UNCUT STONES
OBSERVATION: ISRAEL HAD SUCCESSFULLY ESCAPED THE TYRANNY OF EGYPT. GOD GAVE THEM THE TEN COMMANDS THROUGH MOSES. ADDITIONALLY, HE GAVE THEM INSTRUCTION ON MAKING ALTERS TO HIM. THEY WERE TO BE EARTHEN ALTERS PRIMARILY. STONE ALTERS HE ACCEPTED BUT THEY MUST BE UNCUT STONE.
INTERPRETATION: EXODUS 20:25 (NKJV) AND IF YOU MAKE ME AN ALTER OF STONE, YOU SHALL NOT BUILD IT OF HEWN STONE; FOR IF YOU USE YOUR TOOL ON IT, YOU HAVE PROFANED IT.
THE JEWISH ALTER, UNCUT STONE, REFERENCED IN EXODUS 20:25, SPEAKS FUTURISTICALLY TO CHRIST.
THERE IS NO MENTION OF AN ALTER UNTIL AFTER THE FALL OF MAN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. MOSES CONSTRUCTED THE FIRST ONE (GENESIS 8:20). THESE PRIMITIVE ALTERS AT THEY TIME WERE USUALLY NATURAL, UN-HEWN ROCKS OR DIRT MOUNDS.
MAN IN A FALLEN STATE BUILDS HIS ALTER ACCORDING TO HOW HE THINKS IF HE BUILDS IT AT ALL. HE TRIMS, ARRANGES, ANDS GETS CREATIVE ACCORDING TO HIS LIFESTYLE AND THINKING. ROMANS 8:7 (NKJV) BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD; FOR IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD, NOR INDEED CAN BE.
KEEP YOU WORSHIP SIMPLE. 2 CORINTHIANS 11:3 (NKJV) BUT I FEAR, LEST SOMEHOW, AS THE SERPENT DECEIVED EVE BY HIS CRAFTINESS, SO YOUR MINDS MAY BE CORRUPTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST.
THE BIBLICAL WAY TO BUILD YOUR SPIRITUAL HOUSE IS CHRIST’S WAY. HIS WAY GUARANTEES YOU A STRONG, STURDY FOUNDATION TO BUILD UPON (EPHESIANS 2: 1-10 AND 1 PETER 2:6).
APPLICATION: PARTIAL QUOTE OF C.H. MACKINTOSH: MAN ATTEMPTS TO “LIFT UP HIS TOOL” THINKING HE WILL ERECT AN APPROPRIATE ALTER TO GOD. HIS THINKING PRODUCES NOTHING BUT POLLUTION AND NAKEDNESS!
