“CHRIST    OUR    ALTAR”   (Heb 13:10)

June 15^th,  2003

 

Int.     The key to tonight’s study will be in determining what is meant by this statement: “We have an altar.”

 

a.       There is an old adage, “A man usually finds what He is looking for,” and this is certainly true in studying the Bible.

                                                                                                                            

1.       Some in doing so, have to “wrest the Scriptures” though.

 

          a.       (2 Pet 3:16)  "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

 

                   1.       To Wrest the word of God, to distort it from its true sense and meaning, and make it speak that which it never designed; dealing with it as innocent persons are sometimes used, put upon a rack, and tortured, and so forced to speak what is contrary to their knowledge and consciences; and so were the words of the Apostle Paul wrested by ill designing men, as about the doctrines of grace and works, so concerning the coming of Christ”

 

          b.       Those that believe in annihilation  use the Bible to support their false doctrine.

 

          c.       The Seventh Day Adventist quote a list of their favorite texts to support annihilation.

 

          d.       There is a group known as “Theosophists” who even use the Bible to support their false teaching of “Reincarnation.”

 

          e.       Rome claim Church authority for all of their denying of Scripture.

 

          f.       I trust that you know by now that it is useless to argue about “Divine Things.”  You simply declare them.

 

I.       CONSIDER OUR TEXT:    “WE HAVE AN ALTAR.”

 

          A.      MANY   BAPTIST ? AS WELL AS OTHERS USE THIS VERSE TO SUPPORT   THEIR   CLAIM   FOR   AN      “ALTAR   DOWN   AT   THE FRONT   OF   THE   CHURCH.”

 

                   1.       But an altar calls for a sacrifice; hence the “MASS” OR “the un-bloody   sacrifice of the flesh and blood of Christ.”

 

                   2.       Whatever be signified by the “ALTAR” in our text is definitely in contrast to the visible and material   “ALTAR”   of Judaism.

 

                   3.       The Jewish “ALTAR”, like everything else in the tabernacle, was a shadow or type of Christ.

 

                             a.       Pulpit Commentary says: "The priest shall put fire upon the altar. The fire once kindled was never to be allowed to go out (Lev. 6:13).

 

                   4.       The “Sacrifice” that we offer today is one of   “Praise” and not as the Hebrews did in the Old  Testament.  (Vr. 15)

 

II.      CONSIDER OUR TEXT AGAIN. (Vr. 10)

 

          A.      MUCH CONTROVERSY COULD BE AVOIDED IF WE WOULD ONLY STAY WITH THE THEME OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS.

 

                   1.       As the Incarnate Son, he is infinitely above all prophets and angels. (Heb. 1-2)

                   

                   2.       Moses, “THE SERVANT IN THE HOUSE OF GOD” retires before the presence of Christ “THE SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE.”  (Heb 3)

 

                   3.       So in regard to all the Mosaic institutions: “Christ fulfills everything which they pre-figured.”

 

                   4.       The entire system of worship for Israel was one of   “Typical character.”

 

                   5.       Christ is the “Great High Priest” of whom the O. T. Priests, (Aaron included) were but faint types.

 

                   6.       Our Lord’s body is “The Greater and More Perfect Tabernacle, Not Made With Hands.”     (Heb 9:11).

 

                   7.       Our Lord’s Sacrifice forever accomplished  that which all the Levitical offerings proclaimed was necessary to redemption, but could not supply themselves.

 

                   8.       Christ is the grand Antitype of all the sacred vessels of the Tabernacle.

 

                             a.       He is the True Brazen Altar.

                             b.       He is the True Brazen Laver.

                             c.       He is the True Golden Altar of Incense.

                             d.       He is the True Golden Candlestick

                             e.       He is the True Table of Shew-bread.

                             f.       He is the True Mercy Seat.

                             g.       He is the True Ark of the Covenant.

 

III.    CONSIDER   THAT ALL THE O. T. ALTARS POINTED TO CHRIST OUR ALTAR.

 

          A.      UPON   DESCENDING FROM THE ARK, NOAH BUILT AN ALTAR WHICH  SPOKE  OF  THE PERSON  OF  CHRIST.   (Gen 8:20)

 

                   1.       On this Altar, Noah expressed his thanksgiving by presenting his burnt offerings, teaching us:

 

                             a.       It is only by Christ that we can acceptably present to God our sacrifice of praise. (Vr. 15)

 

          B.      THE   FIRST   ACT   OF   ABRAHAM   UPON   LEAVING   CHALDEA,   WAS   TO   BUILD   AN   ALTAR.

 

                   1.       (Gen 12:7)  "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."

