Copyright © 2024 Paul H.

Ilegbusi

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quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Dedication ............................................................................................................ 5

Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. 6

Chapter One: Introduction ................................................................................ 7

Chapter Two: The Levitical Priesthood ......................................................... 10

Chapter Three: God's Priests Today .............................................................. 13

Chapter Four: What Is An Altar? .................................................................... 19

Chapter Five: Types Of Altar .......................................................................... 22

Chapter Six: The Significance Of An Altar ................................................... 27

Chapter Seven: Why The Fire On The Altar Should Burn Continuously 34

Chapter Eight: The Prerequisites For Keeping The Fire On The Altar
Burning................................................................................................................ 42

Chapter Nine: The Fire Extinguishers On The Altar .................................. 60

Chapter Ten: The Significance Of Fire In The Bible ................................... 73

Chapter Eleven: Levitical Offerings Meant For The Altar ......................... 92

Chapter Twelve: What We Should Sacrifice On The Altar ....................... 110

Unless where otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are from the Dickson
Teacher’s Bible International King James Version (2011).
I dedicate this book to God Almighty, the Creator of the heaven and the
earth; the Giver of wisdom.
My appreciation goes to the Almighty God, who gave me the burden to
write this book at this time that the fire on Christians’ altars are going down.

My gratitude goes to my better-half, ‘Adunola, for her understanding,

support and intercession during the period of working on this heavenly
project.

My children (Adejare, Adedoyin and Ayomikun) are appreciated for their

understanding during the time this book was being written.
 Introduction

“T
hen the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of

the burnt offering. It is the burnt offerings because of the
burning on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire
of the altar will be kept burning on it.

And the priest will put on his linen garment, and his linen trousers he will put on his
body. And he will take up the ashes that the fire has consumed with the burnt offering on
the altar and put them beside the altar.

‘And he will take off his garments and put on other garments and carry forth the ashes
outside the camp to a clean place.

“And the fire on the altar will be burning on it. It will not be put out. And the priest
will burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order on it. And he will
burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.

‘The fire will be burning continually on the altar. It will never go out.” (Lev. 6 : 8-13)

This passage stresses three times in a row to Moses, the leader of the
Israelites and the priests that the fire on the altar must be kept burning (Lev.
6:9,12,13). The Israelites are now camping in the wilderness and in
Leviticus, God uses this time to teach His people His law and stresses the
obedience of this law in order to continue fellowship with God and also
obtain the blessings God has prepared for His people.

In Leviticus 6, the text begins by providing instructions on how to offer a

guilt offering for sins committed. In these instructions, God commands that
the offender must make amends with persons they have sinned against and
also present a guilt offering to God to seek forgiveness and to be made right
with God. As the person goes through this process, they repent, are forgiven
and made pure to walk before God.

The guilt offering that the person brings are placed on the altar and God
commands for the first time, the fire on the altar must be kept burning.

In verse 9, it says:

“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering. It is the
burnt offerings because of the burning on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire
of the altar will be kept burning on it.”

The second time, God stresses the fire must be kept burning whilst another
offering is placed on it.

Verse 12 reads:

“And the fire on the altar will be burning on it. It will not be put out. And the priest
will burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order on it. And he will
burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.”
For the third time, God says the fire shall always be kept burning, never to
go out.

Verse 13 states affirmatively thus: “The fire will be burning continually on the altar.
It will never go out.”
 The Levitical Priesthood

A
ccording to Numbers 16:5, the Levitical priests were
commissioned by God, separated unto God, and were allowed
to approach God:

“Then when Moses heard this, he fell on his face.

And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, ‘Even tomorrow the LORD will
show who are His and who is holy. And He will cause him to come near to Him. Even
him whom He has chosen He will cause to come near Him.”

The Levitical priesthood began with the tribe of Levi and proceeded
through the sons of the family of Aaron, according to Num. 18:1,8 and
Exos. 28:1, which says,

“Then the LORD said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons and your father’s house with you
will bear the iniquity of the sanctuary. And you and your sons with you will bear the
iniquity of your priesthood.

Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, ‘Behold, I also have given you the duty of My heave
offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel. I have given them to you as a
portion and to your sons as a perpetual allotment.”
“Now take Aaron your brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel
so that he may minister to Me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu,
Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.”

However, physical blemishes disqualified any male descendant of Aaron,

according to Leviticus 21:16-23:

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘Whoever he is of your seed in their generations who has any
blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his Gos.

‘For whoever has a blemish, he will not approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he
who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb,

‘or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,

‘or a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has a blemish in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed
testicles.

‘No man who has a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest will come near to offer the
offerings of the LORD made by fire. Since he has a blemish, he will not come near to
offer the bread of his God.”

The duties of the Levitical priesthood included: the teaching of the Law
(Lev. 10:11); offering the sacrifices (Leviticus chapter 9); maintaining the
Tabernacle and the Temple (Num. 18:3); officiating in the Holy Place (Exos.
30:7-10); inspecting ceremonially unclean persons (Leviticus chapters 13
and 14); they adjudicated disputes (Deut. 17:8-13); they functioned as tax
collectors (Num. 18:21,26; Heb. 7:5).

Levitical priests usually served for 25 years, from age 25 to age 50, according
to Num. 8:24,25, although at times older men were priests, e.g. Zacharias,
Lk. 1:5-25.

Other than the family of Aaron, there were three other family lines in the
tribe of Levi (Numbers chapter 4): the Kohathites, who maintained the
furniture, vessels and veil of the Tabernacle; the Gershonites, who
maintained the coverings, hangings and doors of the Tabernacle; the
Merarites, who maintained the supports, including the planks bars and
cords, of the Tabernacle.
 God's Priests Today

P
riesthood has a long history stretching back to the Old Testament.
We were introduced to Israel's priests shortly after their captivity
in Egypt. From among the twelve tribes that composed the nation
of Israel, God chose the priesthood from the tribe of Levi. Priesthood was
therefore based entirely on ancestry.

As we consider the Aaronic/Levitical priesthood, it is important to

remember that although the tribe of Levi was set apart to perform the
sacrifices and lead worship in the tabernacle and temple, God never
intended the descendants of Levi to be the only priestly figures in the nation
of Israel. In fact, the Lord originally called His people out of bondage in
Egypt so that the entire nation would serve Him as “a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation”.

The Bible records it in Exos. 19:1–6 thus:

“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, the
same day they came to the wilderness of Sinai.

When they departed from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of sinai and camped in
the wilderness. And Israel camped there before the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God. And the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying,
“Thus will you say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of israel:

‘you have seen what I did to the Egyptiansa and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and
brought you to Myself.

‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you will be
My own possession above all people, for all the earth is Mine.

‘And you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words
that you will speak to the children of Israel.”

The priestly institution itself was needed only because the sin of the people
had not yet been finally dealt with, and an intermediary was required
between Israel and God lest His holiness break out and destroy His sinful
people.

“And the LORD said to him, “Go down and come up again, you and Aaron with you.
But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD lest He
break forth on them.” (Exos. 19:24)

“Seek the LORD and you will live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph and
devour it, and there be no one to quench it in Bethel.” (Amos 5:6)

Only when the wickedness of Israel had finally been dealt with could the
people of God truly become that nation of priests that requires no Levitical
mediator between them and the Almighty. Having sanctified and perfected
us in His Father’s sight forevermore through His offering of Himself, Christ
Jesus has made all who are in Him the priesthood that God always intended
His people to be. No longer need we rely on an intermediary who is a sinner
like us; rather, the Lord has become the mediator between Himself and His
own in the person of the God-man Jesus Christ.

“By this will we have been sactified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all.

And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand
of God,

from that time witing until His enemies are made His footstool.

For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Heb. 10: 10-
14)

“And for this reason he is the mediator of the new covenant, so that by means of death
for the redemption of the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have
been called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Heb. 9: 15)

The First Epistle of Peter 2:5,9- 10 explained that we are that royal
priesthood who need none but Christ to stand between us and the Father:

“[Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy
(dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are]
acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased,
special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and
perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you were unpitied,
but now you are pitied and have received mercy.” (The Amplified Bible)

Christians are now priests of God and no believer has greater access to the
Creator than any other. Pastors and elders are appointed to teach the church
the will of God from His Word (1 Tim. 3:1–7), but they do not represent
us before the heavenly throne like the Levitical priests did under the
administration of the old covenant.

“And He gave some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some
shepherds and teachers,

for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ,

until we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
complete man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11- 13)

In Christ, there is a true priesthood of all believers. All of us who trust in

Jesus alone for salvation have free access into His presence, and all of our
lawful vocations are set apart for true God-honouring service. The sexton,
gardener , or security guard who does his work to the Lord is in no worse
position spiritually than the most gifted preacher on the planet, for all
Christians have been declared righteous servants of the Creator - God.
Their duty consisted in representing the people before God and offering
sacrifices on their behalf. However, it was not God's intention that this type
of priesthood should last forever. Jesus introduced a priesthood that
embraces all Christians. It would not be composed of men born into the
tribe of Levi, but would embrace all men and women who have been 'born
again of water and the Holy Spirit.' (John 3:5).

One does not need to have a vocation to be a priest. Neither does one
require years of special training. Scriptures make it very plain that if you are
a christian you are a priest and part of the 'royal priesthood' (1 Pet. 2:9).
Furthermore, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16,17).
And, as a priest, you can offer to God 'spiritual sacrifices'.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom
you have from God, and you are not your own?

For you have been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6:
19-20)

“Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

But do not forget doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased.”
(Heb. 13: 15-16)

Where there is a christian, there is also a priest. There is also a temple and
spiritual sacrifices can be offered to God. This is the 'royal priesthood'
revealed in the Word of God. In these latter days, there are various so-called
ministers of God who have turned themselves to mediators between God
and men; this should not be. Once you are born again, you do not need
anyone to be a middle man for you except the Lord Jesus.
 What is an Altar?

A
n altar is usually a structure in or on which a person offers prayers
or sacrifices to someone or something for religious purposes or
to commemorate an important event.

Many churches feature an altar before which ceremonies such as weddings,

baptisms, prayer, communion, and other sacred rites are carried out.
Individuals sometimes create personal altars at home for their private
worship or as a symbolic reminder of Rom. 12:1,2 which says:

“I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to
make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as
a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your
reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external,
superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind
[by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove (for yourselves) what is the
good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable
and perfect [in His sight for you].”

(The Amplified Bible)

On a spiritual level, each person can be said to have an altar within them
where the flesh and spirit battle. When we surrender aspects of ourselves to
God, we present that on our inner altar for God to control.

Most altars are similar to tables, with a flat top on which the sacrifice is
offered. In the Bible, there are more than four hundred references to altars.
Some are piles of rock or stone, some are table-like, and others take other
forms. The first use of altar occurs when Noah offered burnt offerings to
the Lord after the flood:

“And Noah built an altar to the LORD. And he took of every clean beast and of every
clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Then the LORD smelled a sweet aroma. And the LORD said in His heart, ‘I will not
again curse the ground anymore for man’s sake, for the imagination of man’s heart is evil
from his youth. Neither will I again smite anymore every living thing as I have done.

‘While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and
day and night will not cease.’” (Gen. 8:20-22)

Earlier, Cain and Abel brought sacrifices to the Lord; while an altar is not
specifically mentioned, they might have presented their gifts on one:

“Now in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground as
an offering to the LORD.

But Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD
looked with favor on Abel and on his offering.” (Gen. 4:3,4)
Before God gave the Law to Moses, men built altars wherever they went,
out of whatever was available. Altars were often made in response to a
significant encounter with God in order to commemorate it. The following
passages affirm this statement:

“And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I will give this
land.’ And there he built an altar to the LORD who had appeared to him.” (Gen. 12:7)

“Then he went up from there to Beersheba.

And the LORD appeared to him the same night, and said, ‘I am the God of Abraham
your father. Do not fear, for I am with you and will bless you, and multiply your
descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.’

