How can we apply the principles of Exodus 40:29 in our daily worship? The Altar at the Entrance: A Picture for Us • “He put the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and he offered on it burnt and grain offerings, as the LORD had commanded him.” (Exodus 40:29) • The very first thing anyone saw when approaching the tabernacle was the altar—God made sacrifice the doorway to fellowship. • For believers today, Christ is our once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:19-22). Every act of worship begins by remembering His cross. Obedience Before Preference • Moses arranged and used the altar “as the LORD had commanded him.” • Worship that pleases God is shaped by Scripture, not by trends or feelings (John 4:24). • Obeying what God has revealed—about holiness, love, purity, generosity—is itself worship. Whole Burnt and Grain Offerings: Total Surrender and Gratitude • Burnt offering: an entire animal consumed on the altar—symbolizing complete consecration. • Grain offering: the work of human hands offered in thankful acknowledgment of God’s provision. • In Christ we bring both: our lives completely (Romans 12:1) and our daily work and resources (Hebrews 13:15-16). Principles to Carry into Every Day • Priority of Sacrifice – begin each day conscious of Christ’s atonement; confess, receive forgiveness. • Single Entrance – there is only one way to the Father: “I am the way… No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) • Visible Witness – the altar stood in public view; our worship should be recognizable, not hidden (Matthew 5:16). • Whole-Life Worship – like the burnt offering, nothing held back. • Thankful Giving – like the grain offering, honoring God with the fruit of our labor. • Scriptural Obedience – our patterns, songs, prayers, and service follow God’s Word. Putting It into Practice • Begin each morning by thanking Jesus for His blood and consciously “enter the Most Holy Place” (Hebrews 10:19). • Offer your body—schedule, habits, relationships—as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). • Set physical reminders at “entrances”: pause at the doorway of home, office, or classroom to dedicate what happens inside to God. • Give generously and joyfully, earmarking part of every paycheck or harvest as a “grain offering.” • Let worship be visible: sing, testify, serve, and show kindness so others see the altar in your life. • Test every worship practice by Scripture; adjust anything that drifts from what the Lord commands. Supporting Scriptures • John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-22; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15-16; 1 Peter 2:5—each affirms the altar’s principles lived out in Christ. Summary Challenge Start every approach to God—and every task of the day—at the altar of Christ’s sacrifice, obey His Word exactly, surrender yourself completely, and thank Him continually. That is Exodus 40:29 worship lived Monday through Sunday. |
    |