Repair the Altar of the Lord Which Was in Ruins
1 Kings 18:30-35 (NIV)
“30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood." 34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.”


The life of faith is like a long-distance race. The secret to winning this race is to always recover the thrill of one’s first love. In the era of King Ahab, the Israelites lost their first love for God, served various kinds of idols, and left God. As a result, it didn't rain for three and a half years. However, as Elijah, the man of God, prayed, fire came down from the sky, it burned the altar, the sky opened up, and rain stopped the drought.

1. The faith of repentance (1Ki 18:30).
Elijah said to the Israelites, "Come near to me." The first step to restore faith is to repent for wandering away from the Lord and to come near to Him (Isa 1:18). Through repentance, we have to rebuild the altar that is in ruins because of temptation in the world, pride, selfishness, hatred, and resentment. When our first love and worship and the spirit of God is restored in us, God uses our life. When our family, home cell, and church become one with the Holy Spirit in the love of Jesus (1Ki 18:31; Jn 17:11), the will of God is fulfilled.

2. The faith of the Cross (1Ki 18:33).
Elijah arranged the wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid it on the wood. The offering laid on the wood symbolizes the atonement of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus has power. The foundation of eternal forgiveness, the restoration of the relationship with God, and the secret of victory are in the blood of Jesus Christ. Come to the Cross, and be cleansed from your sin. Live a prosperous life by depending on the power of the Cross of Jesus.

3. The faith which is filled with the Word (1Ki 18:33-34).
Elijah also poured four jars of water on the offering three times. This water symbolizes the work of cleansing, that is, the Word of God. The Word of God leads believers to the Lord every day so that they may experience the grace of God who is living and powerful (Heb 4:12). Be filled with the Word by meditating on it every day (1Ki 18:35). Be guided by the Word by dwelling on it (Ps 1:1-3). Then a miracle is performed by the Word.

4. The work of the Holy Spirit (1Ki 18:36-37).
When Elijah repaired the altar that was in ruins and prayed to God earnestly, the fire of the Lord fell on the altar. When Jesus’ disciples prayed together, they received the Holy Spirit and power and became witnesses who preached the Gospel to the ends of the earth. When we pray, a miracle is performed and an answer comes to us. Prayer is a driving force that helps us accomplish everything. May you always be filled with the Word and the Holy Spirit by praying earnestly.

God wants the ruined altar to be repaired. May you restore your first love and worship to Him, be clothed with the blood of Jesus and the power of the Word, and be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that you may be fully reconciled to God.