So he built an altar there, and called on the name of the LORD. And he pitched his tent
there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.” (Gen. 26:23-25)

“Then David built there an altar to the LORD. And he offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings, and called on the LORD. And He answered him from heaven by fire on
the altar of burnt offering.” (1 Chr. 21:26)

“Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it Jehovah Shalom. To this
day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” (Judges 6:24)
 Types of Altar

There is no limit to the kind of altars which can be created. Some people
decide to have one main altar, which may change over time as different
needs or occasions arise. Others choose to create a special altar with one
particular focus. Some may construct a multi-purpose altar that combines a
variety of themes. Whatever yearning you hold in your heart, whatever you
hope for and dream of, these will serve as guides for deciding how you want
to use your altar.

1. The Subliminal Altar

Each item displayed in our homes, whether we realise it or not, makes a

statement about which of our values and family traditions we wish to
emphasize.

Carefully placed photos, jewelry, books or inherited objects reveal to others

some of the values which are cherished by the home's occupants. For
example, by grouping together family photos in a niche on the wall, you may
have unknowingly created a memorial or ancestral altar which
communicates to others the message that family is important to you.

A shelf with small figurines might be a subliminal return to the native

custom of exhibiting symbols of animal totems on an altar. Clustering
special items around your computer monitor or desk can be an
unintentional way of establishing an altar.

The value of consciously creating an altar is substantial. Your consciously

created altar can fill a void in the human psyche that yearns for the
mysterious and the wondrous, fulfilling and sustaining.

2. Integration Altar

This type of altar can help to deepen your connection to Spirit by the
placement of the objects that represent parts of yourself next to one
another. This will subliminally intensify your link to the Creator. Here you
can gain a sense of wholeness and unity.

3. Healing Altar

This type of altar will provide powerful focus to send healing energy to
yourself and others and to receive nurturing energies from the Spirit. The
body, mind (including our emotions) and the soul are not separate. This
type of altar is where all can be healed.

4. Ancestral Altar

In the past, home altars were used as a place to honour ancestors, strengthen
relationships, and send love to descendants. The ancestral altar served as a
reminder that we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and creates a
feeling of being part of the continuum. This type of altar can help us to
reconnect with our distant past and remember our connection to the sacred
whole—to those who came before us and to those who will follow.
5. Spirit Altar

One of the most profound uses of an altar is as a sacred place to deepen

your connection with the Divine. This serves as a bridge between reality of
the mundane and spiritual realms. It is where you can pray and untangle the
brambles of your mind, quiet your thoughts, call back your nature, and listen
to messages from the Creator.

Infuse your Spirit altar with energy, care and mindfulness, going very slowly
and pointedly so that everything feels right before going on to the next step.

The spirit altar should have these three things: something that signifies the
Divine; something that signifies you or humans in general; and something
that represents the gateway or doorway between the two realms.

6. Divine Feminine Altar

This altar can be thought of as signifying the mother earth's regenerative

womb. Goddess shrines or altars were usually placed near the threshold, the
hearth, in a sacred grove, or by the well. You can bring the goddess qualities
into your life by creating an altar dedicated to the purposes of representing
wisdom, compassion and the life-force in all things.

7. Manifestation Altar

There are several types of manifestation altars:

a. Love Altar: This altar represents what divine love means to you. This
object or picture can serve as a reminder that your higher power always
wants you to have and to give love. This altar is filled with whatever images,
fabrics, natural objects, jewels, flowers, scents or colors that symbolise the
love you want to manifest.

b. Abundance Altar: The first step in creating an Abundance Altar is to

evaluate what wealth, abundance and prosperity mean to you. When
assembling an Abundance Altar, it is valuable to include some symbolic
elements that represent what one already enjoy in life.

c. The Fertility Altar: Fertility altars are among the most traditional and
ancient kinds of altars. Fertility altars can be used for affirming a highly
productive, prolific or fruitful time in one’s life.

d. The Courage and Faith Altar: There are times in every life which call
for courage and exceptional strength and faith. Everyone goes through
times of difficulty which can test their ability to hold on through pain and
loss and other personal trials. For people who have a strong religious
affiliation, it can be helpful to use icons or photos or small statures of deities
and saints.

Know that you will not be given situations which you cannot find the
courage to face and love through. Let the energy of faith and courage and
strength flow through your body and soul, making you ready to handle
whatever needs to be faced and overcome in your life.

e. The Creativity Altar: This is a place where you can simply experience
and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is the place of
creative incubation.
Creativity is the heart and soul, the very essence of Spirit. The possibilities
for joyful self-statement are limitless when creating this type of altar. Have
you always wanted to try painting, writing, sewing, carpentry, pottery or a
new statement of fashion? Don't be afraid to express yourself and tell your
hidden dreams here. No one has to see this but you, if that is the way you
want it. This is a safe place for uninhibited statement, for trying out the ideas
of which you have only dreamed.

f. The Affirmation Altar: An Affirmation altar is somewhat like the

Creativity altar, but it can also address specific areas of our life which may
not be directly related to creative endeavors. This type of altar can help you
through a difficult time or can assist you to accomplish a specific goal. Your
Affirmation altar can help you achieve your goals and dreams.
The Affirmation altar can be devoted to any goal, hope or problem that
you want to address. This altar can be very effective in helping you to realize
the goals that you have for transforming yourself and your reality. Be sure
to state your affirmations as though they have already become real.

In a nutshell, always remember that the altar could be your personal

devotion to God (Mk. 1:35), you and your family (Acts 2:1, 14), and the
Church you attend (Ps. 133:1; Heb. 10:25). Any altar that takes your heart
away from God is devilish or satanic. All strange altars should be jettisoned
and broken down in your life.
 The Significance of an Altar

A
ltars are a memorial to the place where God meets us. Altars
represent the occasion and place where we have a personal
encounter with God. Altars may not always be a physical one,
but there can be an altar established in our hearts.The way you build an altar
is to bring those hard broken things before the Lord and put them there.

1. An altar is a place of an encounter. The Lord met Jacob in a crisis and

the next day he built an altar there as a memorial.

“And Jacob awoke out of his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I
did not know it.’

So he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other but the house
of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

Then Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put under his
head and set it up for a pillar. And he poured oil on the top of it.

Then he called the name of that place Bethel.” (Gen. 28: 16-19a)

God manifested Himself and His favour to Jacob when he was asleep. The
Spirit, like the wind, blows when and where it lists, and God’s grace, like the
dew, tarries not for the sons of men. Jacob sought to improve the visit God
had made him. Wherever we are, in the city or in the desert, in the house or
in the field, in the shop or in the street, we may keep up our intercourse
with Heaven, if it is not our own fault. But the more we see of God, the
more cause we see for holy trembling before Him.

“Then there came an angel of the LORD and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah,
that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. And his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress
in order to hide it from the Midianites.

Then the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, ‘The LORD is with
you, you mighty valiant man.’

And Gideon said to him, “Oh my Lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this
befallen us? And where are all His miracles that ourr fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did
not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and
delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

Then the LORD looked on him and said, ‘Go in this your strength and you will save
Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you.’

Then he said to him, ‘Oh my Lord, how will I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in
Manasseh and I am the least in my father’s house.’

And the LORD said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you will smite the Midianites
as one man.’

And he said to him, ‘If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that
You are speaking with me.
‘Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring my offering and set it before
you.’ And he said, ‘I will wait until you come again.’

So Gideon went in and made ready a young goat and unleavened cakes of an ephah of
flour. he put the meat in a basket and he put thr broth in a pot. And he brought it out
to him under the oak and presented it.

then the angel of God said to him, ‘take the meat and the unleavened cakes and lay them
on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so.

Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand and
touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And there arose fire out of the rock and
consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out
of his sight.

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, he said, ‘Alas, O Lord
GOD! For now I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.’

And the LORD said to him, ‘peace be to you. Do not fear. You will not die.’

Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it Jehovah Shalom. To this
day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” (Judges 6:11- 24)

Gideon was a man of a brave, active spirit, yet in obscurity through the
times: he is here stirred up to undertake something great. It was very sure
that the Lord was with him, when His angel was with him. Gideon was weak
in faith, which made it hard to reconcile the assurances of the presence of
God with the distress to which Israel was brought. The angel answered his
objections. He told him to appear and act as Israel’s deliverer, there needed
no more.

The angel of God turned the meat into an offering made by fire; showing
that he was not a man who needed meat, but the Son of God, who was to
be served and honored by sacrifice, and who in the fullness of time was to
make himself a sacrifice. Hereby a sign was given to Gideon, that he had
found grace in God’s sight. Gideon’s courage failed him. But God spoke
peace to him.

2. An altar is a place of reconciling with God.

“And his sons went and feasted in their houses, each one on his day. And they sent and
called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Now when the days of their feasting had completed their course, Job sent and sanctified
them. And he rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the
number of all them, for Job said, ‘It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in
their hearts.’ Thus Job did continually.” (Job 1:4,5)

Job acted as the priest and offered sacrifices to God to ask for forgiveness
for sins he and his family had committed. This demonstrated that Job did
not consider himself sinless. He did this out of conviction and love for God,
not just because it was his role as head of the house. He showed deep
concern for the spiritual welfare of his children.
3. An altar is a place of worship.

The most common altar was built by people to acknowledge their praise to
God. A place where priest would offer worship to the Lord on behalf of the
people and themselves.

Did you remember what Noah did after the flood subsided? He built an
altar unto the Lord, as a sign of his worship. In Genesis 8:1,15-22:

“But God remembered Noah and every living thing and all the livestock that were with
him in the ark. Then God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters subsided.

Then God spoke to Noah, saying,

‘Go forth out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.

‘bring forth with you every living thing that is with you, of all flesh, both of birds, and of
animals, and of every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may breed
abundantly on the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.

So Noah went forth, and his sons and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him.

Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, after
their kind, went forth out of the ark.

And Noah built an altar to the LORD. And he took of every clean beast and of every
clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Then the LORD smelled a sweet aroma. And the LORD said in His heart, ‘I will not
again curse the ground anymore for man’s sake, for the imagination of man’s heart is evil
from his youth. Neither will I again smite anymore every living thing as I have done.

‘While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and
day and night will not cease.”

4. An altar is a place of covenant.

An altar was built where the covenant was made between God and
Abraham.

“And He said to him, ‘Bring Me a heifer of three years old, and a female goat of three
years old, and a ram of three years old, ans a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’

Then he brought to Him all these and divided them in two, and laid each half opposite
the other. But he did not divide the birds.

In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants
I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the river, the River Euphrates:” ( Gen.
15:9,10,18)

5. An altar is a place of intercession for the wellbeing of others

inspired by the Holy Spirit.

“Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children and
those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of
her closet.
Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar. And
let them say, ‘Spare your people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach,
so that the nations should rule over them. Therefore, why should they say among the people,
‘Where is there God?” (Joel 2:15-17)

The priests, as mediators for the nation, were called upon here in order to
interceed with tears. Tears without prayers are vain. They normally perform
their service to God between the “portico” (the temple vestibule or entry
way) and the altar upon which offerings are burned. In this situation, their
ministry was to weep there in petition on behalf of God’s wayward children.
You will recall that Israel’s sin and subsequent punishment reflects poorly
on the priests themselves, making them an object of scorn in the eyes of the
neighbouring nations. The prayer of the priests was for mercy. They asked
God to spare their undeserving but repentant people. Their prayer
remembered the covenant of God with His people. The prayer of the priests
desired the glory of God.

The implications of this passage are: the national assemblies should be

frequently called, to confess sin before God; the assembly should combine
all classes of individuals; they should be arranged by genuine ministers of
the Gospel, not the wishy-washy type of the so-called ministers of God
around us today; and the people should prayerfully seek the glory of God.
 Why the fire on the Altar should burn continuously

“C
ommand Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt
offering. It is the burnt offering because of the burning on the altar
all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar will be kept
burning on it.

‘And the fire on the altar will be burning on it. It will not be put out. And the priest will
burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order on it. And he will burn
on it the fat of the peace offerings.

‘The fire will be burning continually on the altar. It will never go out.”(Lev.6:9,12,13)

Leviticus mentions several times that the fire on the altar was to burn
continuously. God wanted a perpetual fire there, and He must have had a
reason for it.

