From the LOWLANDS to a MOUNTAIN - DEEPENING in FAITH -
An ALTAR prophetically MEANS:
A PLACE of WORSHIP and PRAISE;
A PLACE where YAH (God) and MAN MEET in PRAYER;
A PLACE of SEEKING and FINDING YAH (God);
A PLACE of SACRIFICE (GIVING UP SOMETHING at an EXPENSE or LOSS);
A PLACE of SURRENDER and YIELDING to YAHWEH God;
A PLACE of GIVING UP SIN and LAYING it DOWN;
A PLACE of HANDING OVER our LIVES into the HANDS of our SAVIOR - and
A PLACE of DYING to the SELF.
A MEETING PLACE - in HIS SECRET PLACE:
When Abram arrived in Canaan in obedience to YAHWEH - he built 4 ALTARS to YAHWEH God:
AN ALTAR OF PRAISE to YAHWEH God - (Gen. 12:1-7);
AN ALTAR OF PRAYER (Gen. 12:7-8);
AN ALTAR of PEACE to YAHWEH God (Gen. 13:14-18); and
AN ALTAR of PROVISION from YAHWEH God - to YAHWEH God (Gen. 22:9-14).
YAHWEH God APPEARED to ABRAM:
Abram was born from the bloodline of SHEM (son of NOAH ) 302 years AFTER the FLOOD.
He was born the TENTH GENERATION (replaced) in the year 1958 AC (After Creation).
Abram was the son of Terah - a high priest in the courts of Nimrod's kingdom of Babel in UR of the Chaldees (part of Babel (ancient Babylon) says the Book of Jubilees.
The MAIN PROPHETIC MESSIANIC BLOODLINE:
ADAM - ABEL (murdered) - SETH - ENOCH - METHUSELACH - NOAH - SHEM - ABRAM - ISAAC - JACOB ...
NOAH AND SHEM WERE STILL ALIVE AND WELL:
When Abram was born, both NOAH and SHEM were STILL ALIVE. It is from them that Abram kept on learning of YAHWEH - the ALMIGHTY ELOHIM (CREATOR-God).
When NOAH died in the year 2006 AC [aged 950] - Abram was 48 years old (in the prophetic Messianic bloodline).
SHEM STILL ALIVE AND WELL:
SHEM was STILL ALIVE when YAHWEH APPEARED to Abram, saying to him to leave his relatives and his father's house behind for his own sake, and go to the land that He would show Abram. (Gen. 12:1)
Before this event, "... Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his grandson and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together to go from UR of the CHALDEES into the land of Canaan; BUT when they came to HARAN, they SETTLED there. And Terah lived 205 years; and Terah died in Haran." (Gen. 11:31-32).
Gen. 12:4 tells us "So Abram departed, as Yahweh had DIRECTED him; ... Abram was SEVENTY FIVE YEARS OLD when he LEFT HARAN." Abram was born in the year 1958 AC - this means that when he departed to the promised land, it was the year 2033 AC (counting forward).
SHEM OUTLIVED ABRAM with 25 YEARS:
When Abram departed to Canaan, SHEM was 475 years of age - born in the year 1558 AC. SHEM in fact, OUTLIVED ABRAM with 25 years. He (SHEM) DIED in the year 2158 AC at the age of 600 - Abraham died in the year 2133 AC at the age of 175.
SHEM was 330 years old when Abram was born. He was 430 years old when Isaac was born and he still LIVED ON to TEACH JACOB!.
When Abram at age 75 arrived at SHECHEM (meaning SHOULDER - VITALITY) in the PLAIN of MOREH (meaning INSTRUCTION - VISION) where Yahweh APPEARED to him and said, "I WILL GIVE THIS LAND TO YOUR POSTERITY. So Abram BUILT an ALTAR THERE to YAHWEH Who had APPEARED to him" (Gen. 12:7) SHEM was 475 years old still alive and well!
The SECOND ALTAR - AN ALTAR OF PRAYER (Gen. 12:8):
From the LOWLANDS to a MOUNTAIN - a DEEPENING in FAITH:
From Shechem Abram moved from the plain (the lowlands) to a MOUNTAIN - prophetically of a DEEPENING in FAITH.
Abram moved to "HIGHER GROUND" and he PITCHED HIS TENT between:
BETEL (HOUSE OF YAH) and
AI (HEAP OF RUINS) - prophetically DUTY to YAHWEH God and DUTY to the WORLD (WORSHIP AND WITNESS).
Abraham's FAITH NOW FOUND NEW PERSPECTIVE as he PITCHED HIS TENT on HIGHER GROUND.
A TENT AND AN ALTAR:
His TENT and his ALTAR are now ABRAHAM'S IDENTITY - his CHARACTER - becoming a PILGRIM - MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE - 'PASSING THROUGH' - he "REMOVED" and he "JOURNEYED" SETTLING NOWHERE permanently. Abraham was searching for a CITY WITH FOUNDATIONS - a CITY Whose Builder and Maker is Yahweh God Himself - Heb. 11:10 "For he (Abraham) was waiting expectantly and confidently looking forward to the city which has FIXED and FIRM FOUNDATIONS, whose Architect and Builder is Yahweh God."
WHERE THERE IS A HOME (a TENT) there SHOULD be and ALTAR:
Abraham built a SECOND ALTAR - an ALTAR FOR PRAYER where he CALLED UPON the NAME of Yahweh God - proving Abraham's dependence upon his Creator. Then Abraham journeyed on.
A spirit OF PRAYER:
With a SPIRIT OF PRAYER inside of us, it PROVES our DEPENDENCE on ABBA - and HIS PRESENCE and POWER in our LIVES.
ABRAHAM LOST his FOCUS:
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went into Egypt. The moment Abraham entered Egypt, fear took over and he feared for his life. He begged Sara to say she is his sister. (Gen. 12:13).
YAHWEH'S MERCY:
But even in this - Yahweh God's MERCY OVERRULED Abraham's bad decision and in Yahweh's protection, Abraham and his company were sent on their way. Abram went BACKWARD to GO FORWARD!.
BACK at the ALTAR at BETHEL:
Abraham then RETRACTED HIS STEPS to Bethel where he PITCHED HIS TENT and BUILT his ALTAR at FIRST (Gen. 13:3-4). There Abraham repeated his prayer - and he CALLED on the NAME of YAHWEH God (in repentance).
Every one of us FAIL at SOME POINT - and this story of Abraham is an inspiration to us all. We ourselves can lost our focus and then have to retract our steps - to find the way again - fixing our eyes on our Messiah again. We have to go backward to the point of our sin, repent of it - receiving forgiveness - to be able to go forward again in faith.
Abba, You Who made the earth - You Who formed it to ESTABLISH it - Your NAME is ELOHIM YAHWEH - You our AMAZING heavenly FATHER - says in Jer. 33:3 "CALL on ME and I WILL ANSWER you - and SHOW you GREAT and MIGHTY THINGS, FENCED IN AND HIDDEN, which YOU DO NOT KNOW - do NOT DESTINGUISH and RECOGNIZE, have KNOWLEDGE OF and UNDERSTAND." Thank You Abba - Yahshua and Spirit for Your mercy - Your Love - Your ABUNDANCE in our lives. In Yahshua Messiah's Name. Amen.