is not another bill to pay. It is an opportunity to express our true devotion to the Lord. It is a declaration that we treasure our relationship with God more than we treasure our earthly wealth. Moreover, it is an opportunity to experience the blessings and faithfulness of the Lord, as a direct outcome of our obedience.

There is joy when you experience the communal nature of worship life with a local church. It is important to rediscover the joy of community worship, making offerings to the Lord as God’s people. It’s one thing to be called to give individually, but to live together as a church is a whole different experience of communal worship. The early church love feasts. It is after they give their offerings as a community that they also have celebrations as a community.

It’s one thing to be called to give individually, but to live together as a church is a whole different experience of communal worship.

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TARUMAH

LESSONS FROM OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICES

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LESSONS FROM OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICES:

In the Old Testament, when you read through the list of acceptable sacrifices, you should feel grateful that you don’t need to live that way. However, we must take note of how specific God was in giving instructions that dictated true worship. Every sacrifice had a purpose, a method, and a particular application. One sacrifice cannot double for another. Each is separate and individual. Each required a perfect sacrifice — best, without blemish, and carried a cost for the person making the offering. Primarily, we need to grasp that people considered the sacrifice as an investment for the true worshipper; it had a cost to be paid and it required commitment.

Primarily, we need to grasp that people considered the testament sacrifice as an investment for the true worshipper; it had a cost to be paid and it required commitment.

It is true that Jesus is the one-and-only perfect sacrifice. However, if we say Christians must not sacrifice at all, then where does Lordship come in. It is natural that sacrifice is involved because as sinners were are the little lords of our lives. When we say Jesus is Lord and live out this truth, then that in itself is a life of sacrifice.

Presumptive Worship is Not Genuine Worship

It is dangerous to assume that a sense of entitlement because of our relationship with God. We were created for His glory. Presumptive worship is when we expect from God without first giving what He requires. When we do this, we literally take the name of the Lord in vain. It’s a mockery of God’s holiness. We cannot claim something we have no right to use.

Presumptive worship is when we expect from God without first giving what He requires.

If we are unable to sacrifice because we give the excuse of grace, then we are making a mockery of God’s grace. Grace empowers us to worship. God is holy, first and foremost, and He is to be worshipped. He will never allow Himself to be mocked. We must honor His name by making sure that the altars of our lives always contain a sacrifice to the Lord. God would never write His name on an altar of self-gratification.

 

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TESTAMENT

THE-ALTAR-AND-TRUE-WORSHIP

THE ALTAR AND TRUE WORSHIP

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From the very beginning, the altar is a prominent figure in the Old Testament.  An altar is a dedicated place of worship. The first altar ever built signified the growth of God’s relationship with His people. It moves from a simple earthen altar by Abel through Abraham and the more detailed structure that the Israelites structured after the Exodus. Prophets like Elijah raised altars to God. Altars may have varied in look and structure, but the features of worship remain true even today.

The altar was intended to be pure and set aside for worship. The altar never doubled for some other practice object in daily life.

One feature of the altar is it was raised in obedience to the commands of God. They represented a commitment to worship Him according to His prescribed order. They are actually allowing God to tell them how He wants them to worship Him. People never added any décor or embellishment that God did not prescribe. God instructed that the altar contain no man-conceived marking or shape. The altar never doubled for some other practice object in daily life. It’s one purpose is to be a place of worship.

In the New Testament, the altar of God remained the center of worship.

God still requires His altar to be kept pure, holy and set apart for Him. Unless we follow these commands, we cannot claim true worship. The difference is in the New Testament, the altar has nothing to do with physical altars. Grace has done away with a physical altar, but not the principles it embodies. The finite mind of the person needs physical representations of abstract truths. Thus, in order for us to truly understand how we are to set up altars in the modern-day, we must understand the principles, purpose, and reverence people had for altars in ancient times.

Because of the abstract nature of altar-building in the New Testament, as we cannot literally take out our hearts and offer it to God, we tend to disregard the true essence of worship and sacrifice.

The New Testament altar is the person because the Bible said we erect an altar for the Lord in our hearts. Each of us is required to raise up an altar to the Lord. We give Him our hearts, we raise up a temple. Because of the abstract nature of altar-building in the New Testament, as we cannot literally take out our hearts and offer it to God, we tend to disregard the true essence of worship and sacrifice.

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