What does "whatever touches the altar" teach about God's sanctifying power? The Key Verse “Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it shall be holy.” (Exodus 29:37) Setting the Scene • God instructs Moses to consecrate the bronze altar during the tabernacle’s dedication. • Seven days of offerings underscore that the altar’s holiness is entirely God-given, not man-made. • Once sanctified, the altar carries a divinely granted power: anything that comes in contact with it is set apart as holy. What “Whatever Touches the Altar” Reveals about God’s Sanctifying Power • Holiness flows from God outward. Contact with what He declares holy transmits that holiness. • Sanctification is not human achievement; it is imparted by God’s initiative and grace. • The altar becomes a tangible witness that God can take the common and make it sacred in an instant. • God’s holiness is not diminished by contact with the unholy; instead, it overcomes and transforms the unholy. Old Testament Echoes • Leviticus 6:27—“Whatever touches the flesh of the sin offering shall become holy.” • Isaiah 6:6-7—A live coal from the altar touches Isaiah’s lips, and his guilt is removed. • Numbers 18:8-9—Offerings given to the priests are “most holy”; contact with them requires holiness. Fulfillment in Christ • Hebrews 13:10-12—Believers have an altar in Christ whose blood sanctifies the people. • Hebrews 9:13-14—If animal sacrifices purified outwardly, “how much more will the blood of Christ… cleanse our conscience.” • 1 Peter 2:24—Jesus bears our sins “so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Practical Takeaways for Today • Draw near: Just as touching the altar changed a thing’s status, approaching Christ by faith brings instant, complete sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30). • Live set apart: Having been made holy, believers are called to walk in holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Confidence in cleansing: No sin is too stubborn for God’s sanctifying touch; His holiness is stronger than our impurity (1 John 1:7). • Ongoing reliance: The altar’s holiness did not depend on the offerer; likewise, our holiness rests continually on Christ’s finished work (Hebrews 10:10,14). Summing It Up The simple phrase “whatever touches the altar” showcases a God whose holiness is powerfully contagious. He intends not merely to possess holiness but to share it, changing everything—and everyone—who comes into contact with the means He provides. |
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