Abraham's Altars

We trust the Lord will bless his people this weekend with the ministry of the word. Let's turn to the book of Genesis, please. Genesis chapter 11.

Genesis chapter 11, come down to near the end of the chapter, verse 31. And Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land of Canaan, and they came unto Haran and dwelt there. And then Terah dies.

Chapter 12, verse 1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, this is before he went to Haran, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran.

And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land. And there builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east.

And there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. And there was a famine in the land.

And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there. Now, notice with me just in this incident regarding Abram and his wife. And Abram says, verse 13, Say, I pray thee that thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.

That will maybe suffice at this point in the reading of the good word of God. Now, all will know that the book of Genesis has often been called the seed plot of the Bible. It begins with life in a garden, and then there's the fall of man, and it ends with a coffin in Egypt.

The book of Genesis is not merely giving us the origin of species, but it is actually giving us the origin of the drama of redemption. That begins in the book of Genesis, there's the coats of skin, there's the promise of the seed of the woman, and it ends, as far as revelation is concerned, the revelation of God in the book of Revelation at the very end of our Bible. And all the way through, you have God working in redemption, taking from history, and from the human race, a people for his name.

That ultimately culminates there in those closing chapters of the book of Revelation. Now, another interesting thing about the Genesis is the division of the book, the first 11 chapters, and we have read at the very end of chapter 11. Those first 11 chapters cover a period of about 2,000 years, or thereabouts.

And then the final part of the book, the major part of the book, chapter 12, all the way through chapter 50, covers a period of about 230 years. So you can see the emphasis that the Spirit of God has put upon the book. Those remaining chapters, from chapter 12 on through, will take up four individuals, and will focus in on the lives of these individuals.

The first one, we've read about this morning, Abraham. His life is often associated with seven locations, seven cities, in fact. Starting with Ur of the Chaldees.

Seven cities. Then we have Isaac, his son, and his life can be associated with seven wells. We go on to Jacob, his son, and we find Jacob's life can be associated with seven journeys.

The journeys of Jacob in his movements. And then, finally, we have Joseph, taken up, and his life is linked with seven dreams. And so there's a series of seven in the book of Genesis, as well as a series of seven in the book of Revelation.

Now, I'm not going to take up the cities regarding Abraham, but I want to speak to you for a few moments about some of the altars that are found that Abraham built. Altars will speak to us of a response of heart, joyful worship of God, and appreciation and confidence in God. Or just to sum it up, definite times of dealings with God when he builds these altars.

Now, coming to our reading, we have the call of Abraham given in chapter 12, verse 1. The call of Abraham. Now, when we come over to Acts chapter 7, you remember when Stephen is speaking, he speaks about this call. And he says, the God of Abraham, the God of glory, appeared unto our father Abraham when he was yet in Mesopotamia.

And here's the call that Abraham got from the God of glory. Get thee out unto a land that I will show thee. So that was in Ur of the Chaldees.

But I want you to notice, just very quickly, the compromise of Abraham. Because he did get out of Ur of the Chaldees, but initially he did not go unto the land that God had told him of. So he's beginning to obey and he travels out from Ur of the Chaldees.

He comes to Haran and there he stalls. There he stalls. Not a good thing to stall.

I take it that there were certain influences upon Abraham that caused him to stall in Haran. He did not follow through in full obedience. We get a little hint of it, I take it, there at the end of chapter 11.

In verse 31, we read this. Tira took Abram, a nephew-lot. Who's the actor? Tira.

Tira took Abram, but God had spoken to Abram. But now Abram, under the auspices of the movements of Tira, he goes with him out from Ur of the Chaldees. The destination was to be Canaan, but they came to Haran, but halfway across the Fertile Crescent, and they dwelt there.

There is no mention that God had called Tira. As far as the record goes, Tira was yet unconverted, his father. We know later that Lot, while he's called righteous, and apart from that mention, we wouldn't have known that Lot was righteous.

But he later proves out his character in a carnal way. Carnal Lot. Unconverted Tira.

