altars

Prophets Speak – Christmas Day One Hundred Fifty and Nine

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“In that day a man will look to his Maker,
And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
He will not look to the altars,
The work of his hands;
He will not respect what his fingers have made,
Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.” Isaiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)

This is the second “In that day” which is written in the Prophet’s prophecy; of chapter 17.  What day?  Following the judgment that is to come upon them.

What do I want for Christmas?

I want to be always mindful of the grace, love and mercy of God; and I want all to know that the love of God, and His judgment are not separate; I want you to know today, that one day you will look upon your Maker, and realize all the things of man’s making are vain, and of no eternal value; I want you to know your Maker today – He is Jesus (See John 1:1-5, 14).

Revival

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“Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.” 2 Chronicles 31:1 (KJV)

Hezekiah was a godly king, and did that which was right in the sight of the LORD (29:1-2). He called the remnant of the northern kingdom to join with the people of the southern kingdom to restore the Passover, and proper worship to the Lord in Jerusalem; and many of the people came (30:1-12).

Both kingdoms were guilty of godless kings, leading the people away from God and the proper worship of Him who alone is worthy of worship. Ahaz; Hezekiah’s father was one of the worst of Judah.

As a result of the people of the remnant of the northern kingdom coming to Jerusalem and worshipping with the people of the southern kingdom was that they all returned to their lands, and destroyed the idols, images, high places, and done what was right and godly. They had a revival in the land.

People of God of any day when they get right with God will rid themselves, their land, their homes of anything that is an offense to God, the LORD. The greatest enemy to God’s people – To the Christian today is harboring, hanging on to that sinful thing that we want to hang on to. What is it? That thing that keeps you from a right fellowship with God.

Pride, greed, lust, lying, shedding innocent blood, wicked mind and thoughts, sowing discord among brethren: you can apply your own there. What is our greatest enemy? See 2 Corinthians 10:5. Throw it down.

Break Down the Barriers

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“And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’S people. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.” 2 Chronicles 23:16-17 (KJV)

Jehoiada was a priest of God who was zealous to bring back a son of David as king in Judah. Athaliah was an evil daughter of Omri who had tried to kill all the sons of David, because her son had died.

The proper thing to do for a Christian is to get back to God’s Word, and calling for our lives. That will mean breaking down every wall and barrier that keeps us from God, His Word, and His way for our lives.

The care of anything in our lives that distracts us from the love and worship of the only true God through His Son Jesus Christ is a “Baal”; a false god, and idol; that is used by the enemy [the devil] to ruin our fellowship with God.

If you have a “Baal” in your life destroy it. Put it away. Break down the altars and its images and go to the only One who is the image of the invisible God. That One is Jesus who bled and died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose from death. Check out these New Testament passages: 2 Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 4:25, 31)