Touch the Altar of the Lord

“Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.” Exodus 29:37

The altar of the Lord was so holy that whatever touched it became holy as well. The presence of God is so transformative that even the altar consecrated to him has the power of making things holy. Later in Exodus, the Lord says, “There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.” (Exodus 29:43) Oh that we could draw near the presence of God and be sanctified by His glory! But as we try to draw near, our sin drives us further away from the his presence. It's interesting that to Israel, it was the altar that made things holy. The way in which God's presence and his glory sanctified his people was by means of the sacrifice made to him. Brothers and sisters, we will never be transformed by the sanctifying power of God's presence without touching the altar of God, and that altar is Christ. He is both the sacrifice and the altar upon which sin's are cleansed. Praise God that he has drawn near and brought his sanctifying glory, but let us not miss it because we fail to approach the altar of God! Jesus is the only path to holiness and God's presence in our lives. 

Lord Jesus, let touch your altar and be made holy by your presence. Transform our lives by your glory!