Altars of Living Sacrifices

By Prof. Samuel C. Obi

The main purpose of Altars of Living Sacrifices is to enlighten, inspire, and encourage its readers to continue to engage more faithfully in the plan of God, which is to plough in His vineyard for which He has called us. Christ said that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37). The workers are Christians, and this book will help us to understand some key aspects of this calling. This book analyzes some major areas of biblical practices to shed some light on the Christian’s God-intended and success-oriented obligations in life. By design, the title of this book employs one key biblical term (altars) and one key biblical phrase (living sacrifices) to shed light into the author’s intent.

Chapter 1 introduces and explores the subject of Old Testament godly altars and sacrifices. Chapter 2 defines the phrase living sacrifice and discusses how and why Christians are described as living sacrifices in the modern age as opposed to animal sacrifices of the Old Testament days. Chapter 3 describes the nature of modern-day spiritual altars of living sacrifices as reflected in our lives as God’s children. It also notes that the symbolic meaning of our modern-day spiritual altars of worship is defined by our trust in God and by our commitment and obedience to Him. Chapter 4 describes how to build your personal spiritual altar so that you can have a closer walk with God. Chapter 5 examines the benefits of serving the Lord as living sacrifices. This section aims to remind and encourage all laborers that there are great and unimaginable benefits and rewards, here on earth and in heaven above, when we serve the Master as living sacrifices. Chapter 6 introduces the reader to how to be born again into the Kingdom of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781665542746

Prof. Samuel C. Obi

Professor Samuel C. Obi is a Professor and Director of Technology at San Jose State University where he has taught since 1989. He also teaches courses in the Manufacturing Systems program in the College of Engineering. His expertise is in Manufacturing Systems, including manufacturing processes, manufacturing planning and control, quality control, product prototyping and development, green and sustainability product design, computer-integrated manufacturing, general material processing, industrial ethics, and technology and civilization. Dr. Obi has helped to found and lead many programs and organizations throughout his career. He is also an active technology transfer agent. His specific research interests are in manufacturing systems, technology transfer to developing economies, and ethics and the technologist/industry. Presently, he is the Trustee of the Rho chapter of the honorary Epsilon Pi Tau, an honorary organization for professions in technology. He also served as the Regional Director for the Honorary for many years. He has served on numerous departmental, college, and university committees as well as being an adviser to various university student clubs. He has also helped to found programs and cultural organizations geared to helping Nigerian and African immigrants adjust to life in American society. Altars of Living Sacrifices, which is his 11th book, is written to enlighten, inspire, and encourage its readers to continue to engage more faithfully in the plan of God, which is to plough in His vineyard. His other books include: Overcoming Your Losses, Giants, and Mountains; Building Attractive Christianity; Exalting God’s Faithfulness; In Remembrance of Christ; Purpose in Waiting; God’s Kingdom First; A Table Prepared Before Me; A Handbook of Productive Industrial Ethics; Introduction to Manufacturing Systems; and Readings for Amerigerian Igbo. He has also authored many peer-reviewed and technical articles in his profession, and has presented at numerous professional conferences and events.

Book preview

© 2021 Professor Samuel C. Obi. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/08/2021

ISBN: 978-1-6655-4275-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-4274-6 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Introduction

Purposes Of Altars

Sacrifices

A Biblical Chronology of Godly Altars

Godly Altars Mentioned In The Book Of Genesis

Godly Altars Mentioned in the Book of Exodus

Godly Sacrifices Discussed in the Book of Leviticus

Godly Altars Mentioned in the Book of Numbers

Rules for Godly Altars Mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy

Godly Altars Mentioned in the Book of Joshua

Godly Altars Mentioned in the Book of Judges

Godly Altars Mentioned in the Books of 1st and 2nd Samuel

Godly Altars Mentioned in the Books of 1st and 2nd Kings

Godly Altar Mentioned in the Book of Ezra

Some Observations And Reflections From Old Testament Godly Altars

Chapter 2 Christians As Living Sacrifices

Christ as Our Ultimate Sacrifice

The Turning of Christians into Living Sacrifices

Pillars of Living Sacrifices

Transformation by Renewing the Mind

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

Active Love

Praising God

Living Sacrifice, Love, and Service

Implications

Loving Others as Ourselves

The Attractiveness of Love

Chapter 3 Describing Our Spiritual Altars

The Meaning of Spiritual Altars of Worship in the Lives of Christians

Trust in God

Commitment

Obedience

Other Observed Characteristics of Our Spiritual Altars

Spiritual Altar of Covenant

Materials for Building Our Spiritual Altars

Locational or Geographical Perspectives of Our Spiritual Altars

Personal Spiritual Altar

Spiritual Altar of the Home Base

Spiritual Altar of the Workplace

Spiritual Altars of the Neighborhood, Community, and Professional Activities

Spiritual Altars of the Media and Virtual World

Chapter 4 Building Your Personal Spiritual Altar

What Is A Personal Spiritual Altar?

