What advice we have here. The old ceremonial law sets a pattern before us of how God wants us to do. It is a privilege for us as well as it was the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 26:1 “And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; (2) That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.
(3) And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. (4) And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.”
In this portion of scripture the altar was provided for God to meet with Israel. First it was in the tabernacle and then the temple. When the church was born, it became part of the churches. There has always been an altar. It’s our private place for contact with God. Wherever we call upon the Lord becomes an altar; it can be anywhere. It’s the source of our strength. Our help comes from the Lord. It should be our only resort; its one we can count on. When we can’t make contact with each other we can contact the Lord. It’s a blessing to have an altar. It’s a bond that the devil can’t get in front of unless we let him.
In those days the way of things was to bring the first fruits of the harvest to the Lord. They loaded their basket and took it to the priest. He laid it upon the altar. Instead of eating those first fruits, they brought them to God. Sometimes the sacrifices can hurt, but our life should be a sacrifice to the Lord.
Hebrews 4:14-16 says “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” What a wonderful altar. Our High Priest, the Lord himself, says bring your basket to the altar of God.
What’s in your basket? The people of Israel may have had barley or corn or other grain—whatever came up in their fields. What is poking out of your basket? Is it un-confessed sin that has not been dealt with? Achan hid his sin and was destroyed. What we hide as well as what is good needs to be brought to the Lord. Our good doesn’t impress God. Bring the ugly first. Are faults and failures in your basket? We all have them but act like we don’t. We don’t talk freely about them. Bring those things to Him, regardless of how embarrassing they may be. When our fear is confessed it drives the devil away. Bring the basket to the altar. Is suffering in your basket? Are you like the leper with a feeling of no hope? While all were afraid to touch him, Jesus did. He took the man just as he was. His skin was ugly; it stank. Sometimes what’s in our basket is not pretty. The key is to be honest with God. Put it on top and take it to the altar of God. The more imperfect we realize we are, the more perfect we see God. Bring whatever it is to the altar.
That’s how it works. We have a clean and honest heart with God. Every time we tell the Lord we don’t know what to do, he shows us. Here on the altar is where we’ll make it. Be honest. Fill your basket. Bring it and set it on the altar.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 