Serving at the Altar

Serving at the Altar

“For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.” Heb. 7:12-14.

Everything changed with Jesus: the priesthood, the law, and the altar. It was no longer a human family, the children of Levi, who were to serve as priests and at the altar. Everything was transferred to the inner life according “to the power of an endless life.” V. 16.

God was not pleased with an altar made of stone. He wanted an altar in the innermost heart. Jesus served at this altar, and we are to serve at this altar. It is in vain if we sacrifice all our possessions and give our body to be burned if the fire of love is not burning on the altar of the heart.

In the old covenant God had fellowship with Israel when the fire was burning on the altar. However, their hearts were not always in these sacrifices. They sacrificed both lame and blind animals instead of pure and spotless ones. In Malachi 1:10 we read, “‘Who is there even among you who would shut the doors [of the temple], so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.’” Many useless sacrifices have been brought both in the old as well as in the new covenant, and God has been angry with all of it. Those prophets who wanted to clean up all this hypocrisy have always been persecuted and killed. However, God has always searched for men who have resisted and put a stop to all this false worship, for example in connection with gain and honor. In the religious world it is worse today than at any time before, and so-called “healing preachers” can ask for thousands of kroner and dollars before they will even begin their “performance.” All this is an abomination in God’s eyes. They advertise with stories of great miracles and healings where they have been, but very little or nothing happens where they are. I myself have experienced it and seen it. The devil together with his spirit powers rules wherever money takes the preeminence and is put ahead of the life and virtues of Christ. Jesus says in Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Jesus did not become rich by means of His many and great healings, nor did He advertise them. He did not even want them to be broadcast. He was humble of heart and despised everything that was great in the eyes of men.

All worship outside the altar’s fire is in vain. The Bible mentions all kinds of false doctrines in connection with desiring earthly things, such as seeking gain, honor, power, and committing adultery. People who do such things have always been enemies of the doctrine of Jesus that speaks about taking up your cross daily, denying yourself, and following Christ. They would rather hear about grace, but not about obedience.

Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord with zeal, the altar that the old saints had raised up but which others had not taken care of. “Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Israel shall be your name.’ Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar.” 1 Kings 18:30-32. The name of Israel and the altar were one. There was no Israel without an altar, just as there is no church in our days without an altar of the heart. The altar had been torn down, and the people were faltering between two sides.

Elijah made it impossible for any strange fire to burn by filling the trench with water and by pouring water on the sacrifice and on the wood. Now only the Lord could light the fire.

Elijah said, “‘I have done all these things at Your word.’” V. 36. “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!’” Vs. 38-39.

Elijah was careful that the name of God was glorified, and not he. By using all that water, he put himself completely out of the picture. He did not say, “At my word,” but “At Your word!” This has been the redeeming word for all the saints right from when Noah built the ark, Abraham sacrificed Isaac, and David slew Goliath. The disciples said, “At Your word,” and cast the net on the right side and caught an abundance of fish.

Jesus took care of the altar’s fire in the new covenant, and all those who are united with Him in His body present their bodies as an acceptable sacrifice to God. Rom. 12:1. Jesus said, “I do not receive honor from men.” John 5:41. In John 7:18 He said, “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” It is unrighteousness to seek your own honor, for the Lord’s fire can never fall on such sacrifices regardless of how much a person sacrifices himself.

“And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.” Ex. 20:25.

In the church of the living God we are not to be “hewn” according to the world in the way we speak, sing, play, or dress. Everything is to be simple and natural according to how God works. It is terrible to hear preachers who have affected a special tone of voice and speech mannerisms when they speak God’s Word. Quite often they are sillier and more affected in their speech, song, dress, and hairstyle than the average worldly person who is putting on a show. This is abominable in God’s eyes. If a person has taken singing lessons, he usually shows off his voice to advantage, which makes it difficult to hear the words. It would be better if he read the song instead of singing it. Generally speaking, when it concerns their manner of dress and their appearance, it is not difficult to see that they have been “hewn” to the ways of this world. To top it all off, they think they are actually serving God and sacrificing something on God’s altar, when in fact they are profaning it.

May the church be kept pure from all this affected speaking, singing, music, manner of dress, and everything else that is formed in order to fit into the religious harlot spirit and the spirit of the world.

“Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.” V. 26. We shall not go up to the altar on steps. It is difficult for people to sacrifice something without wanting to be seen. People usually want to go up some steps and attach their name to their gift and ministry. But then they profane the altar by revealing the shame of their nakedness. Rev. 3:18.

If one sees anything great on a human level in being a youth leader, music leader, elder brother, or leader of an assembly, one has climbed up on forbidden ground and profanes the altar. One seeks honor in the midst of having the appearance of wanting to be a sacrifice. If God is to bless our ministry, we must be preserved in self-abasement and humility and give God all the glory.

If we are faithful in this area, in our high and holy calling, an inner strength and the power of life, which no foreign spirit can resist, will preserve the church. It will then be revealed in glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.