Fire on the Altar

“A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.”
Leviticus 6: 13, NKJV

Read Leviticus 6: 8-13
The words of Leviticus are replete with instructions and regulations that relate to the worship and holiness of the people of God.  To many of us, these words seem dated – a sort of time capsule giving us a glimpse of life in a far off time and place.  We read them with holy curiosity, but not with a sense of Christian duty.  Yet, 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 reminds us that: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in holiness, that a man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (NKJV).  Thus, all of Scripture is likewise timely and should be read with an ear tuned to God’s eternal present tense … even Leviticus!  Now, does that mean we should reinstate the tabernacle worship of Moses and the wandering Israelites?  No, but we should have an ear tuned to the greater truths that underlined the sacrifices and offerings of tabernacle worship.  For, they speak directly to our faith and our continuing relationship with God.

In relation to our text from Leviticus 6: 8-13, the first thing we should notice is that God commanded that the burnt offering should be offered every day.  The burnt offering required that the whole animal be consumed – that nothing be left over or kept back from the fire.  Thus, the burnt offering was costly, requiring that 100% be given to God as a sacrifice.

The burnt offering was meant to be completely for God’s use, and God’s alone.  The truth is God will not use what we fail to give Him.  His desire is not to work against our will, but for you and me to allow our lives to be conformed to the image of Christ.  But, for this to happen, we must be willing to give ourselves wholly to Christ.  We must be willing to allow the One who is a “consuming fire” to consume us completely (Hebrews 12: 29).  And, this is a sacrifice that should be offered every day.  Thus, we must be continually mindful of the fire on our altar.

Leviticus 6: 8-13 states no less than three times that a fire shall always be burning on the altar, which is located in the Temple (or tabernacle) of God.  Second Corinthians 6: 16 helps us to better understand this text when it reminds us that “[we] are the Temple of the living God.”  And, if this is true, then the fire (the passion) of our relationship with God should always be burning.  This requires that we continually stoke the flames and feed the fire.  But, how do we do this?  Our text points out that to keep the fire (the passion) of our relationship with God continually burning, we must never neglect to put wood on the fire and offer up to God our peace offerings.  Leviticus 6: 12 states: “And the priest [that’s you and I {see Revelation 1: 4-6}] shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offering” (NKJV).  The wood we place on the fire of our relationship with God is fellowship.  We should daily spend time fellowshipping with the Lord in His written Word, in prayer, in worship, and in praise, taking the time to offer ourselves to Him completely.  But, in adding wood to the fire, we must also take the time to offer a peace offering to God.

The “peace offering” was an “optional” sacrifice for the Israelite people who worshipped in the tabernacle in the desert.  It was an offering of gratitude or of love to God.  It was not meant to be a sacrifice you had to do, but one that poured naturally out of a heart filled with love for God.  Much as a spouse continues to fan the flames for love for his wife (or her husband) by freely giving romantic gifts to her (or him), we are encouraged to fan the flames of our love for God by giving, not out of necessity or command, but out of the abundance of our own hearts.  In this way, the fire of our relationship with God continues to be fanned and fed.  So, keep the fire going on your altar and take the time to fan the flames of your relationship to God today.

In Christ,
Pastor Todd