And Abram, with this group, is moving from Ur of the Chaldees, and they come to Haran, and they dwelt there. Now, did you notice there's no mention of an altar being built in Haran? There's no communication further from God, while Abraham was in Haran. But what was he occupied with in Haran? Well, there was all the goods, there was all the stuff that he gathered together in Haran, and there were the souls that were added, servants to the household, and children being born, and so on.

Some time had been spent in Haran, and Abram was active in these material things, but no altar. And no direct communication from God any further. Now, what does this all have to do with us? You and I have heard the call of God, if we're believers here this morning.

We have heard the call of God in the Gospel. That call has been to get out from our past life of sin, and come unto the enjoyment of the full inheritance that God has for us in Christ. God has called us, and by His grace we have responded and been brought into blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ.

But I want you to notice two principles in relation to Abram. Partial obedience and compromise on Abram's part, hindered him from moving into the land of Canaan, into the enjoyment of the inheritance that God had for him. Partial obedience and compromise on our part, will hinder us from the full enjoyment of what God would have us enjoy in Christ.

Secondly, Abraham apparently allowed the influence of Terah to hinder him from moving on, because it's only when Terah dies that Abraham actually takes the journey that God had called him to do. The influence of Terah, and whatever influence Lot had upon his uncle Abram, and so Abraham was hindered again in his joy from the unconverted and from the carnal. I would take it that you and I too, as much as we allow, the influence of the unconverted upon us, and the influence of carnal Christians, that will hinder us as well from entering into the fullness of the enjoyment of what we have in Christ.

Those are important principles to take note of. But let's come to this, the complete obedience of Abram. It's only after Terah dies that Abraham takes his people and his stuff, and in verse 5 we read, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came.

So now Abram has come to a position where he's able to enjoy more fully his relationship with God, and what God had promised to him. And so he begins to move through the land of Canaan, taking in the vistas, the panoramic views, the well-watered plains, and he looks at it all, and no doubt can in some way enjoy what God has promised to him. Verse 6, he comes to Shechem, and in verse 7 now, that he's in the land, we read, And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed I will give this land.

And there he built an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. So Abraham now is building an altar, he's having dealings with God. You'll notice the occasion on which this occurs.

He gets, number one, a fresh word from God. A fresh word from God. That's what we're here this morning to hear, isn't it? A fresh word from God.

And then number two, God speaks to him about his seed. Now there's a promise linked in there. And then God talks to him about this land.

This land, the inheritance that God had for him. And so Abraham now, he builds an altar. Built an altar.

He's going to worship God. He's going to express his appreciation for God. His confidence in God.

And he didn't care who saw him do it. Because we do read that the Canaanite was then in the land. The Canaanite.

Those Canaanites had never seen an altar like this. There's no altar here. No idol here, linked with the altar.

No idol. There's no immorality going on as the sacrifices are being placed upon the altar. No immorality.

There's nothing carnal linked with this. What has got into this man, Abraham? You see. And they would begin to wonder.

This is different. The Canaanite was then in the land. I'm going to call this an altar of testimony.

Abraham is building an altar of testimony to God. He has something that they don't have. He has a real-time relationship with the God of glory.

And that makes all the difference to Abraham. That made him a Hebrew. What's a Hebrew? It's one who crosses over.

He has come all the way now. From Ur of the Chaldees, all the way into the land of Canaan. He has gone the distance with God.

He's a Hebrew, a true Hebrew. Why? Because the God of glory appeared unto our father, Abraham. And finally, he's following through on the strength of that.

Now, brethren and sisters, again, let's bring that home to our own hearts. You and I have caught a glimpse of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, haven't we? And God has saved our souls. And you and I have asked with wonder on that tremendous day of our conversion to God.

Who is he on yonder tree that dies in grief and agony? Tis the Lord, the King of glory. Tis the Lord, O wondrous story. And he has won our hearts.

The one who was down here, who hung upon the cross, who is risen from the dead, who is now exalted and glorified. We have seen him, we have known him, and we are changed, aren't we? We are changed. What has stripped the seeming beauty of the idols of the earth? It's not a sight of right or duty, but a sight of peerless worth.

Nothing, not the crushing of those idols with its bitter void and smart, but the beaming of his beauty, the unfolding of his heart. That's what has won us, isn't it? And an appreciation of those things will give us the courage to shine in our testimony before the Canaanites that are yet in the land. And to bring glory to God, to build our altar of devotion to God in the sight of the world.

