In his book Unveiling Mercy, Chad Bird wrote that the basis for the Hebrew word for altar meant a place to sacrifice, and the building of an altar was repeated throughout the Old Testament at important times.
Upon placing his feet on dry land, Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices, as did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David. Every altar is where sinners climb up and the Lord steps down; a rendezvous of mercy; a clasping of hands between God and man. A convergence.
Solomon built the temple whose innermost room was reserved for the Holy of Holies, the Arc of the Covenant, the presence of God. The entrance was covered by a curtain and could only be accessed by the high priest, once a year on the Day of Atonement. Outside the temple, in the courtyard, stood the Bronze Altar, thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, fifteen feet tall; a convergence of God and man accessible to all.
Jesus offered Himself as a ransom for each of us bound by sin, and in doing so became not only the sacrifice, but the altar as well. Being God and man, He became the true convergence.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. Mark 15:37-38 … bridging the gap between God and man, accessible to all who believe and call on His name.
The truth in Pastor Bird’s words was so pure, yet simple as if it should have been obvious. It was as if he shined a light on a key to The Kingdom. Yet, as is often the case, the Adversary noticed too, waiting for an opportunity to strike back.
This world had stretched me to my limits, or perhaps somewhere beyond. My heart soldiers had been fully deployed to the front, facing giants. Then, in an instant, trouble simultaneously struck my left and right flank, crushing my ribs until I could not breathe. The strength I had found in God’s great truth crumbled and I fell in defeat. A litany of problems flowed with tears that fell onto the parched ground as I realized I could fix nothing.
Face down in the mud I had created, I searched through the volumes of noise between my ears for a glimmer of light, something … anything to pull myself back up. There in the corner, stood an altar, The Altar, and I crawled to His feet. I had no voice, no fancy words, nothing left to pray. Jesus clasped my hand and said,
Rise My child.
Truth is still truth
Trust is still trust.
I AM Who I AM.
I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Malachi 3:6
I continued my journey, bruised but breathing, undoubtedly carried by the Hands of God.
My weakness, His strength.
His child, our Father.
The convergence of God and man, once more.
And always.
Thanks to Chad Bird – Unveiling Mercy – The Axis of Heaven and Earth
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