Before the altar (part 4)

I am after all instructed not to delay my best. (Exodus 22:29) Nor will God fail to look upon me with favor if I give up what I truly love and am working toward.I am also instructed how to clean up my act (Leviticus 27:28) and how to treat everyone, not bypassing anyone in order to bring my best to God or in gifting others. (Matthew 15:5) After all the man left to die in the road was passed by Pharisees and priest who justified leaving the man there by having something better to do, or worse, tending to people in a more apropos venue. I will not be blessed if I do this.

 

The example exists of dedicating the “spoils of war” to God. (2 Samuel 8:10-11, 1 Chronicles 18:11). This exists so we don’t forget God and try to take the credit for ourselves for those victories against whatever is a burr in our sides. God wants us to remember that God is in control of our lives.

Before the altar (part 3)

Do I come before the altar at my leaders’ request or instruction, especially  Christ’s and dedicate where I worship and how I worship, as in 2 Chronicles 2:4, to Him? Do I take God seriously enough to listen to my leaders (that ultimately He put in place) and dedicate my whole body in worship, as the Jews did the Temple (which Paul describes as a Temple)? And am I willing to do so, not only in word but in thought and in the stillness of when I am quiet? God doesn’t want me kicking and screaming to do His will, but more to be like Isaiah and say, “Here I am Lord, send me”.

Give us this day....

God places our leaders with the responsibility of leading the congregation in even the smallest of areas but especially to dedicate with thanksgiving and joy in the entire congregation. In fact, His people seek out leaders to do this, much as in Nehemiah 12:27-43. God also directs His people and us to dedicate our homes to Him. The intensity of this is magnified because if we as His people do not dedicate our lives and homes (where the physicality of our lives exists) to Him, we will lose our blessing to another man, as foretold in Deuteronomy 20:5.

Teach me to teach....

Our leaders lead us in giving thanks and praising God for what He has done for us. In faith, the example exists that we call upon them to lead as us in dedications of joy collectively. (Numbers 12:27)

Before the Altar (part 2)

Directly opposite to this, Genesis 22:9-12 gives the process when we obey God and do everything as He wants. He shows that He is pleased by giving us the desires of our heats (Psalms 37:4) and again and again in 1 Samuel 1:11-28, 2 Samuel 23:16, and 2Chonicles 7:16. This is not always an easy road. It may mean sacrificing what we love the most as in Judges 11:30-42 when Jephthah promised God that he would give Him what ever came out His door if God would grant him victory. Which he did, and what came out of Jephthah’s door was his only child, his daughter. Imagine how hard that was to have to give up your only child because of a vow you made to God. Nevertheless he made good on the vow.

 

What does dedication  of temples and people indicate? It indicates our worship is all about God. It indicates that even if the first covenant God made with His people didn’t work because of His people, The second one surely does, because our lives are dedicated to God through the blood of Christ. (Hebrews 10:20)