Before the giving of the Law, God appeared to Moses in flames of fire from
within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn
up (Exos. 3:2). God chose the appearance of a continuous fire when calling
Moses to lead the people out of Egypt to a new land. Later, when God was
leading the Israelites out of Egypt, He appeared as a pillar of fire at night.
“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud in order to lead them
on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, in order to travel by day and
night.

He did not take away before the people the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire
by night.” (Exos. 13:21,22)

Then came the Law. Outside the tabernacle, the fire for the burnt offering
was commanded to be kept burning; never was it to be extinguished.

One reason the ongoing fire was so important is that it was started directly
by God:

“And there came a fire out from before the LORD and consumed on the altar, the burnt
offering and the fat. So when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”
(Lev. 9:24)

The fire on the altar, therefore, served as a constant reminder of God’s

power. It was a gift from heaven. No other source of fire was acceptable to
God:

“Now Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before
the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai. And they had no children. And Eleazar and
Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.” (Num. 3:4)

“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective censers and put fire
in them. And they put incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD which He
had not commanded them.
Then there went out fire from the LORD and devoured them. And they died before the
LORD.

Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the LORD spoke, saying, “I will be sanctified
by those who come near Me. And before all the people I will be glorified.”’ So Aaron held
his peace.” (Lev. 10:1-3)

This fire also represented God’s presence.

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (Deut. 4:24)

God is a consuming fire. Because He is morally perfect, He hates sin and

cannot accept those who practice it. Moses’ sin kept him from entering the
promised land, and no sacrifice could remove that judgment. Sin kept us
from entering God’s presence, but Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sin
and removed God’s judgment for ever by His death. Trusting in Jesus Christ
will save you from God’s anger and will allow you to begin a personal
relationship with Him.

The Shekinah glory was visible in the fire at the altar of burnt offering. This
ongoing presence of God reminded the Israelites that salvation is of the
Lord. The atonement made at the burnt offering could only be made
through Him.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist predicted that the Messiah would
baptize with the Spirit and with fire:

“I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your
changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorence of your
past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not
worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Matt. 3:11 (The Amplified Bible)

Fire served as a sign of judgment and refining, but it also reminds us of the
Holy Spirit’s coming at Pentecost in the form of “tongues of fire”:

“Now when the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

Then suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wing. And it filled
all the house where they were sitting.

Then there appeared to them tongues of fire being distributed, and it sat upon each of
them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages as
the Spirit gave them the ability.” (Acts 2:1-4)

This was a fulfilment of John the Baptist’s words about the Holy Spirit’s
baptising with fire, and of the prophet Joel’s words about the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28,29). Fire symbolises God’s purifying presence,
which burns away the undesirable elements of our lives and sets our hearts
aflame to ignite the lives of others. At Pentecost, God confirmed the validity
of the Holy Spirit’s ministry by sending fire. At Mount Sinai, fire had come
down on one place; at Pentecost, fire came down on many believers,
symbolising that God’s presence is now available to all who believe in Him.

The continuously burning, divine fire at the altar of burnt offering helped
remind the Israelites of the reality of God’s presence and of their need for
God. The sacred fire endured throughout the forty years in the desert and
likely beyond that, as tabernacle worship continued until the time of King
Solomon and the building of the Jewish temple. When the temple was
dedicated, God once again lit the fire on the altar:

“Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed
the burnt offering and the sacrifices. And the glory of the LORD filled the house.” (2
Chr. 7:1)

God sent fire from heaven to consume the offering and to begin the fire
that was to burn continuously under the altar of burnt offering. This was
God’s signal that He accepted the offering that was made. This event was
similar to the revelation of God’s glory at Mount Sinai, which was the
beginning of a new era that lasted over four hundred years unto the time of
this inauguration of the temple. The glorious outpouring of the glory of
God on the inauguration of the temple would be the beginning of another
era that would end in captivity.

As earlier stated, the fire on the altar must be kept burning as this reminds
the people that God is with them always. It also makes me think about the
role the fire plays in sin offerings of the people. One will easily recall their
folly when they take a look at the perpetual burning altar, he or she will
quickly be reminded of God’s law and will be inspired to abide in the law.
The fire consumes the offering also showing the mercies of God that takes
away our sin and shame and restores us into right standing with God.
The altar here is our hearts as believers, the fire is the presence of God. God
has given us believers His Spirit to abide in us. We are the temple of the
Holy Spirit and with the Spirit of God abiding in our hearts. The Holy Spirit
works in our hearts by quickening and reminding us of God’s truth, so that
we are always able to yield and abide in God’s will. We keep the fire burning
by listening and obeying God’s word in our lives, abiding in the
righteousness that we have been given in Christ Jesus and walking in
holiness and purity all the days of our lives.

Just as God spoke to the people of Israel in the wilderness, He is speaking

to us, let us not quench or grieve the Spirit of God in us. Failing to obey
God’s word always incur very unfavourable consequences. We put out the
fire by disobeying God’s word, walking in the flesh and not yielding to the
Spirit of God. The Spirit of God becomes distant from us and we fail to
hear Him. We miss out on God and we find our lives going astray. God’s
word is extremely important, by obeying it, not only do we receive blessings
but we are preserved and able to continue to have a wonderful fellowship
with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The fire on the altar of burnt offering had to be kept burning, and it must
not go out. This means that all night until the Lord returns, all through the
dark night of this age, we should live a life of the continual burnt offering,
being a living sacrifice for the satisfaction of God.

Our offering ourselves to the Lord shouldn’t be conditional, if we feel like

it or if we are happy about it; rather, we should allow the Lord to keep us
burning as a living sacrifice all throughout the dark age of this world, until
He returns.

On His side, God is a holy fire ready to consume whatever we offer to Him,
and He is hungry to feed on the food of the burnt offerings. On our side,
we simply offer ourselves early in the morning by consecrating ourselves to
Him, and we also take Christ as our burnt offering in the evening, when all
the work is done, for God to be satisfied.

We consecrate ourselves to the Lord not by promising Him to do this or

that for Him, but by offering ourselves to Him with the realisation that we
take Christ as our burnt offering, for He alone is qualified to be for God’s
satisfaction, only He is absolute for God, and only He is our acceptance
before God.

The type of the burnt offering shows us that we need to live a life of the
continual burnt offering, a life with fire burning on the altar all day long, a
life of being a living sacrifice. The amount of fire we have from God and
burning in us depends on the amount of our experience of consecration.

The more we consecrate ourselves to the Lord by offering ourselves to Him

for Him to do what He wants to do in us, the more the divine fire will burn
in us. In a sense, we don’t need to ask God to send us fire – we simply need
to consecrate ourselves to the Lord, add wood to the fire, and the Lord as
the fire will burn in us.

For example, we may not feel like going to the home meeting with the saints,
but instead of waiting for the holy fire to fall from heaven and motivate us
to go to the meeting, we simply exercise our spirit and, though we may not
feel like it, we go to the home of the saints to meet with them.

The result is that the Lord will eat our offering by fire, He will be satisfied,
and we also will be satisfied, for when God is happy we are also happy.
When we live a life of the burnt offering by being a living sacrifice, we are
for God’s satisfaction, we live a life for God’s purpose, and both Him and
us are satisfied.
 The Prerequisites For Keeping The Fire On The Altar
Burning

“C
ommand Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt
offering. It is the burnt offering because of the burning on the altar
all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar will be kept
burning on it.

‘And the fire on the altar will be burning on it. It will not be put out. And the priest will
burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order on it. And he will burn
on it the fat of the peace offerings.

‘The fire will be burning continually on the altar. It will never go out.” (Lev. 6:9,12,13)

The holy fire on the altar had to keep burning because God had started it.
This represented God’s eternal presence in the sacrificial system. It showed
the people that only by God’s gracious favour could their sacrifices be
acceptable. God’s fire is present in each believer’s life today. He lights the
fire when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and tends it so that we will
grow in grace as we walk with Him. When we aware that God lives in us,
we have confidence to come to Him for forgiveness and restoration. We
can carry out our work with strength and enthusiasm.
For God’s holy fire to remain burning on your altar, the following criteria
should be taken into consideration:

1. Genuine salvation.

The presentation of the offerings on the altar demands that the priest should
be recognised by God. This is clear from our golden text in Lev. 6: 8-13. A
child’s food shouldn’t be given to dogs. Without the salvation of the soul
of man, one lives without divine covering. The redemption of our soul is of
great price.

“How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention
to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it
was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be
real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].” (Heb. 2:3) The Amplified
Bible

“This [Jesus] is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which
has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone].

And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by and in which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11,12) The Amplified
Bible

Many people react negatively to the fact that there is no other names than
that of Jesus to call on for salvation. Yet this is not something the church
decided; it is the specific teaching of Jesus Christ Himself in John 14:6;
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way. I am the truth and the life. The only way to the Father
is through me. If you really knew me, then you would know my Father too. But now you
know the Father. You have seen him.’” (Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version)

If God designated Jesus to be the Saviour of the world, no one else can be
His equal. Christians are to be open-minded on many issues, but not on
how we are saved from sin. No other religious teacher could die for our
sins; no other religious teacher came to earth as God’s only Son; no other
religious teacher rose from the dead. Our focus should be on Jesus Christ,
whom God offered as the way to have an eternal relationship with Himself.
There is no other name or way to God’s heart than through His Son, Jesus
Christ. Any offerings or oblations without our salvation is void and invalid
before the LORD.

An Anglican Church Hymnal says:

1. Salvation though, Salvation though

The sinner doth desire;
From all the evil of our heart
We’re condemned and perish.

2. The sinful acts we perpetrate,

Speaks audibly always
No salvation is found thereof,
Salvation nay of work.

3. We sacrifice and still appease,

We sing and still we dance;
But no salvation there is found
In all but all in vain.

4. Where else can salvation be found?

Reveal! reveal to us;
Above the sky beneath the sea,
Reveal thou if you know.

5. Christ Jesus is Saviour divine,

Christ Jesus is our Lord;
Upon His hand salvation lie;
For unto us sinners.

6. Draw nigh to Him, with your requests,

Whole love is found in Him;
Foulest sinners like thou he calls;
Salvation come receive.

2. Passion and hunger for the presence of God.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matt.
5:6)

We must have a deep longing for both personal holiness and justice if we
want to present our offerings on the altar. Jesus Christ said to His disciples
in John 4:34;

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His
work.’”
The food about which Jesus was speaking was his spiritual nourishment. It
includes more than Bible study, prayer, and attending church. Spiritual
nourishment also comes from doing God’s will and helping to bring His
work of salvation to completion. We are nourished not only by what we
take in, but also by what we give out for God.

Solomon did what his forefathers could not do because of his passion for
the presence of God:

“And behold, I intend to build a house to the name of the LORD my God, as the
LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son whom I will set on your throne in
your room, he will build a house to My name.’” (1 Kgs 5:5)

3. Faith.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:1,6)

We need faith to keep our altar burning. Faith is the conviction based on
past experience that God’s new and fresh surprises will surely be ours. Two
words describe faith: sure and certain. These two qualities need a secure
beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in
God’s character - He is who He says. The end point is believing in God’s
promises - He will do what He says. When we believe that God will fulfil
His promises even though we don’t see those promises materialising yet, we
demonstrate true faith.
4. Holiness.

The altar is sacred, hence, we need to be Holy.

