Exodus 20:20-26

As we turn to Numbers 33, it might be helpful to remember that in the Holy of Holies there was no representation of God whatsoever. The object (if I can put it that way) most commonly used in biblical description for worshipping God, or indicating that worship of God is taking place, is an altar. But even here it is very interesting. You can check this out later in Exodus 20:20-26. God forbid that all the altars, except for the brazen altar that was set up in front of the Tabernacle and then later the Temple, had to be made out of nothing more than dirt stacked up to make something they could burn on, set a grate on top, or made of uncut stones. It could not have even the sculpting of the stones in any way.

God is reminding you and me—in even such a thing like the altar, insisting that it be made out of dirt or uncut stone—that everything we touch with our hands we defile. God does not want to be worshipped by people with defiled hands. Hands signify work. God has to be worshipped in spirit by means of faith: faith in His character; faith in what He really is; faith in His grace; faith in His kindness; faith in His mercy; faith in the fact that He says, "I will never leave you or forsake you"; faith that He says "I will hear your prayers. I will respond at the right time and the right place for your benefit or for somebody else's benefit that you are praying for. I will follow through." With that kind of an attitude we can worship God and keep the second commandment, because our dirty hands are not creating a concept of Him that is untrue.