Remove The Altar?

I spoke with a pastor recently who had just returned from the General Council of Assemblies of God churches. He shared that a proposal was made and a vote taken to remove all altars from each Assembly of God church nationwide. It was argued that the altar has lost its relevance in the church today. An outcry arose from this General Assembly of pastors, NOT to remove the altars. For now, their voices have been heard and the altars remain.

Since when did the altar lose its relevance? The Old Testament tells story after story of the kings of Israel and Judah that rose to power. Righteous kings destroyed the altars and high places used to worship false gods. In their obedience, the nation was blessed, and God delivered his people out of the hands of her enemies. But wicked kings rebuilt the high places, with altars to offer sacrifices to idols false gods. Israel and Judah caused their children to pass through the fires of sacrifice. This abomination caused God’s wrath to burn against the nation. He sent his prophets to warn of coming judgment which eventually led to the Babylonian Captivity.

Removing the altars did not just happen overnight. There has been a gradual decay as the truth of God's word is being watered down or rejected outright. Sin is rejected as truth is compromised for peace and brotherhood. We fill our schedules with everything except time to read and meditate on God's Word. When disaster strikes, we call on God. But when all is well, His Word and our prayers are shelved and we seek after our pleasure and comfort. The prick of our conscience will be all but silenced unless we heed the call of God to His people.

I Timothy 4:1 states, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." II Timothy 4:3 says, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers: and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

Remove the foundation stones of God's Word, and our house will fall. God's Word is not a delicatessen that we can pick and choose from the menus what is good and wholesome. II Timothy 3:16-17 says that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." As we strip away the truth of God's Word, we open the floodgates of deception into our lives. The prick of our conscience will be all but silenced unless we heed the call of God.

"Now therefore, says the Lord, turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your hearts and not your garments: Return tot the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him A grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing babes, let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord weep between the porch and the altar; let them say "Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God'" (Joel 2:12-17)