“Speak to all the assembly of the children of Israel and say to them, ‘You will be holy,
for I the LORD your God am holy.’” (Lev. 19:2)

“You who carry the articles that belong to the LORD's temple, leave Babylon! Leave it!
Get out of there! Don't touch anything that isn't pure and clean. Come out of Babylon
and be pure.” (Isa. 52:11) New International Reader’s Version

“Out of here! Out of here! Leave this place! Don't look back. Don't contaminate
yourselves with plunder. Just leave, but leave clean. Purify yourselves in the process of
worship, carrying the holy vessels of God.” (Isa. 52:11) The Message Bible

“You people, leave, leave; get out of Babylon! Touch nothing that is unclean. You men
who carry the Lord's things used in worship, leave there and make yourselves pure.” (Isa.
52:11) New Century Version

Isaiah was referring to the return after the 70 years of captivity in Babylon.
You would remember that Nebuchadnezzar carted off all the gold and silver
parts of the Temple that were used in the Temple for worship when he took
Israel captive. Cyrus would then give the command that the Temple and the
sacred vessels were to be restored. In Ezra chapter 8, we have the record of
the return journey of the Jews from Babylon to their own land. They were
wary from seventy years of exile. They had been halted by the river to get
ready to cross the desert back to their own country, their own Gilead. As
they gathered there, Ezra organised for a band of priests and Levites to carry
these vessels used in the service and worship of the LORD. On the evening
before they set out, Ezra committed these vessels into the hands of these
men and says,

“Then I said to those twelve priests: ‘You and these things are holy to the Lord. People
gave the silver and gold to the Lord, the God of your ancestors.

‘So guard these things carefully. You are responsible for them until you give them to the
temple leaders in Jerusalem. You will give them to the leading Levites and the family
leaders of Israel. They will weigh those things and put them in the rooms of the Lord’s
temple in Jerusalem.’” (Ezra 8:28,29) Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version

Vessels are objects of service, that is, they are used in the service and the
worship of the Lord. Our vessels of service today could be those talents,
gifts, callings and enablings that you believe that God has blessed you with.
And there is no way to please the Lord without living a life of holiness.
Without holiness, nobody will see the Lord. Our services cannot and will
never be acceptable before the Lord without being holy.

“So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and
unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the
Messiah) is revealed.

[Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that
governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the
Gospel].
But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct
and manner of living.

For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet. 1:13-16) The Amplified
Bible

Philip P. Bliss in 1873 sang and prayed:

1. More holiness give me, more strivings within.

More patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin.
More faith in my Savior, more sense of His care.
More joy in His service, more purpose in prayer.

2. More gratitude give me, more trust in the lord.

More zeal for His glory, more hope in His Word.
More tears for His sorrows, more pain at His grief.
More meekness in trial, more praise for relief.

3. More purity give me, more strength to o’ercome,

More freedom from earth-stains, more longings for home.
More fit for the kingdom, more useful I’d be,
More blessed and holy, more, Savior, like Thee.

5. Prayer.

Prayer is our direct line with heaven. Prayer is a communication process that
allows us to talk to God! He wants us to communicate with Him, like a
person-to-person phone call. Cell phones and other devices have become a
necessity to some people in today’s society. We have bluetooth devices,
iPhones, blackberries, and talking computers including social medium
networks! These are means of communication that allow two or more
people to interact, discuss, and respond to one another. To many people,
prayer seems complicated, but it is simply talking to God.

Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. It is the place where pride is
abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made. Prayer is the place of
admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon
God. Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian. Prayer is the exercise
of faith and hope. Prayer is the privilege of touching the heart of the Father
through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

We have a summons to boldly come before God because of the finished

and sufficient work of Jesus. In Heb. 4:16, the writer says;

“With Jesus as our high priest we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is
grace (forgiveness). There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.”
(Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version)

Let us then come with joy and gladness to the Lord, not out of duty.

Many Christians struggle with prayer. They tremble as if the light from
God’s throne will expose them in naked shame. The throne of God’s grace,
though, reveals the radiant robes that have been draped around the people
of God in the righteousness of Christ given to all who trust in Him. Here
are some things to remember when praying: to come boldly and freely with
gladness of heart; to come before the throne of Christ, knowing you are
clothed in the righteousness of God; to come before the throne, knowing
you are invited to His saving ministry;to come before His throne, knowing
you are purchased by the saving blood of Jesus; and to come before the
throne of God, knowing you are anticipated by His sympathetic
intercession.

To know these things mentioned above are the secrets to a lively, happy,
and healthy Christian prayer life. It is the throne of God’s grace in which
Christians come, which means when they come to this throne, their sins are
covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Stumbling prayers are not criticized
but are received with kindness. God’s Spirit helps God’s people to pray, and
He graciously interprets His people’s prayers in the heart of the Father:

“Likewise, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we
should, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession with groanings that cannot be uttered.”
(Rom. 8:26)

6. Study the word of God.

“Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) American Standard Version

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one
another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts
unto God.” (Col. 3:16) American Standard Version

“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed
you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Pet. 2:2) NKJV
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is His written Instruction Book
to mankind. It answers every important question in life. It explains how to
live - and reveals the road to salvation. Taking in the Word of God for
spiritual nourishment surpasses the need of taking in physical food. The
Bible provides light to avoid pitfalls in the path of life. The Bible gives us
wisdom to understand the weighty aspects of salvation. All scripture is
inspired by God to mold and teach His people so that they may become
perfect and equipped.

Satan’s primary aim is to keep you from God’s Word. In doing this, Satan
decreases our effectiveness for God. The hope is that new patterns would
develop in helping us be victorious for Christ.

7. Evangelism.

“And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good
news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].

He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom
it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who
does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him
Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15,16) The Amplified Bible

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My
witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Evangelism is the preaching of the christian Gospel to others with the
intention of conversion. The word “evangelist” comes from the Greek
word “euangelion” (a word that means a reward given to the messenger for
good news). The verb form of “euangelion”, (translated as “evangelism”),
occurs rarely in older Greek literature outside the New Testament, making
its meaning more difficult to ascertain. Parallel texts of the Gospels of Luke
and Mark reveal a synonymous relationship between the verb “euangelizo”
and a Greek verb “kerusso”, which means “to proclaim”.

From the passages above, Jesus told His disciples to go into the world,
telling everyone that He had paid the penalty for sin and that those who
believe in Him can be forgiven and live eternally with God. Christ’s disciples
today in all parts of the world are preaching this Gospel to people who
haven’t heard about Christ. The driving power that carries missionaries
around the world and sets Christ’s church in motion is the faith that comes
from the resurrection. As you grow in your relationship with Christ, He will
give you both the opportunities and the inner strength to tell His message.
Remember that evangelism is the heartbeat of God.

God’s Gospel has not reached its final destination if someone in your
family, your workplace, your school, or your community hasn’t heard about
Jesus Christ. Make sure that you are contributing in some way to the ever-
widening circle of God’s loving message. The world is fully ripe for the last-
day harvest; try not to be left behind. Always note that witnessing is not
showing what we can do for God, it is showing and telling what God has
done for us. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to effectively evangelise
for the Lord. Power from the Holy Spirit is not limited to strength beyond
the ordinary, that power also involves courage, boldness, confidence,
insight, ability, and authority. The disciples of Jesus at these end times would
need these gifts to fulfil their evangelical mission.

An Anglican Church Hymnal affirms the implications of an effective

evangelism:

1. Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,

snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

2. Though they are slighting Him,

still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
he will forgive if they only believe.
Rescue the perishing, duty demands it.

3. Rescue the perishing, Duty demands it,

Strength for thy labour the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way,
Patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Saviour has died.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

8. Be filled with the Holy Ghost.

“And be not getting drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be getting filled in
Spirit;--

Speaking to yourselves, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; singing, and striking
the strings, with your heart unto the Lord;” (Eph. 5:18,19) Rotherham Emphasized
Bible

In the passage above, Paul contrasts getting drunk with wine, which
produces a temporary “high”, to being filled with the Spirit, which produces
lasting joy. Getting drunk with wine is associated with the old way of life
and its selfish desires. In Christ, we have a better joy, higher and long lasting,
to cure our depression, monotony, or tension. We should not be concerned
with how much of the Holy Spirit we have, but how much of us the Holy
Spirit has. We should submit ourselves to his leading and draw constantly
on his power.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8) English Standard Version
9. Shun the world and all that is in it.

“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with
God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of
God.

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over
the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble.”

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and
purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (Jas. 4:4-8) English Standard Version

Here is a decided warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world.
Worldly-mindedness is enmity to God. An enemy may be reconciled, but
"enmity" never can be reconciled. A man may have a large portion in things
of this life, and yet be kept in the love of God; but he who sets his heart
upon the world, who will conform to it rather than lose its friendship, is an
enemy to God. So that any one who resolves at all events to be upon friendly
terms with the world, must be the enemy of God.

Natural corruption shows itself by envying. The spirit of the world teaches
us to lay up, or lay out for ourselves, according to our own fancies. God the
Holy Spirit teaches us to be willing to do good to all about us, as we are
able. The grace of God will correct and cure the spirit by nature in us; and
where He gives grace, He gives another Spirit than that of the world. The
proud resist God. In their understanding they resist the truths of God In
their will, they resist the laws of God. In their passions, they resist the
providence of God. Therefore, no wonder that God resists the proud.

How wretched the state of those who make God their enemy! God will give
more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, pray for it, are
thankful for it, and such shall have it. Submit to God. Submit your
understanding to the truth of God. Submit your wills to the will of His
precepts, the will of His providence. Submit yourselves to God, for He is
ready to do you good.

If we yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us. But if we put
on the whole armour of God, and stand out against him, he will leave us.
Let sinners then submit to God, and seek His grace and favour; resisting the
devil. All sin must be wept over; here, in godly sorrow, or, hereafter, in
eternal misery. And the Lord will not refuse to comfort one who really
mourns for sin, or to exalt one who humbles himself before Him.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory
of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17) American Standard Version
The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and
purposes which God intended. They are to be used by His grace, and to His
glory. Believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which
sin abuses them. The world draws the heart from God. The more the love
of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays. The things of the
world are classed according to the three ruling inclinations of depraved
nature. The lust of the flesh, of the body: wrong desires of the heart, the
appetite of indulging all things that excite and inflame sensual pleasures; The
lust of the eyes: the eyes are delighted with riches and rich possessions; this
is the lust of covetousness; and The pride of life: a vain man craves the
grandeur and pomp of a vain-glorious life; this includes thirst after position,
title, honour and applause.

The things of the world quickly fade and die away. The desire of worldliness
will soon fail and cease, but holy affection is not like the lust that passes
away. The love of God shall never fail. Unless the victory over the world is
begun in the heart, a man has no root in himself. Yet these vanities are so
alluring to the corruption in our hearts, that without constant watching and
prayer, we cannot escape the world, or obtain victory over the God and
prince of it.

10. Attend fellowship.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, according to the custom of some, but
exhorting, and by so much the more as this, by as much as ye behold, the day, drawing
near.” (Heb. 10:25) Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To neglect christian fellowship would mean giving up the encouragement,
motivation, and help of other Christians that we need. We gather together
to learn from each other, refresh our faith, and strengthen one another in
the Lord. As we get closer to the day of Christ’s return, we will face many
spiritual struggles, and perhaps times of severe persecution as evil forces
grow in strength. Difficulties, disillusionment, or busyness should never be
excuses for missing church services. Rather, they should motivate us to
make an even greater effort to be faithful in meeting with other believers
and participating in mutual encouragement.
 The Fire Extinguishers On The Altar

1. Sin.

“H
e that is committing sin, is, of the adversary, because, from the
beginning, the adversary is sinning. To this end, was the Son of
God made manifest, in order that he might undo the works of the
adversary.

Whosoever hath been born of God, is not committing, sin, because, a seed of him, within
him, abideth; and he cannot be committing sin, because, of God, hath he been born.” (1
John 3:8,9) Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Sin is the rejection of the Divine law. In Christ, there was no sin. All the
sinless weaknesses that were consequences of the fall, He took. All those
infirmities of mind or body which subject man to suffering, and expose him
to temptation Jesus took away on the cross of Calvary. But our moral
infirmities, our proneness to sin, He had not. He that abides in Christ,
continues not in the practice of sin.

Renouncing sin is the great proof of spiritual union with, continuance in,
and saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Beware of self-deceit. He
that does righteousness is righteous, and to be a follower of Christ, shows
an interest by faith in his obedience and sufferings. A man cannot act like
the devil, and at the same time be a disciple of Christ Jesus. Let us not serve
or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy.