Suggested Steps to Building Your Spiritual Altar

Step 1: Decision, Decision, Decision

Abraham’s Type of Decision

Joshua’s Type of Decision

Step 2: Be Willing to Serve

Step 3: Work on Your Spiritual Altar

Personal Prayer and Meditation

Studying God’s Word

Other Spiritual Activities

Step 4: Be Steadfast in Seeking God’s Kingdom and Righteousness

Step 5: Grow Your Walk with God and with Man

The Need for Hard Work in Whatever You Do

Seek Peace with Everyone

Step 6: Pray for Opportunities to Come

Step 7: Work on Your Issues

In Summary

Chapter 5 Benefits from Being A Living Sacrifice

The Benefit of Peace of Mind

Benefits from God’s Dew

In Material Possessions

In Successful and Progressive Life, Career, or Business

A Crown of Honor

Better Health

Healing is for Our Spirits, Souls, and Bodies

On Healing the Soul

Recurrence Healings

Helper and Enabler

Chapter 6 How to Become A Child of God

You Must be Born Again

You Must Denounce and Abandon all the Worldly Evil Things of the Past Lifestyle

You Must Be Serious with Yourself and Live a Life that Pleases God

The Process of Spiritual Growth

Be at Peace with Yourself

Search Your Life Continually for What Should Be Improved and Removed

Final Words

About the Author

PREFACE

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF Altars of Living Sacrifices is to enlighten, inspire, and encourage its readers to continue to engage more faithfully in the plan of God, which is to plough in His vineyard for which He has called us to labor. Christ said that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37). The workers are Christians, and this book will help us to understand some key aspects of this calling. This book analyzes some major areas of biblical practices to shed some light on the Christian’s God-intended and success-oriented obligations in life. By design, the title of this book employs one key biblical term (altars) and one key biblical phrase (living sacrifices) to shed light into the author’s intent.

The book first examines the term altars, their meanings and purposes in the lives of those who employed them before the time of Christ, and then contrasted those from Christians who live in the age of grace or modern dispensation. Figuratively, altars represent different locations and aspects of life where God’s children can show themselves as living sacrifices for the sake of the Gospel. They can also be described as opportunity zones where Christians happen to be located at any time. The phrase living sacrifices, taken from Romans 12:1 where Paul urged Christians to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, is used to shed some light into what the lives of modern Christians should be like in those opportunity zones. These examinations will help us to understand the message of Christ on how Christians should focus their efforts and live for Him in evangelizing our world. This understanding helps Christians to see themselves as living sacrifices in the modern dispensation. Building from this understanding leads to the knowledge of how and where to build our spiritual altars of living sacrifices or services for the Master who has planted us to bloom in those opportunity zones.

Ultimately, this book is aimed at urging Christians to have a focus at key fronts in serving the Lord. Metaphorically, there is the need for children of God to see the opportunities around them for serving the Lord in their various vocations and locations in life. For example, there is a need to sacrificially serve God and people in just about anywhere in the world, including one’s home or place of residence, workplace, neighborhood, and society. These opportunity zones have been provided by God as the locational framework and landscape of spiritual altars for Christians to anchor themselves as living sacrifices for God. This book discusses the important implications of these locational, memorial, covenantal, and occupational altars of our lives.

Chapter 1 introduces the subject of Old Testament godly altars and sacrifices. It notes that altars were generally constructed for the purpose of offering sacrifices to God. Chapter 2 defines the phrase living sacrifice and discusses how and why Christians are described as living sacrifices in the modern age as opposed to animal sacrifices of the Old Testament days. Chapter 3 describes the nature of modern-day spiritual altars of living sacrifices as reflected in our lives as God’s children. It also notes that the symbolic meaning of our modern-day spiritual altars of worship is defined by our trust in God and by our commitment and obedience to Him. Chapter 4 describes how to build your personal spiritual altar so that you can have a closer walk with God.