That's all around us. So how do we do that? Well, you're saved. That's good.

Thank God for that. Sin's forgiven. Tell me, have you been baptized? Have you made that first statement of public testimony to the world around that you now belong to Christ, that your old life is past and you're dead to it, and you now live unto God, and you belong to Christ? Your baptism.

That's a testimony. What about being gathered to the Lord's name with his people? In assembly capacity, are you part of the gathered company? And your various localities were found. And then are you faithful in attendance at the various meetings of the assembly when they come together? Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is.

Do you build that altar in testimony? Faithfulness and attendance at assembly meetings. That's a challenge to us, isn't it? And then when we do come to the gatherings of the Lord's people, do we come with our mind engaged and our hearts engaged in the things of God, or we come just to pass the time in a few social interactions with our friends and so on? Are we building an altar of testimony to God faithfully in the world where we are found? Are we continuing steadfastly in the Apostles' Doctrine, in the fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? Abraham built an altar of testimony. And in these ways, you and I, too, we build our altar in devotion to God.

Now, I want to move on because Abraham moves on. And we find in verse 8 now that he comes to the mountain on the east of Bethel. And he pitched his tent there, having Bethel on the west, Ai on the east.

And there he built an altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. So he's building another altar. Did you notice that he's now in a new location? And the first thing that he does is he builds an altar unto the Lord.

He's entered a new chapter in life. He's come to a new location. I think we have a parallel there with us as well.

There are many new chapters in our lives, aren't there? You go back in your thinking, school days, this school, then that school, maybe another school, then college, maybe. Or a new job, then a different job. New relationships, new friendships.

New chapters. New chapters in life. I would take the lesson here from Abraham.

It is always a good thing for Christians to early on in these new chapters to nail their colors to the mast, if you will. To make it clear before the people, I belong to Christ. To build your altar, as it were, as you enter into these new experiences.

Did you notice that there's added this? And Abraham called upon the name of the Lord. Here's a man who has been called and now he's calling upon the Lord. The Lord had called him out of the land of the Chaldeans and now in the land of Canaan, he is calling upon the Lord, he himself.

Now that's communion. That's communion. So God speaks, calls, and now Abraham is calling.

God speaks to us in his word. And then you and I, we can come and respond to him in prayer and speak to him. So that's the very essence of communion, isn't it? I really feel, brethren and sisters this morning, that that is perhaps the greatest need amongst us as the people of God.

A lack of communion. A diligent study of the word of God, and we're thankful for each one out this morning. A diligent study in order to hear his voice.

And then a diligence in prayer. Habitual prayer before God. Hearing his voice in every line and then responding with gratitude and prayer.

I believe that it is an inborn trait of those who have been born again to have a desire for a deeper knowledge of our Heavenly Father. And if that's absent, then you've got a problem. There's a question mark comes into play there.

But for those who are truly born again, as the heart panteth after the water brooks, said the psalmist, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Those in God's family, they have a desire for that deeper relationship with their Heavenly Father. Building an altar of communion.

Abraham was not the first one to call upon the name of the Lord, nor will he be the last one that appears in Scripture. Already in Genesis, Seth has called upon the Lord. Enos, later Moses, Aaron, Samuel, and Elijah, they all call upon the name of the Lord.

And as you examine those various references, you'll find that calling on the name of the Lord involves dependence upon Him. It involves supplication, asking. It involves a hard attitude of confidence and trust.

And then there's the thought of appreciation and praise and worship of God, recognizing in our souls all that God is of Himself, that we have found in His Word, the covenant-keeping One, the God of our salvation. What a delight it is to know more and more of Him, and to enter into a deeper relationship with Him. We do sing it, don't we? I hope we mean it.

More about Jesus and His Word. Holding communion with my Lord, hearing His voice on every line, each faithful saying mine. So we need more of that in our experience, I do believe.

Or at least we need to get back to it. Because a lack of individual communion with God, a lack of real appreciation in our souls of Him, through His Word, will impact the testimony of the assembly to which we are a part of. Someone has said, given a definition of an assembly, it is a concentration of sanctified life.