To be born of God is to be inwardly renewed by the power of the Spirit of

God. Renewing grace is an abiding principle. Religion is not an art, a matter
of dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And the regenerated person cannot
sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born
again. There is that light in his mind, which shows him the evil and malignity
of sin. There is that bias upon his heart, which disposes him to loathe and
hate sin.

There is the spiritual principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is
repentance for sin, if committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought.
The children of God and the children of the devil have their distinct
characters. The seed of the serpent are known by neglect of religion, and by
their hating real Christians. He only is righteous before God, as a justified
believer, who is taught and disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In
this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.

2. Gossip.

“A talebearer reveals secrets,

But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” (Prov. 11:13) NKJV

“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;

Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.” (Prov. 20:19) NKJV
People who gossip lose the confidence of others because they speak to
others those things that are told them in confidence. Leviticus 19:16 says;

“You will not go up and down as a talebearer among your people. Neither will you stand
against the blood of your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

The mouth can be used as a weapon or a tool, hurting relationships or

building them up. Sadly, it is often easier to destroy than to build, and most
people have received more destructive comments than those that build up.
Every person you meet today is either a demolition site or a construction
opportunity. Your words will make a difference. Will your words be for
destruction or tools for construction?

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we
who teach will be judged more strictly.

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect,
able to keep their whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole
animal.

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds,
they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what
a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole
body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been
tamed by mankind,

but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who
have been made in God’s likeness.

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not
be.

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a
salt spring produce fresh water.” (Jas. 3:1-12) NIV

The affairs of mankind are thrown into confusion by the tongues of men.
Every age of the world, and every condition of life, private or public, affords
examples of this. Hell has more to do in promoting the fire of the tongue
than men generally think. Whenever men’s tongues are employed in sinful
ways, they are set on fire of hell. No man can tame the tongue without
Divine grace and assistance.

The apostle does not represent it as impossible, but as extremely difficult.

Other sins decay with age, this many times gets worse; we grow more
forward and fretful, as natural strength decays, and the days come on in
which we have no pleasure. When other sins are tamed and subdued by the
infirmities of age, the spirit often grows more tart, nature being drawn down
to the dregs, and the words used become more passionate. That man’s
tongue confutes itself, which at one time pretends to adore the perfections
of God, and to refer all things to Him; and at another time condemns even
good men, if they do not use the same words and expressions.

True religion will not admit of contradictions: how many sins would be
prevented, if men would always be consistent! Pious and edifying language
is the genuine produce of a sanctified heart; and none who understand
Christianity, expect to hear curses, lies, gossips, boastings, and revilings
from a true believer’s mouth, any more than they look for the fruit of one
tree from another. But facts prove that more Christians succeed in bridling
their senses and appetites, than in duly restraining their tongues. The way
we use our tongue could extinguish the fire of God in our lives. Let us aim
to be consistent in our words and actions.

3. The love of money.

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the
faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
patience, gentleness.” (1 Tim. 6:6-11) NKJV

Those that make a trade of Christianity to serve their turn for this world,
will be disappointed. But those who mind it as their calling, will find it has
the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come. He
that is godly, is sure to be happy in another world; and if contented with his
condition in this world, he has enough; and all truly godly people are
content.

When brought into the greatest straits, we cannot be poorer than when we
came into this world. A shroud, a coffin, and a grave, are all that the richest
man in the world can have from all his wealth. If nature should be content
with a little, grace should be content with less. The necessaries of life bound
a true christian’s desires, and with these he will endeavor to be content. We
see here the evil of covetousness. It is not said, they that are rich, but they
will be rich; who place their happiness in wealth, and are eager and
determined in the pursuit. Those that are such, give to Satan the opportunity
of tempting them, leading them to use dishonest means, and other bad
practices, to add to their gains.

Also, leading into so many employments, and such a hurry of business, as

leave no time or inclination for spiritual religion; leading to connections that
draw into sin and folly. What sins will not men be drawn into by the love of
money! In these end times, people are really polluting the altar with the love
of money. There are lots of decadence in the church in these perilous times.
You will see some so-called ministers in the church extorting the
congregation through their selling of pure water and anointing oil.

People may have money, and yet not love it; but if they love it, this will push
them on to all evil. Every sort of wickedness and vice, in one way or another,
grows from the love of money. We cannot look around without perceiving
many proofs of this, especially in a day of outward prosperity, great
expenses, and loose profession.

4. Disobedience.

“But Samuel answered, ‘Which pleases the Lord more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or
obeying the Lord’s command? It is better to obey God than to offer sacrifices to him. It is
better to listen to God than to offer the fat from rams.

Refusing to obey is as bad as the sin of sorcery. Being stubborn and doing what you want
is like the sin of worshiping idols. You refused to obey the Lord’s command. For this
reason, the Lord now refuses to accept you as king.’ (1 Sam. 15:22,23) Holy Bible:
Easy-to-Read Version

This passage is the first of numerous places in the Bible where the theme
“to obey is better than sacrifice” is stated (Ps. 40:6-8; 51:16,17; Prov. 21:3;
Isa. 1:11-17; Jer. 7:21-23; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6-8; Matt. 12:7; Mk. 12:33; Heb.
10:8,9). Samuel did not say that sacrifice was not important, he was urging
Saul to look at his reasons for making the sacrifice rather than at the sacrifice
itself. A sacrifice was a ritual transaction between man and God that
physically demonstrated a relationship between them. But if the person’s
heart was not truly repentant or if he did not truly love God, the sacrifice
was a hollow ritual. Religious ceremonies or rituals are empty unless they
are performed with an attitude of love and obedience. Being religious (going
to church, serving on a committee, giving to charity, etc.) is not enough if
we do not act out of devotion and obedience to God.

Rebellion and arrogance are serious sins. They involve far more than being
independent and strong-minded. The Scriptures equate them with
divination (witchcraft) and idolatry, sins worthy of death (Exos. 22:18; Lev.
20:6; Deut. 13:12-15; 18:10; Mic. 5:10-14). Rebellion against God is perhaps
the most serious sin of all because as long as a person rebels, he or she closes
the door to forgiveness and restoration with God.

5. Worldliness.

“So you people are not faithful to God! You should know that loving the world is the
same as hating God. So if a person wants to be a part of the world, then he makes himself
God’s enemy.” (Jas. 4:4) Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy,
and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will
be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
(Matt. 6:19-21,24) NIV

Worldly-mindedness is a common and fatal symptom of hypocrisy, for by

no sin can Satan have a surer and faster hold of the soul, under the cloak of
a profession of religion. Something the soul will have, which it looks upon
as the best thing; in which it has pleasure and confidence above other things.
Christ counsels to make our best things the joys and glories of the other
world, those things not seen which are eternal, and to place our happiness
in them.

There are treasures in heaven. It is our wisdom to give all diligence to make
our title to eternal life sure through Jesus Christ, and to look on all things
here below, as not worthy to be compared with it, and to be content with
nothing short of it. It is happiness above and beyond the changes and
chances of time, an inheritance incorruptible. The worldly man is wrong in
his first principle; therefore, all his reasonings and actions therefrom must
be wrong. It is equally to be applied to false religion; that which is deemed
light is thick darkness. This is an awful, but a common case; we should
therefore carefully examine our leading principles by the word of God, with
earnest prayer for the teaching of His Spirit.

A man may do some service to two masters, but he can devote himself to
the service of no more than one. God requires the whole heart, and will not
share it with the world. When two masters oppose each other, no man can
serve both. He who holds to the world and loves it, must despise God; he
who loves God, must give up the friendship of the world.

6. Unforgiveness.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matt.
6:14,15) NIV

We were taught to hate and dread sin while we hope for mercy, to distrust
ourselves, to rely on the providence and grace of God to keep us from it, to
be prepared to resist the tempter, and not to become tempters of others.
Here is a promise, if you forgive, your heavenly Father will also forgive.
God’s forgiveness of sin is not the direct result of our forgiving others, but
it is based on our realising what forgiveness means. We must forgive, as we
hope to be forgiven. It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but difficult to
grant it to others. Whenever we ask God to forgive us for sin, we should
ask ourselves. Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy
to their brethren. Christ came into the world as the great Peace-maker, not
only to reconcile us to God, but one to another.

7. Lack of faith.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)
NKJV
It is impossible for a child to please his father unless he has confidence in
him. It is impossible for a wife to please her husband, or a husband a wife,
unless they have confidence in each other. If there is distrust and jealousy
on either part, there is discord and misery. We cannot be pleased with a
professed friend unless he has such confidence in us as to believe our
declarations and promises. The same thing is true of God. He cannot be
pleased with the man who has no confidence in Him; who doubts the truth
of His declarations and promises; who does not believe that His ways are
right, or that He is qualified for universal empire. The requirement of faith
or confidence in God is not arbitrary; it is just what we require of our
children, and partners in life, and friends, as the indispensable condition of
our being pleased with them.

We cannot come to God in an acceptable manner if we doubt His existence.

We do not see Him, but we must believe that He is; we cannot form in our
mind a correct image of God, but this should not prevent a conviction that
there is such a Being. It is necessary that we have this belief in lively exercise
in the act of drawing near to Him, and that we should realise that we are
actually in the presence of the All-seeing Jehovah.

If we could not believe that God would hear and answer our prayers, there
could be no encouragement to call upon Him. It is impossible to make an
acceptable approach to Him unless we have faith.
8. Past or Present Achievements and Past Guilt (Ashes).

“Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering
: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning,
and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.

The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body,
and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar
and place them beside the altar.” (Lev. 6:9,10) NIV

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press
on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I
do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in
Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14) NIV

The accumulation of ashes would quench the fire on our altar. This simple
dependence and earnestness of soul, were not mentioned as if the apostle
Paul had gained the prize, or were already made perfect in the Saviour’s
likeness. He forgot the things which were behind, so as not to be content
with past labors or present measures of grace. He reached forth, stretched
himself forward towards his point; expressions showing great concern to
become more and more like unto Christ. He who runs a race, must never
stop short of the end, but press forward as fast as he can; so those who have
heaven in their view, must still press forward to it, in holy desires and hopes,
and constant endeavours. Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ
Jesus; through His hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by Him.

All our past guilts and /or past and present achievements for God are mere
ashes that will quench our fire; never allow them to slow you down on your
journey to the Kingdom of God. Your present or past achievements could
lead you to pride and arrogance, which could be so destructive spiritually.
Don’t dwell on your past, instead grow in the knowledge of God by
concentrating on your relationship with Him now. Look forward to a fuller
and more meaningful life because of your hope in Christ. We should not let
anything take our eyes off our goal, that is, knowing Christ. What are those
things that are ashes on your spiritual altar?
 The significance of fire in the Bible

T
he Bible devotes a lot of pages to describe the significance of fire.
It presents the following:

The Physical Significance of Fire in The Bible

1. Warmth.

“It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep
warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.” (John 18:18) NIV

2. Cooking.

“He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of
sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what
you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” (Exos. 16:23) NIV

3. Signals.

“The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of
smoke from the city,

and then the Israelites would counterattack. The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties
on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first
battle.”
But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw
the whole city going up in smoke.

Then the Israelites counterattacked, and the Benjamites were terrified, because they
realized that disaster had come on them.” (Judges 20: 38-41) NIV

4. Sacrifices.

“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and
clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the
ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from
childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.” (Gen.
8:20,21) NIV

5. Smelting.

“And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined
seven times.” (Ps. 12:6) NIV

6. Torture.

“So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the
other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King
Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what
you are commanded to do:
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of
music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has
set up.

Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing
furnace.” (Dan. 3:3-6) NIV

7. The sacrifice of children.

“Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen
years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his
God.

He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging
in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.” (2
Kgs 16:2,3) NIV

The Supernatural Significance of Fire in The Bible

1. To manifest God.

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and
he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses
saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.

So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn
up.” (Exos. 3:1-3) NIV
2. To indicate God's power.

“When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail,
and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt;

hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of
Egypt since it had become a nation.

Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat
down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.” (Exos. 9:23-25) NIV

3. To guide God's people.

“After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and
by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the
people.” (Exos. 13:20-22) NIV

4. To express God's approval.

“Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed
the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat
portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell
facedown.” (Lev. 9:23,24) NIV
5. To vindicate God's wrath.

