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AGAPE LESSON 8
YOUR SACRIFICE ON THE ALTAR
(moves the heart of God)
Put together by Bongie Kuzwayo
NOAH:
[Genesis8v20—21] Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal, and every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21) And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of men’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
Can you imagine? God repented for the sake of all creation. This was because of the sacrifice that Noah put on the altar.
[Genesis9v8—17] Then God spoke to Noah and his sons with him, saying: “And as for Me, behold, I shall establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, (10) and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. (11) Thus, I will establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (12) And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (13) “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (14) It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; (15) and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and You and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (16) The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (17) And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.
ABRAHAM:
[Genesis22v9—13] Then they came to the place of which God had told him. Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. (10) Abraham stretched out his hand and took a knife to slay his son. (11) But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So, he said, ‘Here I am.” (12) And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (13) Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
[Genesis22v15—18] Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, (16) and said, “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—(17) blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (18) In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.
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Now because of Abraham’s sacrifice, we are recipients of a generational blessing. [Galatians3v29] And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
MANOAH:
[Judges 13v3—5] And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. (4) Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. (5) For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
[Judges 13v15—21] Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you and we will prepare a young goat for You.” (16) And the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Though you detain Me, I will not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the Lord. “(For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the Lord.) (17) Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, “What is your name, that when Your words come to pass, we may honour You? “(18) And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?” (19) So, Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to the Lord. And He did a wonderful thing while Manoah and his wife looked on– (20) It happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar—the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. (21) When the Angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and his wife, then Manoah knew He was the Angel of the Lord.
HANNAH: It will benefit you more to read the whole of [1Samiel 1] before you proceed.
[1Samuel 1v11–20] Then she made a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant, and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head. “ (12) And it happened as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. (13) Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was drunk. (14) So, Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” (15) But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. (16) Do not consider you maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief, I have spoken until now.” (17) Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the Lord of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” (18) And she said, “Let your maidservant find favour in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. (19) Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew his wife, and the Lord remembered her. (20) So, it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I asked for him from the Lord.
[1Samuel 2v21] And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
HANNAH’S SACRIFICE:
(1) She sincerely gave her son to the Lord (before conception), by faith. She had not seen the result of her prayer yet – but by faith she made a vow. [Exodus13v2] Consecrate to Me all the first-born, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; is Mine. [Numbers3v12—13] Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of
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Israel instead of every first-born that opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore, the Levites shall be Mine, (13) because all the first-born are Mine. On the day that I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine. I am the Lord. This woman was not just asking God for a son. But was asking God for (a seed) to give to God as first-fruit.
(2) Hannah was faithful. She honoured her vow – gave her son to the Lord, (immediately after weaning him), to grow up before the Lord, and serve Him for the rest of his life (1Samuel 1v24). Everyone in Israel would redeem their first-born, but Hannah did not redeem her Samuel – she gave him to God (according to her vow), to serve Him for the rest of his life.
(3) When coming to present Samuel before the Lord – she brought three bulls, one ephah of flour and a skin of wine (1Samuel 1v24).
(4) Year by year she brought a new robe for Samuel (1Samuel 2v19).
THE RESULT OF HANNAH’S SACRIFICE:
(1) Samuel served God as priest. This means Samuel (an Ephraimite), was prompted to the priesthood position, which was only meant for Aaron and his sons. This promotion happened during his mother’s prayer. The vow she made, promoted him.
[1Samuel 2v18] But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.
(2) Samuel was a judge in Israel. [1Samuel 7v15—17] And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. (16) He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. (17) But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel in all those places.
(3) Samuel was a prophet in Israel. [1Samuel 3v20] And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.
(4) Samuel was an apostle in Israel. He was protective mantle over Israel right through his reign. [1Samuel 7v13—15] So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. (14) Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also, there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. (15) And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
(5) [1Samuel 2v21] And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters.
An empty altar (is empty, as empty can be), it cannot, and will not yield any results. Every parent who brings a child on the day of dedication is expecting a very bright future for their child. But how many bring an offering to the presiding priest? Yes, I understand – the leadership did not teach us. Think about that one!
The main thing to put on the altar, even before you bring your sacrifice is yourself. This means you first have to be excited about it. Give yourself first. [2Corinthians8v1—5] Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: (2) that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. (3) For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, (4) imploring us with such urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (5) And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
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YOUR SACRIFICE ON THE ALTAR WILL MOVE THE HEART OF GOD.
AGAPE LESSON 8