Rebuild an Altar to the Lord
In Judges 6:26 The Lord revealed the importance of first destroying the altar of idolatry before rebuilding an altar to the Lord our God. For rebuilding must be done on top of the stronghold and in the right order.
“and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order…. ”
In Gideon’s example the right order is a reference to a battle line, referring to a definite contrast between an altar of idolatry and the altar of the Lord our God. There is a definite line of distinction that separate light and darkness, it can never be one. Although the darkness seems to be a reality it is only there because of the absence of light, however the moment the light are activated the darkness is gone.
Likewise, an altar of idolatry cannot exist in the presence of God. God is the only source of light in the New Jerusalem and there will never be darkness, nor can darkness exist in the presence of God.
In Judges 6:1 it is clear that Israel did evil in the sight of God and had to bear the consequences. The evil brought darkness and Israel stumbled, therefor Jesus said walk in the light as long as you have the light then you will not stumble in the darkness.
Paul said in Romans 12:1”make your body a living sacrifice”, a sacrifice on the altar of God so that everything that stand in opposition to God can be consumed in His Holy fire and we can enter into a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Then He can make His Dwelling place within us, because as mentioned there is a battle line that separate holiness from evil. Holiness and evil can never be one.
It is very important as children of God to understand that, God in His Love sent His Son Jesus Christ so that we, through His Son can be cleansed and be set free from that which hinder our relationship. The battle line of rebuilding the altar is not establish through hate but in love for our Father in Heaven and His Love for us. When we think of breaking down every altar of idolatry we must do it, not based on fear for God and His wrath, but based on love for God and a desire to be in a living relationship with the only true Living God. God in love for us sent His only Son so that whoso ever believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life, and eternal life is to know God and His Son.
Every one is however responsible for His own relationship with God, but like in Israel and in the example of Gideon, there is a communal responsibility for the country. The Lord told Gideon that the altar of baal need to be broken down before the prosperity of Israel will return.
In considering the current situation in South Africa, it seems that we find ourselves in a similar situation as Israel in the days of Gideon, where the enemy have been empowered to steal the harvest. We have seen a decline in various sectors within South Africa, and we tend to blame everyone but ourselves. Gideon said “if God is for us, none of these thing would have happened” for Gideon knew the power of God.
We would say, but we are a Christian country with more that 80% of the people being confessed Christians. What if we like in the example of Gideon have establish an altar of idolatry, and that most of us participate in that. In South Africa, we have been responsible for the establishment of a visible altar through Halal certification. That actually started gaining momentum from 1996, but reached a peak in 2009 the beginning of the decline.
In the book of Haggai the question is raised concerning the reason for economic decline, and the answer from God is, that we are busy building our own houses while His house is in ruins.
It is time to make an effort to rebuild the altar of the Lord our God with a clear battle line.