“But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers
of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you
are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’

Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You
will certainly die!’” So Elijah went.

When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you come back?”

“A man came to meet us,” they replied. “And he said to us, ‘Go back to the king who
sent you and tell him, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel
that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you
will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”’”

The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you
this?”

They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.”

The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”

Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to
Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king
says, ‘Come down!’”

Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven
and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain
and his men.
At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to
him, “Man of God, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’”

“If I am a man of God,” Elijah replied, “may fire come down from heaven and consume
you and your fifty men!” Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and
his fifty men.” (2 Kgs 1:3-12) NIV

6. To transport a servant of God to heaven.

“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I
am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from
you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of
fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of
Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in
two.” (2 Kgs 2:9-12) NIV

The Figurative Significance of Fire in the Bible

1. God's word

“Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:

“Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire
and these people the wood it consumes.” (Jer. 5:14) NIV

2. God's protection

“Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand.

I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out
how wide and how long it is.”

While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him

and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls
because of the great number of people and animals in it.

And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory
within.’” (Zech. 2:1-5) NIV

3. God's vengeance

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful,
and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28,29) NIV

4. Jesus Christ

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he
will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them
like gold and silver.” (Mal. 3:2,3) NIV

5. The Holy Spirit

“In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the
land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.

Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are
recorded among the living in Jerusalem.

The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains
from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.” (Isa. 4:2-4) NIV

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole
house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of
them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the
Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:1-4) NIV

6. Angels

“And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”

In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits,

and his servants flames of fire.” (Heb. 1:6,7) NIV

7. Tongue

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider
what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole
body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (Jas. 3:5,6)
NIV

8. Lust

“Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?

Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.”
(Prov. 6:27-29) NIV

9. Love

“I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not let love be moved till it is ready.

Who is this, who comes up from the waste places, resting on her loved one? It was I who
made you awake under the apple-tree, where your mother gave you birth; there she was in
pain at your birth.
Put me as a sign on your heart, as a sign on your arm; love is strong as death, and wrath
bitter as the underworld: its coals are coals of fire; violent are its flames.

Much water may not put out love, or the deep waters overcome it: if a man would give all
the substance of his house for love, it would be judged a price not great enough.” (Songs
8:4-7) Bible in Basic English

10. Purification

“In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord seated in his place, high and lifted
up, and the Temple was full of the wide skirts of his robe.

Over him were the winged ones: every one had six wings; two for covering his face, two for
covering his feed, and two for flight.

And one said in a loud voice to another, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of armies: all the
earth is full of his glory.

And the bases of the door-pillars were shaking at the sound of his cry, and the house was
full of smoke.

Then I said, The curse is on me, and my fate is destruction; for I am a man of unclean
lips, living among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
armies.

Then a winged one came to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from
off the altar with the fire-spoon.
And after touching my mouth with it, he said, See, your lips have been touched with this;
and your evil is taken away, and you are made clean from sin.” (Isa. 6:1-7) Bible in
Basic English

11. Affliction

“But now, says the Lord your Maker, O Jacob, and your life-giver, O Israel: have no
fear, for I have taken up your cause; naming you by your name, I have made you mine.

When you go through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not
go over you: when you go through the fire, you will not be burned; and the flame will have
no power over you.” (Isa. 43:1,2) Bible in Basic English

12. Persecution

“I came to send a fire on the earth, and it may even now have been lighted.

But there is a baptism which I have to undergo; and how am I kept back till it is complete!

Is it your opinion that I have come to give peace on earth? I say to you, No, but division:

For from this time, a family of five in one house will be on opposite sides, three against
two and two against three.

They will be at war, the father against his son, and the son against his father; mother
against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law,
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Lk. 12:49-53) Bible in Basic English
13. Fire represents God's radiant glory as an aspect of His holiness.

“So it came to pass, when, the sun, had gone in, and, a thick darkness, had come on,
that lo! there was a smoking hearth and torch of fire, which passed through between these
pieces.

In that day, did Yahweh solemnise with Abram a covenant, saying,--To thy seed, have I
given this land, from the river of Egypt, as far as the great river--the river Euphrates:”
(Gen. 15:17,18) Rotherham Emphasized Bible

“Take heed to yourselves lest ye forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he hath
solemnised with you,--and so make for yourselves an image, the form of anything, the
which Yahweh thy God hath forbidden thee;

seeing that as for Yahweh thy God, a consuming fire, he is,--a jealous GOD.” (Deut.
4:23,24) Rotherham Emphasized Bible

“But the messenger of Yahweh said unto Manoah--Though thou detain me, yet will I not
eat of thy food, and, though thou make ready an ascending-sacrifice, unto Yahweh, must
thou cause it to ascend. For Manoah had not discerned that, the angel of Yahweh, he
was. Then said Manoah unto the messenger of Yahweh, What is thy name,--that, when
thy word cometh to pass, we may do thee honour?

And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore is it, that thou shouldst ask
after my name,--seeing that, it, is Wonderful?

So Manoah took the kid, and the meal-offering, and caused them to ascend upon the rock
unto Yahweh, who was about to do, wondrously, while Manoah and his wife were looking
on.
And it came to pass, when the flame ascended from off the altar, towards the heavens,
that the messenger of Yahweh ascended in the flame of the altar,--while Manoah and his
wife were looking on. Then fell they on their faces, to the earth.” (Judges 13:16-20)
Rotherham Emphasized Bible

“Wherefore, seeing that, of a kingdom not to be shaken, we are receiving possession, let
us have gratitude--whereby we may be rendering divine service well-pleasingly unto God,
with reverence and awe;

For, even our God, is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28,29) Rotherham Emphasized Bible

14. Fire symbolizes God's people victory over all enemies.

“The descendants of Jacob will be a fire, and the descendants of Joseph a flame. The
descendants of Esau will be like stubble. They will burn them up and devour them. There
will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau!” Indeed, the Lord has spoken it.

The people of the Negev will take possession of Esauʼs mountain,

and the people of the Shephelah will take possession of the land of the Philistines. They
will also take possession of the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, and the
people of Benjamin will take possession of Gilead.

The exiles of this fortress of the people of Israel will take possession of what belongs to the
people of Canaan, as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
will take possession of the towns of the Negev.

Those who have been delivered will go up on Mount Zion in order to rule over Esauʼs
mountain. Then the Lord will reign as King!” (Obad. 1;18-21) NET Bible
15. The zeal of the saints.

“I made no sound, I said no word, even of good; and I was moved with sorrow.

My heart was burning in my breast; while I was deep in thought the fire was lighted; then
I said with my tongue,

Lord, give me knowledge of my end, and of the measure of my days, so that I may see how
feeble I am.” (Ps. 39:2-4) Bible in Basic English

“O Lord, great is your righteousness, and upright are your decisions. You have given your
unchanging word in righteousness, and it is for ever.

My passion has overcome me; because my haters are turned away from your words.

Your word is of tested value; and it is dear to your servant.” (Ps. 119:137-140) Bible
in Basic English

16. It implies wickedness.

“The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are
destroyed.

Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless
and widows; For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, And every mouth speaks folly.
For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns,
And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke.

Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts The land is burned up, And the people shall be
as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.” (Isa. 9:15-19) NKJV

17. Fire means judgment.

“For thus says the Lord: “Behold, one shall fly like an eagle, And spread his wings over
Moab.

Kerioth is taken, And the strongholds are surprised; The mighty men’s hearts in Moab
on that day shall be like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.

And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, Because he exalted himself against the Lord.

Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab,” says the Lord.

“He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, And he who gets out of the pit shall be
caught in the snare. For upon Moab, upon it I will bring the year of their punishment,”
says the Lord.

“Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon Because of exhaustion. But a fire
shall come out of Heshbon, A flame from the midst of Sihon, And shall devour the brow
of Moab, The crown of the head of the sons of tumult.” (Jer. 48:40-45) NKJV
 The Eternal Significance of Fire in The Bible

1. Fire will be finally used to herald Christ's return.

“We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for
that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another
aboundeth;

so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all
your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; which is a manifest token of the
righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of
God, for which ye also suffer:

if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict
you,

and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven
with the angels of his power in flaming fire,

rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus:

who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from
the glory of his might,

when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that
believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.” (2 Thess. 1:3-10)
American Standard Version
2. Fire will destroy the world at the last day.

“This is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir
up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance;

that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the
commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles:

knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after
their own lusts,

and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted
out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;

by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for
fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering
to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and
the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to
be in all holy living and godliness,

looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” (2
Pet. 3:1-12) American Standard Version

3. The wicked will be punished by fire.

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the
eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:

for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in
prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a
stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto
one of these least, ye did it not unto me.

And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.”
(Matt. 25:41-46) American Standard Version
“But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators,
and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with
fire and brimstone; which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8) American Standard Version

“And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”
(Rev. 20:15) American Standard Version

4. The final destiny of all the enemies of God is the lake of fire.

“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his
sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that
worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with
brimstone:” (Rev. 19:20) American Standard Version

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are
also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever
and ever.” (Rev. 20:10) American Standard Version
 Levitical Offerings Meant For The Altar

1. The burnt offering.

T
he burnt offering could be from the cattle (Lev. 1:3-9), the sheep
and goats (vv. 10-13), or the birds (vv. 14-17 usually limited to the
poor, e.g. Lev. 12:8; 14:22. Amid the diversity of different kinds
of animal offerings and the many distinctive ways they were offered to the
Lord, it appears that there was one constant in the presentation of sacrificial
animals: the laying on of the hand(s). The purpose of this act was to identify
the offerer with his or her offering and possibly also to designate or
consecrate the offering for the purposes of the offering:

“Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on
his behalf to make atonement for him.” (Lev. 1:4) NKJV

The laying on of the hand did not transfer anything to the offering animal,
least of all sin. Only holy things could have contact with the altar. In the
scapegoat ritual, the high priest was to lay both hands on the animal and
confess the sins of the whole congregation in order to expressly transfer the
sins to the goat. But in that case, the animal was not offered upon the altar
but instead sent as far away from the altar as possible.
“Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the
iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins,
putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the
hand of a suitable man.

The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall
release the goat in the wilderness.” (Lev. 16:21,22) NKJV

The normal form of blood manipulation for the burnt offering was
relatively simple: the priest would splash it around on the altar (Lev. 1:5).
This was not just a way of disposing of the blood, but a way of offering it
on the altar. It corresponded to arranging the pieces of the animal's carcass
on the altar. The offerer normally slaughtered the animal, but the priests
placed its various parts on the altar fire.

“The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on
the fire.

Then the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat in order on the
wood that is on the fire upon the altar;

but he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the
altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.” (Lev.
1:7-9) NKJV

The basic principle behind the burnt offering was that the whole animal was
offered on the altar, that is, with the exception of the hide of the larger
animals that had been skinned as part of the slaughtering process and the
crop of the birds with its contents.

It was the burning of the offering that made it a pleasing aroma to the Lord
which, in turn, caused it to arouse a certain kind of response from the Lord.
According to Genesis 8:20-22, it was the pleasing aroma of the burning meat
that led the Lord to promise that he would never again destroy the earth
and mankind as he had done in the flood. The burnt offering was a way of
calling on the Lord to pay attention to the needs, requests, and entreaties of
His worshipers either independently or in association with the peace
offering. It was also a means of expressing worshipful responses to the Lord
(Lev. 22:18-20) and, along with its accompanying grain offerings, was the
staple of the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual festival cycle in the
sanctuary.

“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day
continually.

One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.

With the one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin
of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it the grain offering
and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to
the Lord.
This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the
tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak with you.

And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by
My glory.

So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both
Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests.

I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God.” (Exos. 29:38-45)
NKJV

2. The grain and drink offering.

The Hebrew term for "grain offering" is minha, which, as noted above, can
also mean generally "gift, present, tribute." In Leviticus (and other sanctuary
contexts), it always means "grain offering." The grain offering periscoped in
Leviticus 2 stands between the burnt and peace offering chapters (Lev. 1
and 3, respectively). This is as it should be since the grain offering was a
regular part of a burnt or peace offering along with a prescribed libation.

“Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou shall say unto them,--When ye shall enter into
the land of your dwelling-places, which, I, am giving unto you;

and ye would offer, as an altar-flame unto Yahweh an ascending-offering or a sacrifice,

for celebrating a vow or as a freewill-offering, or in your appointed seasons,--by way of
offering a satisfying odour unto Yahweh, from the herd or from the flock,
then shall he that bringeth near his oblation bring near unto Yahweh a meal-offering, of
fine meal a tenth part [of an ephah] overflowed with the fourth part of a hin of oil;

wine also for a drink-offering, the fourth part of a bin, shalt thou offer with the ascending-
offering or with the sacrifice,--for each he-lamb.

Or, with a ram, thou shalt offer a meal-offering, of fine meal, two tenths,--overflowed with
oil, the third of a hin;

wine also, for a drink-offering, the third of a hin, shalt thou bring near as a satisfying
odour unto Yahweh.

And when thou wouldest offer a choice young bullock as an ascending-offering or sacrifice,-
-for celebrating a vow or as a peace-offering unto Yahweh,

then shall he bring near with his choice young bullock, a meal-offering, of fine meal three
tenths,--overflowed with half a hin of oil;

wine also, shalt thou bring near for a drink-offering, half a hin,--for an altar-flame of
satisfying odour unto Yahweh.

Thus and thus, shall it be done, for each ox, and for each ram,--and for each young one
among the sheep, or among the goats:

according to the number which ye shall offer, thus and thus, shall ye do for each one
according to their number.

Every one born in the land, thus and thus, shall offer these things,--when bringing near
an altar-flame of a satisfying odour unto Yahweh.
And when there shall sojourn with you a sojourner, or one who is in your midst to your
generations, and he would offer an altar-flame of a satisfying odour unto Yahweh, as ye
offer, so, shall he offer,

In the convocation, one statute, shall there be for you and for the sojourner who sojourneth,-
-an age-abiding statute unto your generations, as ye are, so, the sojourner, shall be before
Yahweh:” (Num. 15:1-15) Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Like the grain offering, the practice of offering drink offerings (i.e. libations)
predates the tabernacle system and continued at other altars even after the
tabernacle and temple were available. However, within the sanctuary system
they constituted a significant part of the ritual procedures even on a regular
daily basis. It was specifically legislated that libations along with grain
offerings should normally accompany any burnt or peace offering.

The priest was to offer a part of the grain offering on the burnt offering
altar as a memorial to the Lord along with the salt of the covenant. If the
grain was offered raw, then incense was to be added to the memorial portion
to lend it an especially pleasing aroma as it burned on the altar.

The grain offering of jealousy did not include oil or frankincense because it
called to mind the accusation of iniquity. The grain offering used as a sin
offering was similar..

Since the memorial portion was burned on the altar, the whole of the grain
offering was to be unleavened with no honey added (Lev. 2:11), and the
priests were to consume the remainder as unleavened cakes (Lev. 6:16-17).
The prohibition against leaven and honey is probably best explained by their
association with decay through fermentation. The bread of presence placed
on the table before the Lord in the Holy Place every Sabbath was also
conceived of as a grain offering.

“And thou shalt take fine meal, and bake it, in twelve cakes,--of two-tenths, shall each
cake be.

And thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row,--upon the pure table, before Yahweh.

And thou shalt put upon each row pure frankincense,--so shall it belong unto the bread
as a memorial, an altar-flame unto Yahweh.

Sabbath day by sabbath day, shall he order it before Yahweh continually,--from the sons
of Israel as an age-abiding covenant:

so shall it be for Aaron and for his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place,--for most
holy, shall it be unto him from among the altar-flames of Yahweh, a statute age-abiding.
( Lev. 24:5-9 ) Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Leviticus 2:13 refers to the importance of adding the salt of the covenant to
every grain offering.

“Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your
God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.” (NIV)

This expression occurs in only two other places in the Old Testament: once
in reference to the covenant commitment of the Lord to provide for the
Aaronic priests and once in reference to the covenant commitment to the
dynasty of David and his descendants.
“Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to
you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of
salt before the Lord for both you and your offspring.” ( Num. 18:19) NIV

“Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to
David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?” (2 Chr. 13:5) NIV

The preserving character of salt suggests the enduring nature of the

covenant bond between the Lord and His people. The commitment was
permanent.

3. The peace or fellowship offering.

The peace offering emphasizes the fact that the people of ancient Israel had
the opportunity for close communion with the Lord. They could eat the
flesh of an animal that had been presented, identified, and consecrated as
an offering to the Lord.

“And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offerings; if he offer of the herd, whether male
or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Jehovah.

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it at the door of the
tent of meeting: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round
about. (Lev. 3:1,2) American Standard Version

“And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which one shall offer unto Jehovah.
If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving
unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes
mingled with oil, of fine flour soaked.

With cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his oblation with the sacrifice of his peace-
offerings for thanksgiving.

And of it he shall offer one out of each oblation for a heave-offering unto Jehovah; it shall
be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings.

And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the
day of his oblation; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.

But if the sacrifice of his oblation be a vow, or a freewill-offering, it shall be eaten on the
day that he offereth his sacrifice; and on the morrow that which remaineth of it shall be
eaten:

but that which remaineth of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with
fire.

And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten on the third day, it
shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an
abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.

And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with
fire. And as for the flesh, every one that is clean shall eat thereof:

but the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, that pertain unto
Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
And when any one shall touch any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man, or an unclean
beast, or any unclean abomination, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings,
which pertain unto Jehovah, that soul shall be cut off from his people. (Lev. 7:11-21)
American Standard Version

This offering signifies that all was well in the relationship between the Lord
and his people and therefore, always came last when offered in a series with
other kinds of offerings.

The blood manipulation for a peace offering was normally the same as that
for a burnt offering. However, only the fat parts of the carcass were offered
on the altar to be burned as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to
the Lord. Thus, the fat parts of the carcass became like the whole carcass of
the burnt offering and accomplished the same purpose. It is likely that the
fat was not to be eaten because it was viewed as a delicacy. For example,
according to Deuteronomy 32:13-14 the Lord fed the people the best of the
land including, among other things, the fat of lambs, rams, goats, and even
wheat as well as the blood of grapes. The fat of the kidneys of the wheat (v.
14) is clearly a play on words for the best of the wheat.

Leviticus 7:11-34 is important to a fuller understanding of the peace

offering:

“And this is the law for the peace-offerings offered to the Lord.

If any man gives his offering as a praise-offering, then let him give with the offering,
unleavened cakes mixed with oil and thin unleavened cakes covered with oil and cakes of
the best meal well mixed with oil.
With his peace-offering let him give cakes of leavened bread, as a praise-offering.

And let him give one out of every offering to be lifted up before the Lord; that it may be
for the priest who puts the blood of the peace-offering on the altar.

And the flesh of the praise-offering is to be taken as food on the day when it is offered; no
part of it may be kept till the morning.

But if his offering is made because of an oath or given freely, it may be taken as food on
the day when it is offered; and the rest may be used up on the day after:

But if any of the flesh of the offering is still unused on the third day, it is to be burned
with fire.

And if any of the flesh of the peace-offering is taken as food on the third day, it will not
be pleasing to God and will not be put to the account of him who gives it; it will be unclean
and a cause of sin to him who takes it as food.

And flesh touched by any unclean thing may not be taken for food: it is to be burned with
fire; and as for the flesh of the peace-offerings, everyone who is clean may take it as food:

But he who is unclean when he takes as food the flesh of the peace-offerings, which are the
Lord's, will be cut off from his people.

And anyone who, after touching any unclean thing of man or an unclean beast or any
unclean and disgusting thing, takes as food the flesh of the peace-offerings, which are the
Lord's, will be cut off from his people.

And the Lord said to Moses,

Say to the children of Israel: You are not to take any fat, of ox or sheep or goat, for food.

And the fat of that which comes to a natural death, and the fat of that which is attacked
by beasts, may be used for other purposes, but not in any way for food.

For anyone who takes as food the fat of any beast of which men make an offering by fire
to the Lord, will be cut off from his people.

And you are not to take for food any blood, of bird or of beast, in any of your houses.

Whoever takes any blood for food will be cut off from his people.

And the Lord said to Moses,

Say to the children of Israel: He who makes a peace-offering to the Lord, is to give an
offering to the Lord out of his peace-offering:

He himself is to take to the Lord the offering made by fire, even the fat with the breast,
so that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord.

And the fat is to be burned by the priest on the altar, but the breast is for Aaron and his
sons.

And the right leg you are to give to the priest for an offering to be lifted up out of what is
given for your peace-offerings.

That man, among the sons of Aaron, by whom the blood of the peace-offering and the fat
are offered, is to have the right leg for his part.

For the breast which is waved and the right leg which is lifted up on high I have taken
from the children of Israel, from their peace-offerings, and have given them to Aaron the
priest and to his sons as their right for ever from the children of Israel.” (Bible in Basic
English)

Aside from the prohibition against eating blood or fat in verses 22-27, there
are two major sections here. The first deals with the various kinds of
worship rationale associated with the peace offering (thanksgiving, votive,
or freewill) and rules for eating the meat that went to the offerers (vv. 11-
21). The second section is about the portions that went to the priests from
every peace offering (vv. 28-34): the breast of the wave offering (vv. 29-31;
the noun derives from the Hebrew verb, "to wave") and the right thigh of
the "contribution" to the particular priest who officiated at the offering of
the particular peace offering (vv. 32-33). The latter derives from the Hebrew
verb "to raise up" and for that reason is called a "heave offering" in some
English versions (”to heave” means to lift, raise up). However, in ritual
contexts this verb actually means "to remove" something in order to present
it to the Lord (to set it aside as a special contribution).

These were the standard prebend for the priests (Lev. 7:34) and they could
be eaten in any clean place (Lev. 10:14; i.e., they were holy, not most holy,
contrast the grain offering prebend in vv. 12-13 ). Therefore, not only the
priests themselves, but also all who lived in their households and were clean
could eat of these portions of the peace offerings, but no common persons
of a non-priestly household (Lev. 22:10-16). For a common person to eat
of these portions would be to violate the sancta, the holy things of the Lord.
4. The sin or purification offering.

The sin offering was the primary blood atonement offering in the sanctuary
system of offerings through which worshipers could receive forgiveness for
their sin and deal with the degree to which they might have contaminated
the tabernacle. Very detailed rules of blood manipulation were the focal
point of this ritual procedure.

Leviticus 4:1-2 sets the sin offering periscope off from Leviticus 1-3.

“And the Lord said to Moses,

Say to the children of Israel: These are the offerings of anyone who does wrong through
error, doing any of the things which by the Lord's order are not to be done:” (Bible in
Basic English)

Unlike the previous sections, virtually every paragraph in Leviticus 4:1-5:13

either begins or ends with a statement of sin committed and its associated
guilt. Leviticus 4:2 states: “Say to the children of Israel: These are the offerings of
anyone who does wrong through error, doing any of the things which by the Lord's order
are not to be done:”. Leviticus 4:3 then begins the first of the four major
divisions: the sin offering of the priest (4:3-12), the whole congregation
(4:13-21), the leader (4:22-26), and the common person (4:27-5:13).

Sin offerings were used on several unique occasions: the consecration of the
priests (Exos. 29:14,36 ; Lev. 8:2,14); the inauguration of altar worship (Lev.
9:2-11,15-17). They were also called for on regular occasions monthly
(Num. 28:15), at various annual festivals, and especially on the annual Day
of Atonement (Exos. 30:10 ; Lev. 16 ; Num. 29:11). Other specific situations
that occurred throughout the year would also require a sin offering (e.g.the
cleansing of the woman after childbirth, Lev. 12:6-8; the cleansing of
irregular unclean discharges, Lev. 15:15,30) In our age, the term sin offering
could be construed to mean that this offering focused on the problem of
moral and social sin. In the Old Testament, such sins were included as part
of the purpose for sin offerings, but the sin offering could also be brought
for physical impurities that had nothing to do with moral failure.

