The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
The altar. Cain and Abel built an altar. Abraham built an altar. Isaac built an altar. Jacob built an altar. Moses built an altar. It’s been said that the most important place in the church is not the pulpit, not the vestibule, not the pews, but the altar. This is where we pray. This is where get hold of God.
Paul said, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) The bible says, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” (Luke 18:1) Our prayers should never stop. Never give up on your prayer life. Samuel said, “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you:” (1 Samuel 12:23) Never let the fire upon the altar of prayer go out. We should always feed the fire. Let the wind of God, the Holy Ghost, fan the flames of prayer; “…praying in the Holy Ghost.” (Jude 20)
I wonder at the workings of the altar. In time past, the altar was a place of sacrifice. It was the place where a ram, or a bullock, or a goat, or some animal was burnt with fire to make atonement for our sins. Now, there’s no need to make another sacrifice. There is no more sacrifice for sin. Jesus paid it all. Now, we talk about sacrifices or praise. We talk about presenting our bodies a living sacrifice.
But the bible says, “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:24,25) I wonder at what amazing grace must take place when we as sinners bow at the altar, the place of prayer. If Jesus was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world, he must also be after the end of the world, and every point in time between. When John got a glimpse of the blessed new Jerusalem, a time and place that will be in the sweet forever, he said, “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Revelation 21:22,23)
Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world! The sacrifice of God is a perpetual, eternal, everlasting atonement for our sin. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing… Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Revelation 5:12,13) As long as Jesus lives, the fire will never go out! “For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)
Therefore, our fire should never go out. This verse encourages us to pray, pray, pray. Don’t ever give up.
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