DEFILING THE ALTAR

DEFILING THE ALTAR

God is no respecter of persons. He has respect for His word even when it brings Him pain. “You have magnified Your word above all Your name.”

Nadab & Abihu, the first two of four sons of Aaron, were anointed to minister alongside their father who was High Priest. In their overzealousness, they offered strange fire sacrifice and died on the spot. “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD” (Lev 10:1-2 NKJV)

Many things that happen in denominational churches today are not commanded by the Lord. Therefore, we must learn to emulate the original Apostles of the Lord because they followed Christ and were commended for doing so.

The OT is replete with instances of God’s fiery judgment on those who defiled His altar.

Two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas were put in the priesthood to succeed their aging father. They profaned the altar of the Lord with sacrilegious acts. Gods spoke to Eli their father through a prophet:
“Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, in one day they shall die, both of them.”

In a subsequent war against the Philistines, Israel was defeated. “Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.”

Because of Jesus and the grace that He brought into the world by reason of His sacrifice on the Cross judgment against those who transgress the commandment of the Lord may not take place instantly, but surely will. The new covenant priest is required to take heed what is done in the name of the Lord.

1 Cor 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 all ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;
9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;
10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 NOW ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED TO THEM AS EXAMPLES, AND THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION, UPON WHOM THE ENDS OF THE AGES HAVE COME.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
(1 Cor 10:1-12 NKJV emphasis added)

#REINVENTING THE #APOSTLES’ #DOCTRINE AND #FELLOWSHIP