The focal point of the sin offering ritual was blood manipulation and the
way it was done was different when it was brought for the priest and whole
congregation as opposed to the leader and the common people. For the
priests and the whole congregation, the priest sprinkled the blood with his
finger seven times in front of the veil of the sanctuary (i.e. the tent of
meeting inside the tabernacle complex), put some of the blood on the horns
of the incense altar inside the Holy Place, and simply poured out the
remainder of the blood at the base of the burnt offering altar near the gate
of the tabernacle complex (Lev. 4:6,7,17,18). In other words, the blood
penetrated the tabernacle complex as far as the contamination did (i.e. the
priest could enter the Holy Place, and the congregation included the priests).
The blood of the leader and the common Israelite was applied only to the
horns of the burnt offering altar (Lev. 4:30,34; 5:9), which was the boundary
of penetration for the non-priestly Israelite into the tabernacle. The
principle is that the blood went as far as the particular person or collective
group of persons could go and, therefore, decontaminated the tabernacle to
that point.
Leviticus 16:29-34 is a summary of the intended effect of the three sin
offerings on the Day of Atonement: the scapegoat sin offering cleansed the
people from their sins (vv. 29-31), and the slaughtered sin offerings for the
priests and the people cleansed the tabernacle from the impurity of their
sins (vv. 32-33). The tabernacle holiness and purity emphasized in Leviticus
1-16 and the national holiness and purity which is the primary concern of
Leviticus 17-27 were viewed in close relationship to each other so close that
both were dealt with on the Day of Atonement.

5. The guilt or reparation offering.

The purpose of the guilt offering was to make atonement for desecration of
sancta, that is, the mishandling of holy or sacred things by treating them as
if they were common rather than holy. For example, according to Lev.
22:10-16 the holy food gifts were to be eaten by the priests and those in
their household, not the common people. To do so would be to profane
the holy gifts:

“No alien will eat of the holy thing. A sojourner of the priest or a hired servant will not
eat of the holy thing.

But if the priest buys any person with his money, he will eat of it and he who is born in
his house. They will eat of his food.

If the priest’s daughter also is married to an alien, she may not eat of an offering of the
holy things.
But if the priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to
her father’s house as in her youth, she will eat of her father’s food. But will no alien eat
of it.

And if a man eats of the holy thing unintentionally, then he will add on-fifth of it and
will give it to the priest with the holy thing.

And they will not profane the holy things of the children of Israel that they offer to the
LORD,”

However, if a common person ate holy meat mistakenly, then he had to give
the same amount back to the priests plus one-fifth as reparation for what
he had done. This passage is an instructive parallel to the major guilt offering
periscope (Lev. 5:14-6:7).

The guilt offering law begins as follows: "When a person commits a

violation and sins unintentionally in regard to any of the Lord's holy things"
(Lev. 5:15). The word "unintentionally" is the same one used in reference
to the sin offering. It refers to straying or erring from the commands of the
Lord, in this case, specifically the commands about "the Lord's holy things"
(the things dedicated to the Lord for the tabernacle or priesthood).

The basic idea behind the expression "commits a violation" is that the
person has acted unfaithfully against God by violating the boundary
between the common and the holy. In this context, therefore, it means "to
commit a sacrilege." However, the guilt offering was also brought in cases
of violations against the property of other people, not only the Lord's sancta
(Lev. 6:1-7; 19:20-22; Num. 5:5-10). Therefore, whether the property
belonged to the Lord or to other people, a guilt offering was presented to
the Lord to make atonement and the violated property was restored plus
one-fifth to the one whose property had been violated (Lev. 5:14-16; the
Lord's property - Lev. 6:1-7; Num. 5:5-10; other people's property).

A good example of the use of the guilt offering is the ritual procedure for
the cleansing of the leper (Lev. 14:1-20; the term leper probably includes
any person whose skin showed any kind of infectious blemishes). After the
initial cleansing by special water (vv. 1-9), the first standard blood
atonement ritual was the guilt offering (vv. 10-18). The point of the guilt
offering at the beginning of this series of offerings was to re-consecrate the
leper so that he could once again become part of the kingdom of priests, a
holy nation (Exos. 19:6) from which he had been expelled and therefore, in
a sense, desecrated because of his diseased condition.

“And the leper who has the disease on him is to go about with signs of grief, with his hair
loose and his mouth covered, crying, Unclean, unclean.

While the disease is on him, he will be unclean. He is unclean: let him keep by himself,
living outside the tent-circle.” (Lev. 13:45,46) Bible in Basic English
 What We Should Sacrifice On The Altar

“O
h, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding
out!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?”

“Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?”

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each
one a measure of faith.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same
function,
so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if
prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

or ministry, let us use it in our ministering;

he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality;
he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one
another;

not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but
associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written,
“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so
doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 11:33-12:21) NKJV

In this passage, we see four sacrifices that we can make in response to Jesus’
sacrifice for us:

1. Sacrifice of our lips.

The writer of Hebrews says,

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
(Heb. 13:15,16) NKJV

We are called to offer to God a continual sacrifice. Having done with the
outward, we now give ourselves entirely to the inward and to the spiritual.
Let us the more ardently pursue higher objects, and yield up our
disentangled spirits to the praise and glory of God. If the end of of all things
is at hand, let them end; but our praises of the living God shall abide world
without end.

The very threshold of all offering of sacrifice to God is Jesus Christ, hence,
as the altar which sanctifies both gift and giver, all our sacrifices of praise
and almgiving to God should be through Him. Our sacrifices of praise
should be continual unto the Lord, not only when we are in a happy frame
of mind, but when we are cast down and troubled. The perfumed smoke
from the altar of incense is to rise towards heaven both day and night, from
the beginning of the year to the year’s end.

The sacrifice of praise is the fruit of our lips unto God. Praise is not by
force, it is to be natural. Fruit is a natural product: it grows without force,
the free outcome of the plant. So let praise grow out of our lips at its own
sweet will. Let it be as natural to you as it seems natural to profane men to
blaspheme the sacred name. This praise is to be sincere and real. To praise
God continually will need a childlike faith in Him because unbelief is the
deadly enemy of praise. Our praises should be directed unto God and not
to our fellow men. praise is called a sacrifice because it is a very sacred thing.
When life is real, life is earnest: and it must be both real and earnest when
it is spent to the praise of the great and ever-blessed God. When the heart
is full of praise of God, it has no time to find fault and grow proudly angry
with its fellows. We cannot fear while we can praise. Neither can we be
bribed by the world’s favour, nor cowed by its frown. Praise makes men, let
us abound in it.

2. Sacrifice of your life.

Paul continues,

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy [because of all that
Jesus has done for us through the sacrifice of himself on the cross], to offer your bodies as
living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Rom.
12:1) The Amplified Bible

God wants you to offer all of yourself and all of your lives – your time,
ambitions, possessions, ears, mouths and sexuality – as well as your mind,
emotions and attitudes. Paul’s description of a living sacrifice also reminds
us that you have to go on offering your life as a sacrifice to God, offering
the whole of your life for the whole of your life. Take your every day,
ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, interaction with people,
and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering.

In Old Testament times, ‘living sacrifice’ would be a contradiction in terms.

The whole point of the sacrifice was that it was killed. Our act of worship
is no longer to bring a sacrifice, but to be one ourselves. We remain living.
It is all of us that is being offered. Worship is about what I say with my
tongue. It’s about what I watch… what I think… where I go with my feet.

Let us render ourselves; all we are, all we have, all we can do: and after all,
what return is it for such very rich receivings? It is acceptable to God: a
reasonable service, which we are able and ready to give a reason for, and
which we understand. Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the
mind; a change, not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. The
progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to
righteousness more and more, is the carrying on this renewing work, till it
is perfected in glory. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this
world.
Take heed of forming plans for happiness, as though it lay in the things of
this world, which soon pass away. Do not fall in with the customs of those
who walk in the lusts of the flesh, and mind earthly things. The work of the
Holy Ghost first begins in the understanding, and is carried on to the will,
affections, and conversation, till there is a change of the whole man into the
likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. Thus, to
be godly, is to give up ourselves to God.

3. The sacrifice of your possessions.

Generous giving is another New Testament sacrifice. Paul encourages the

sacrifice of generosity in contributing to the needs of others and to share
with God’s people who are in need (Rom. 12:8,13).

“he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence;
he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” (NKJV)

This is another sacrifice the writer of Hebrews says pleases God, that is, to
share with others (Hebrews 13:16).

“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
(NKJV)

We are even to give generously to our enemies:

“Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in
so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” (NKJV)
If we share our possessions, money or time with other people, we should
do so in a generous way. We should enjoy ourselves as we give to other
people.

4. Sacrifice of your love.

In Romans 12:9-21, Paul gave many examples of the sacrifice of loving

service. The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere,
free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending on
Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight in
whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good, but
we must cleave to it.

All our duty towards one another is summed up in one word, love. This
denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender and
natural than any other; unforced, unconstrained. And love to God and man,
with zeal for the gospel, will make the wise christian diligent in all his worldly
business, and in gaining superior skill. God must be served with the spirit,
under the influences of the Holy Spirit. He is honored by our hope and trust
in Him, especially when we rejoice in that hope. He is served, not only by
working for Him, but by sitting still quietly, when He calls us to suffer.

Patience for God’s sake, is true piety. Those that rejoice in hope, are likely
to be patient in tribulation. We should not be cold in the duty of prayer, nor
soon weary of it. Not only must there be kindness to friends and brethren,
but Christians must not harbour anger against enemies. It is but mock love,
which rests in words of kindness, while our brethren need real supplies, and
it is in our power to furnish them.

Be ready to entertain those who do good: as there is occasion, we must

welcome strangers. Bless, and curse not. It means thorough good will; not,
bless them when at prayer, and curse them at other times; but bless them
always, and curse not at all. True Christian love will make us take part in the
sorrows and joys of each other. Labour as much as you can to agree in the
same spiritual truths; and when you come short of that, yet agree in
affection.

Look upon worldly pomp and dignity with holy contempt. Do not mind it;
be not in love with it. Be reconciled to the place God in His providence
puts you in, whatever it be. Nothing is below us, but sin. We shall never find
in our hearts to condescend to others, while we indulge conceit of ourselves;
therefore that must be mortified.

The writer of Hebrews says,

“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
(Heb. 13:16) NKJV

‘Doing good’ means giving up things that are not good. Don’t let the world
around you squeeze you into its own mould. Although God only asks us to
give up the bad stuff in our lives, it can feel costly to do so because that
stuff is superficially attractive. Repentance is a very positive word, but at the
time it may seem sacrificial.
Sacrificial love involves allowing God to transform us by a complete change.
Our love must be sincere. The Greek word for ‘sincere’ means ‘without
hypocrisy’ or literally ‘without play acting’ or ‘without a mask’.

Oftentimes, relationships in the world are quite superficial. We all put up

fronts or masks to protect ourselves. When we see governments doing this,
we call it ‘spin’. When we do it ourselves, we call it ‘image’; we are projecting
something. In effect we’re saying, ‘I don’t really like what I am inside, so I
will pretend I am somebody different.’ Some of us are having double-
personality, which is not God’s requirement from us.

If other people are doing the same, then there are two ‘fronts’ or ‘masks’
meeting. The sad result is that the two real people never meet. This is the
opposite of ‘sincere love’. Sincere love means taking off your mask and
daring to reveal who you are. When you know that God loves you as you
are, you are set free to take off your mask.

This means that there is a completely new depth and authenticity in your
relationships. Instead of trying to impress people with our masks, as we
reveal who we truly are with all our flaws, we connect through our
vulnerabilities.

Paul urges Christians to live in harmony with one another and to be

generous, hospitable, forgiving, empathetic and to live at peace with
everyone (Rom. 12:13-15). It is a glorious picture of the christian family into
which God calls us, beckoning us into an atmosphere of love, joy, patience,
faithfulness, generosity, hospitality, blessing, rejoicing, harmony, humility
and peace; where good is not overcome by evil, but evil is overcome by
good (Rom. 12:9–21).