 

                   2.       It is important to notice that Bethel (Which means the house of God) was on the West.

 

                   3.       Ahi which means (A Heap of Ruins) was on the East.

 

                             a.       It was between them that Abraham pitched his tent. (Which is a picture of our Pilgrim character in this world).

 

          C.      ABRAHAM   USED THIS SAME ALTAR UPON RETURNING FROM EGYPT.

 

                   1.       (Gen 13:3-4)  "And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; {4} Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.”

 

                D.      ISSAC   BUILT   AN   ALTAR   UNTO   THE   LORD   THERE   ALSO.

 

                   1.       (Gen 26:25)  "And he   (Isaac)   builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well."

 

                   2.       How beautiful that here is the Altar is the place of prayer.

 

          E.      JACOB   ALSO   BUILT   AN   ALTAR   THERE   AND   CALLED   IT “EL-ELOHE   ISRAEL.”

 

                   1.       (Gen 33:20)  "And he (Jacob)  erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel."

 

          F.      OF   MOSES   WE   READ,   THAT  HE   BUILT   AN   ALTAR   UNTO   THE LORD.

 

                   1.       (Exo 17:15)  "And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:" (The Lord our banner).

 

                   2.       This was done after Israel’s victory over the Amalekites, denoting that only by Christ can we overcome spiritual enemies.

 

                   3.       A banner is a military flag, standard, or ensign, commonly colored and figured, carried in war, and displayed to collect, regulate, and encourage the troops.

 

                   4.       We acknowledge and honor the Lord our Banner in four ways.

 

                             a.       First, by  voluntarily and inflexibly submitting to him as our Leader and Commander. "The Lord is my banner."

 

                             b.       Secondly, by confessing him the Author of every success with which we have been crowned.

 

                                      Note:           It was three hundred men armed only with only lamps and pictures and not the 32.000 men that Gideon would get the victory.

 

                             c.       Thirdly, by our courageously trusting in him to enable us to overcome in every future conflict.

 

                                      Note: “Has he not said, No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. Has he not said, Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places?

 

                             d.       Fourthly, by looking to him for the remuneration of victory at last.

 

                                      Note:           The soldier warreth in hope; and it is not wrong for the Christian, like Moses, to have respect unto the recompense of the reward.

 

          G.      WE   READ   AGAIN   OF   MOSES   BUILDING   AN   ALTAR.

 

                   1.       (Exo 24:4)  "And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel."

 

                             a.       By this , he was signifying that only by Christ is the law magnified and honored.

 

          H.      MOSES   BY   DIVINE   INSPIRATION,   GIVES   US   A   DESCRIPTION   OF   THAT   ALTAR.

 

                   1.       (Exo 27:1-8)  "And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. {2} And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. {3} And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. {4} And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof. {5} And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar. {6} And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. {7} And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. {8} Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was showed thee in the mount, so shall they make it."

 

          I.       CONSIDER   THE   LOCATION   OF   THE   ALTAR   AFTER   THE TABERNACLE   WAS    CONSTRUCTED.

 

                   1.       (Exo 40:6)  "And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation."

 

                   2.       This altar was located just inside the Outer Court.

 

                             a.       (Exo 40:33)  "And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work."

 

                   3.       It was the first object to meet the eye of the worshiper as he entered the Tabernacle.

 

          J.       THE   BRAZEN   ALTAR   WAS  THE  ONLY  WAY  MAN  COULD APPROACH   GOD.

 

                   1.       (Exo 29:43)  "And there (at the Altar) I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory."

 

                   2.       This is still true today. (John 14:6)  "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

 

          K.      THIS   ALTAR   WAS   REALLY THE BASIS FOR THE WHOLE LEVITICAL   SYSTEM.

 

                   1.       It was on this Altar that the Burnt offering, meal offering, peace offering and sin offerings were presented to God.

 

 

                   2.       Blood was poured upon it’s horns, sprinkled upon it, round about it, and poured out at his base.

 

          L.      THIS   ALTAR   WAS   ORDAINED   AND   DESIGNED   FOR   ISRAEL AND   FOR   NO   ONE   ELSE.

 

                   1.       So Christ died for his sheep and them alone.

 

CONCLUSION: This altar was jealously guarded. (Josh 22:9-29)

 

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