And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. Exodus 20:25
The title for today comes from something I saw for sale in one of our local social media groups. This is one of those things that appears to mean something entirely different to someone who is not familiar with the jargon of a profession or industry, as in a container of stuff one would set on fire when feeling under pressure. And those who work in the profession can then make a joke and have a good laugh at the poor slicker who thought such a silly thing. Guilty, your honor, I had to look that one up on the Internet.
The Israelites of ancient times were commanded to do something that would seem strange to other religions who used altars, no tools. Israelite altars, at least at the first, would probably look like a heaped pile of rocks. Later they would learn to stack rocks better, but why no tools in the first place? Perhaps to remind them that no tool wielded by man can save us. Contrast that with the numerous tools used for our Lord's crucifixion, including: hammer and nails, digging tools for the socket on Golgotha, plus sawing and cutting tools for the cross beam and post. While that particular altar was much profaned, it was of course the blood of the Lamb which cleansed it.
Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus,
Bucky
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