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Noah Built an Altar

What was soothing to God about the offering on the altar was that Noah was acknowledging that the entire excess belongs to God. He sacrificed every 7th clean animal, leaving behind 3 couples of each kind to repopulate the earth. Each animal sacrificed was wholly and whole-heartedly burnt up to God, respecting Him as Lord of all life and creation. Noah was saying ‘It’s all yours Lord.’ It was a public declaration glorifying God with loud thanks, which changed the atmosphere! Angels and devils were made a captive audience! (cp 2 Cor. 9: 10 -13) God was pleased. The rich fool in Jesus’ parable was quite the opposite; he greedily tried to keep the excess for himself. Luke 12: 13 -21.

Shame is the fire in which God consumes sin. Isa. 1: 28 – 31, Dan. 12:2 Delay, disappointment, confusion, being exposed, reproach: fuel embarrassment. These are God’s tools for the destruction of arrogance, which is excess. Embrace them gratefully; they are your cross, preparing you for a resurrection in power and anointing for your generation. (Job 1:21, Gen 2: 25) On the cross, Jesus’ glory was consumed, to change the atmosphere! Give your excess to the fire, nail it, condemn it, embarrass your excess, deny your self-importance. (Eccl 7: 16 - 17)

This covenant marks the end of the judgement of Adam and of the propagation of Cain; (Gen 4: 10 – 24) it marks a new slate in the history of the earth. God had said ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.18Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread… ‘ Gen 3:17 – 19

As Noah changed the atmosphere, the decree of hope for the earth was released. God subjected all suffering to limitation with the words “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.” Gen 8: 22, Rom. 8: 20 - 22

In this covenant, God determined to stand with man to cause him to live and prosper at the head of the food chain. This altar was a fast. In response to Noah’s pleasing offering, God gave him the pleasure of eating the next animal he ever brought to the fire. Gen 9: 1 - 17

Now the sign of the covenant was instituted as a reminder… for God, and made available to man for negotiation purposes.

Abram Asked for a Sign

Genesis 15:Verse

8 And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”

9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”  

10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.  

11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.  

13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.  

14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.  

15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.  

16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”  

17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.  

18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram…

God made this covenant as an anchor for Abram’s divinely acknowledged sapling faith. Through this covenant, Abram’s faith was shored up for him and his generations against future storms… his mustard seed was firmly planted. In this his request, Abram proved to be as the 5 wise virgins who carried oil to last for a prolonged wait. Abram was waiting until he fell asleep wearily, then God showed up. (Heb 6: 10 – 20) The covenant burns, alive beyond the grave!

The darkness, which came over Abram, is the very Spirit of God, overshadowing as with Mary of Nazareth. (cp. Job 23: 15 – 17) The Spirit fell upon him and imparted a prophetic word for his generations unborn. Next, He blazed a path through the covenant sacrifice, turning them to holy smoke! Abram’s faith was sealed in an indelible experience.

And so it is written, the Jews seek a sign. In contrast, Messiah said ‘a wicked and adulterous generation seek a sign and there shall no sign be given to it except the sign of Jonah’. Signs are legitimate not before the Word is believed but after it is, as a safeguard of faith. Believe God, then make a demand on the anointing and wait expectantly: the next generation needs your supernatural testimony! Mk. 16: 17 -18, Heb 10: 36 – 39

In return, God asked Abram for a sign. Now, the sign of the covenant was instituted, as an identifying mark for the God who sees all, and deals with men according to their secrets, their hidden attitude. Gen 17: 7 – 14, Exod. 2: 23 – 25

Moses was Summoned

Exodus 19

3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:

4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

God appointed Moses to administrate a covenant between Himself and the nation. The appointment was established, both by a private and a public yet exclusive call into His manifest Presence. Indeed, the earlier covenants had also been established by representatives; one of the whole earth and the other of unborn generations.

