Day #265 - The Altar
The Presence - A Devotional for Living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder
““Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.”
Exodus 27:1 NIV
What is your favorite number?
I don’t believe in lucky numbers and I think sometimes Christian’s get too interested in numbers and treat them like luck. But it’s also foolish to ignore the important emphasis God puts on numbers in the Scripture. My favorite number is 5. Why? Because it’s my wife’s favorite number. Her name is Grace and 5 is known Biblically speaking as the number of grace. The tabernacle points us to Jesus and the number 5 is a part of what points to Him.
The altar was a place for sacrifices offered to the Lord. The altar is a picture for us of the cross where Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. The altar was five cubits square. Here is a big part of how 5 represents grace:
“This "slaughter place" was to be five cubits square--five all the way around. It is interesting to note, in this connection, that there were not only FIVE wounds? but FIVE KINDS of wounds given to Christ on when God's grace to man was manifested on Golgotha's Altar. He suffered every type of flesh wound known to medical science!
"Five bleeding wounds He bears, Received on Calvary, They pour effectual prayers, They strongly plead for me. "Forgive him, O forgive' they cry, 'Nor let that ransomed sinner die! Nor let that ransomed sinner die!'" 1
“Emphasis was placed on plainness so that the altar itself should not become the objeet of veneration or worship. God's instructions to His people Israel excluded metal and hewn stone in the offering place because this would involve man's ability. (Being hollow, the Altar man built could not have anything man-made in its center)! God wants an altar that He Himself has planned and fashioned.” 2
The Lord has prepared the altar for us to meet with Him and come into “the Presence.” He has made the way for us by the cross. His wounds are His grace for us and for our healing (Isaiah 53). We don’t earn “the Presence.” He gives us Himself by His grace.
Lord Jesus, I come to Your altar, the cross. You meet me at Your cross. I receive Your grace. You were wounded for my healing. There is no one like You. In Your perfect name, amen.
1 Lascelle, Ruth Specter; A Dwelling Place for God, & Arise my Soul Arise by Charles Wesley p. 124-125
2 Lascelle, Ruth Specter; A Dwelling Place for God, p. 134
Let us come to your altar empty, allowing you to fill us with Your plans and purposes. Knowing it is not by might nor power but by Your Holy Spirit living in us, we can do everything through Christ who strengthens us. He can do exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we can ask or think. We get to speak to Him like He is our best friend because He loves us that much!