From building an altar to being one…

As I read the Word, God never fails to fascinate me. After reading Jude 1:20-21 this morning, I simply asked the Lord what it means for me to “build myself up” and felt led to follow the thread established through the concept of building. Our God loves to weave and the following is what he knit together for me…

Jude 1:20-21 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.”

From the Old Testament we learn that building an altar was quite customary for generations. We have record of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David and Solomon all building altars to the Lord. And as each altar was erected, there was specific intention in the builder’s heart to call on the name of the Lord, to demonstrate his dependence on God and to express his thankfulness to God. They sometimes even named the place where the altar was built in remembrance of Him.

Exodus 17:15 “Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner…”

As we follow the thread of building, we see Solomon building the “house of God” which clearly couldn’t accommodate Him.

1 Kings 8:27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!”

I love this because it leads to the next idea that we are God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3:9 “…you are God’s field, God’s building.”

A dwelling place for the Most High God!

Ephesians 2:21-22 “…the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

Amazingly, others participate in building us and are required to be careful in
how they put us together.

1 Corinthians 3:10 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.”

It is also essential that we ourselves build wisely, according to His instruction.

Luke 6:47-49 “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

I love the fact that even though we have responsibility to build well, God is
ultimately, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Hebrews 3:4 “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”

So, we are being built up as a spiritual house for a purpose; not to offer the
blood of calves, goats and bulls, but holy sacrifices that are pleasing to God.

1 Peter 2:5 “…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

And what is most pleasing?

Mark 12:33 “…to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

So, we’ve come full circle from building altars to being an altar. How cool is
that?