Young men registered the covenant within each tribe. They brought the flesh to God’s altar, some they turned to holy smoke and others they roasted to celebrate. Moses sprinkled the blood equally on the altar and the tribes, thus binding the people to the altar, by their words and the blood. They were sworn to serve as priests at this altar exclusively. Exod 20: 22 – 24, Exod 24: 3 - 8

Once they forged the covenant of priesthood, their offerings became highly respectable in God’s eyes, and He announced the intention to endow them with the Kabod of His Presence., through their offerings. (Exod 25: 1 - 8) Prior to this they had to climb to the meeting place on Sinai. By this covenant the people accepted God as their husband – their rescuer and owner; Jer. 31: 32. They would work for His glory and be His subjects. Their offerings were tokens of their welcome of His lordship. Israel has suffered greatly for breaking this covenant, and has lost His Presence for a long season. 1 Sam 4: 21, Luke 13:35 – Jesus is the husband, the glory and the Spirit! (1 Tim. 3: 16)

This covenant was established to create a population that would be custodians of the blessings of God, on behalf of the whole earth. Their altars were to be the only portals of divine blessing on earth, in furtherance of God’s covenant with Abraham, to bless every earthly family through him and make him heir of the whole world! Gen 12: 3, Rom 4: 13

The sign established for this covenant is the Sabbath. It was given to maintain the awareness in the nation, that they are God’s ministers. Sabbath days were altar days, for preferring the Presence of God above any profit. (Exod 31: 12 – 14) Jesus habitually ministered as a portal of blessing every Sabbath; the anointing was released from his altars. The Sabbath was given for the benefit of man and He is the Lord of the Sabbath! Mark 2: 27 – 28, Mark 3: 1 -5

David Tried

2 Sam. 7

Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around,  

2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”  

3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”  

4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,  

5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?  

6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.  

7 Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’  

8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.  

9 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.  

10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously,  

11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.  

12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  

13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  

14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.  

15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.  

16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

God made this covenant with David to reward his insatiable desire to glorify God. Those who build God’s house will reign. Those who work for the glory and fame of God will have an everlasting anointing. Abraham’s covenant made him an heir of the world, but David became an heir of God – everlasting fame, eternal power, generational anointing. He obtained grace for his generations, that they would never be cursed no matter how much they deserve to be! The overflow of this grace was that his life work over his countrymen would not be in vain. God promised to establish what he had worked hard for – the settlement of Israel. This is the most beautiful of covenants, which Jesus is extending to the world. (John 1: 12, Acts 2: 37 – 39) Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness… There is no sign appointed, this one is heart-cut because David was a man who went after God’s heart and got it! The beauty of the Lord shines out from within His heart, it is the only thing to seek after. Ps 27:4, Luke 10:42

The question that must drive is ‘What is on your heart Lord, tell me what to do?’

Jesus Died

Matthew 26

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”  

27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  

28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  

29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

God, hidden in the flesh of a man, made a covenant with many. It is the ultimate covenant, in which God becomes one with man. He invites the whole world to a change of nature, from the weak human nature to the eternally magnificent divine nature. It is a covenant to share out His own life-power with everyone in His presence. To prevent any reversal, He then shared out His life-blood and died. He spoke of not drinking grape wine again, to iterate the fact that he would die shortly. The remission of sins is the sending back of insults and assaults… back to His blood-soaked corpse. The spirit of the creature is in the blood. The Holy Spirit keeps the Word of God down in our minds, for our hearts to desire, and remits all guilt into the Lamb. It’s the great divine exchange: you become what you worship (Jer. 32: 38 – 40, Heb. 8: 8 – 12). If Jesus had not come back alive, then he would have been offering dead divine nature. But halleluiah, the divine nature has the power to die and resurrect at will! This is the power He gives and preserves in His presence, to reign in life over the spirit of death.

We are anointed to confront men with His Presence. 2 Cor. 5: 16 – 20 Speak the Word, and the Spirit will come over men, from you, and work the covenant, amen. As the Lord said, whoever receives you receives me. So before you speak, spend time in His Presence for the covenant to work in you.

The sign and the betrayal Luke 22: 15 – 22, 1 Cor. 11: 24 – 26

A shared table, serving bread and wine, is the sign instituted for this covenant. It is given as a reminder of the grace of the Lord, which is without discrimination and submits all judgement to God. He provided the covenant to all, both the beloved and the betrayer, the backslider and the doubter. The table is to remind us …’this do.’ At the table, he warned, judgement is coming on the traitor to this table of covenant, to remind us to fear God. Heb. 10: 28 – 30, Heb.12: 24 – 29

When we drink the cup He is now denied, we bind ourselves to His cause. It is a form of sprinkling of blood, to drink, and a form of sprinkling on God’s altar for Him to fast further drinking. His cause is the remission of sin. He has undertaken the weak commitment of Israel, according to His covenant to make up their weakness with His power. The cross fulfils God’s part of the law! To this wonderful bond, the whole world is now invited. This is the Lord’s Table.