3-14-2010
“From Which Alter Do You Eat”
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
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Which alter do we eat from? If our heart is established by grace we eat from the alter that Jesus prepared.
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Acts 20:32 "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
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It is God’s word of grace that builds you up and make you a partaker of His inheritance! To eat from the alter is to be a partaker of the inheritance.
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Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea , a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth . 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
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Here is the story of John the Baptist father Zacharias! John being the forerunner of Jesus Christ. This was a time in Jewish history that was not so good. For hundreds of years the Jews had been ruled by one power or another. In this day they were under the government of Rome . The Jews were looking for a Messiah to come and set them free. Here in this passage a band of believers had come together. The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. God speaks to Zacharias at the alter of incense. I find ironic, God speaks to Zacharias at the time when a multitude were praying! The times were about to change Jesus Christ was about to make a time of visitation for His people. The time of reformation had come and it was started when a multitude were praying and Zacharias was at the alter!
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Hebrews 9:8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience; 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
On the alter in heaven Jesus came with His own precious blood and obtained eternal redemption. The alter we eat from is an eternal alter based on the once and for all sacrifice Jesus offered in heaven on our behalf.
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Those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat from the tabernacle we as believers eat from! It is because the alter we eat from is superior to the earthly alter!
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Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
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The old covenant alter could not take away sins! That is why the servants of the earthly tabernacle have no right to eat from the alter God has called us to eat from.
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Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another; 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
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This is the alter that we have been brought to!
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Psalm 118:20 This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This was the Lord's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. 27 God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
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The mystery sacrifice of Psalm 118:27 has now been revealed. The light has come through Jesus Christ. There was a binding of the sacrifice to the alter; it was the cross and He was bound by nail pierced hands and feet!
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This sacrifice is the gate through which righteousness entered. This is the stone that the builders rejected and alter to which God has called us to serve Him by!
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Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 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..
Roman 12:1 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. 2 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.
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In view of the mercy of God and the eternal work that Jesus Christ has done, I beg you, present your bodies a living sacrifice! In view of the greatness of the sacrifice of Jesus come and worship at this alter as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This is your reasonable worship. Come and eat at the alter be transformed by the renewing of your mind! Like Jesus died to sin once and for all; reckon yourself dead unto sin and alive unto God!
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Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
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Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever!
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