Chapter 5 examines the benefits of serving the Lord as living sacrifices. This section aims to remind and encourage all laborers that there are great benefits and rewards, here on earth and in heaven above, when we serve the Master as living sacrifices. The benefits and rewards of serving the Lord as a living sacrifice cannot even be imagined by humans. One passage described it by noting that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). The Lord is a God of rewards especially to His children who labor day and night in His vineyard. His lovingkindness is from everlasting to everlasting. No wonder the psalmist said to forget not all His benefits (Psalm 103:2). Finally, chapter 6 introduces the reader to how to be born again into the Kingdom of God.

Professor Samuel C. Obi,

Department of Aviation and Technology,

San Jose State University,

San Jose, California.

October 2021.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I GIVE ALL THE credit for this book to God who inspired the topic, provided me with the opportunities to live, know Him, and gain the knowledge and information to write it. All glory and honor belong to Him for ever and ever. May His name be hallowed.

To those who helped in my Christian upbringing (parents, relations, mentors, teachers, pastors, friends, etc.), words can never be enough to express my gratitude for the roles you played in my life. My spiritual, moral, professional, and academic teachers, mentors, supporters, and advisors deserve much credit as well. It must be noted that I might not have remained a Christian today without their assistance in grooming and pruning me through life. Also, my native town relations, mentors, sponsors, supporters, and the cultural and religious milieu there provided the foundational base of my beginning and sustained endurance in the spiritual pursuits that have lasted all my life. Some have gone on now to glory, but history will not fail to remember them for the sacrificial seed they sowed in me from my birth.

My late parents Chief Gabriel Ilechukwu Obi (Akunne) and Mrs. Virginia Ulokwe Obi helped to ensure that I embraced Christianity from the moment I was born. My late aunt and godmother Mrs. Winifred Omunuzuo Obi helped to build and strengthen my spiritual life by ensuring that I read and memorized the scriptures, attended church and Christian activities, and participated in the daily morning and evening devotions that took place in her house during the six years I lived with her as a young boy. Many others helped to reinforce that spiritual base over the years during my struggle as a young Christian.

My American Pastors, Christian mentors, and family friends also helped in no small measures to my seeing Christ in deeper ways. Some sacrificed for me in so many ways, including their friendship, financial assistance, advising, mentoring, and counseling when I was in college. Space cannot permit me here to mention the names of the numerous others who touched my life in so many ways that helped me to find a stronger anchor in Christ. I am also grateful to AuthorHouse for providing the front cover image through Thinkstock.com.

Finally, but not the least, I want to thank my wife and daughters Dr. Adora Obi, Miss Ogo Obi, and Miss Ebele Obi whose encouraging words, prayers, insights, and assistance during the writing and review process helped in putting this book together. This book would not have been possible without their help.

Professor Samuel C. Obi,

Department of Aviation and Technology,

San Jose State University,

San Jose, California.

October 2021.

39912.png

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

WHILE THE TERM ALTAR has different meanings to different religions, the simplest general definition of it, according to many dictionaries, is a raised structure with a flat top on which sacrifices are made. Other religious rituals, such as prayer and worship, are also made at altars. This definition largely agrees with the objectives of the Judeo-Christian patriarchs of the Bible who constructed different altars at various times and places in the Old Testament history. Altars can range from the rather simple, hastily constructed, one-man type like the one which patriarch Abraham built at Mountain Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac on (Genesis 22:9), to the large and very elaborate and expensive type like the one constructed by King Solomon in Jerusalem when he built the Temple of God. This altar was about 5 meters high and 16 meters wide on each of its four sides. It was so big that they constructed an ascent ramp or steps with which to walk to the top of the altar (2 Chronicles 4:1).

According to the scriptures, ancient altars were made of earth, uncut stones, bronze, or acacia wood that was overlaid with bronze. While the materials used to construct most of the altars mentioned in the Bible were not specified, it is known that God’s altars should not be made with every material. God specified that His altars should be made with uncut stone and earth (Exodus 20:24-26). However, in Exodus 27:1-2, God instructed Moses to construct an altar with acacia wood and to overlay it with bronze. This altar of bronze-overlaid wood was an exception. The most likely reasons why acacia wood was used for this altar was to render it portable and also to lighten its weight since it had to be carried by the Levites as they journeyed in the wilderness for a long time. This altar was to be carried with two bronze-overlaid acacia wooden poles that were to be fastened to two bronze