That's what it ought to be. And so our contribution as individuals will be made in as much as you and I are sanctified in our souls to God, and moving in that enjoyment of things in our hearts. Again, the psalmist, Psalm 80, says this, So will not we go back from thee? Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts. Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. I take it that that would be the desire of our hearts this morning.

And for this conference, that we would be turned again, that we would be brought to view afresh the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. It would have an impact upon us still in our day.

It is a pity now that Abraham ever left that place of communion. We read in verse 9 that Abraham journeyed going on still. And then we hear it was toward the south.

He seemingly kept on going south, on highway 35, but he kept going on south all the way down to Egypt. All the way to Egypt. And it is sad reading what took place down there.

There were no doubt difficulties up in the land of Canaan. There was a famine in the land. Difficulties.

And so the solution, he thought, was to leave the place that God had called him to and to go down into Egypt. We don't find that God spoke to him or appeared to him down in Egypt. And we don't find Abraham building any altars in Egypt.

Down into Egypt he went. You know, for you and I again, difficulties may be allowed in our lives. God allows trials to come our way.

And I would take it that it is the design of God in those trials that we might learn more of him. That it would result actually in us drawing closer to him. And trials often have that impact upon the people of God.

They find their own helplessness. They discover afresh their own helplessness. And they're brought to a fresh dependence upon God.

That's good. That's the purpose, I take it, that we might learn God. In the various vicissitudes of life.

But difficulties and trials can also take us away. The problem doesn't lie with God, but the problem lies in our own hearts. And as Abraham goes down into the land of Egypt, his wife is a good-looking lady.

And he's concerned because they might come and they might kill him and take his wife and so on. And Abraham is all concerned, all self-absorbed. And he's looking out for himself.

And in self-interest, he tells her to say, Oh, tell them you're my sister. And with self-reliance and self-absorption, Abraham is taken out of communion with God. Now there's another food that you and I have still.

And that's self within us. I take it, it is in fact, our natural default position to rely upon ourselves. And faced with difficulties, even in the assembly, brethren and sisters, how often we just rely upon natural wisdom and what we think is best without really consulting with God and coming to his word to find the answers.

And we rely upon ourselves. And we act with attitudes oftentimes of self-preservation. I'm looking out for myself.

I'm going to look after my rights. And like Abraham, we leave the place of communion and true dependence upon God. And we move all the way south and we come into the land of Egypt.

Now that's not a good thing because later on the prophet Isaiah in chapter 31 will say this. Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, that stay on horses and trust in chariots. But they look not to the Holy One of Israel neither seek the Lord.

So there it's spelled out for us. And you and I still are in that danger of going all the way to Egypt. He built no altars in Egypt.

What he actually did was he put his wife in jeopardy. He put his family in danger because of his compromise. That self-preservation attitude, that self-interest attitude.

And again, brethren and sisters, we and Philippi are all self-absorbed and taken up with ourselves. We focus upon our difficulties and focus maybe upon the problems that sometimes arise in assemblies. What we're really doing is we're no longer focused on communion with the Lord.

We're actually on our way south. Now, it's not confined to the Old Testament, these things. There was a difficulty in Philippi.

You remember? There were two dear sisters there in that company and they were at loggerheads and weren't getting along. I beseech, Iodius. I beseech, Synthache.

Says Paul. Let they be of the same mind in the Lord. Underscore those words in our hearts.

In the Lord of the same mind. That would indicate to us that thought of getting back to communion with the Lord. I take it that will be the solution to many problems that arise amongst us.

Being in fellowship with the Lord. And to endorse that, just two verses down, verse number four in Philippians 4, he says this, Rejoice in the Lord. Always.

And again I say, rejoice. How do we rejoice in the Lord? We build the altar of communion again. And we enjoy afresh the blessings that we've been brought into in Christ.

We build the testimony, the altar of testimony for God in our day and generation. Building altars. Getting back to definite dealings with God.

Brethren and sisters, may the Lord help us even at this weekend as the ministry continues. That you and I might be restored where restoration is needed. Be brought back to these things, these basic things.

Building altars, testimony, communion, and moving in fellowship with the Lord. May the Lord bless His word to our hearts.