What is an altar?

Answer

An altar is any structure upon which offerings, such as sacrifices, are made for religious purposes. It was usually a raised platform with a flat surface. There are over four hundred references to altars in the Bible. The word “altar” is first used in Genesis 8:20 when Noah built an altar to the Lord after leaving the ark. However, the concept was present as early as Genesis 4:3–4 when Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices to the Lord. They most likely presented their offerings on some type of altar, even though the word “altar” is not used in that passage.

An altar always represented a place of consecration. Before God gave His Law to Moses, men made altars wherever they were out of whatever material was available. An altar was often built to commemorate an encounter with God that had a profound impact on someone. Abram “And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.”, (Genesis 12:7), Isaac (Genesis 26:24-25), Jacob “and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.”, (Genesis 35:3), David “And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”, (1 Chronicles 21:26), and Gideon “Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the…Abiezrites. , (Judges 6:24) all constructed altars and worshipped after experiencing a unique encounter with God. An altar typically symbolized a person’s commitment to fully dedicate themselves to the Lord. God had intervened in a person’s life in such a profound way that the individual felt compelled to create something concrete to commemorate it.

During periods of Israel’s disobedience and idolatry, the Lord’s altars fell into disrepair. The prophet Elijah, when confronting the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, “repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down” «And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. », (1 Kings 18:30). Elijah’s restoration of the altar held great significance, considering the widespread paganism of his era. Despite living in a divided kingdom, the prophet symbolized the unity of God’s people through his actions: “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.’ With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:31-32). It was on this reconstructed altar that God sent fire from heaven, exposing the Baal-worshipers to shame (verses 38–39).

At times, God Himself commanded the construction of an altar after delivering someone in a miraculous manner (Deuteronomy 27:4-7;Exodus 30:1). Such altars served as memorials to help future generations recall the mighty works of the Lord. Since atonement is the work of God, the Law specified that an altar made of stones must consist of natural, uncut stones, “for you will defile it if you use a tool onit” «And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. », (Exodus 20:25).

When God provided instructions for the tabernacle, He also gave detailed guidelines for the type of altar to be placed in the courtyard (Exodus 27:1-8). On this altar, the people offered sacrifices that God accepted as atonement for their sins. It was required to have four horn-like projections, one at each corner, and be large enough to accommodate sacrifices of bulls, sheep, and goats. In the temple constructed by Solomon, the altar was crafted from pure gold «And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, », (1 Kings 7:48).

In a broader context, an altar is simply a designated place where an individual dedicates themselves to someone or something. Many church buildings feature “altars” for prayer, communion, weddings, and other sacred ceremonies. Some Christians establish their own personal “altars” for worship as tangible reminders of Romans 12:1, which instructs to “present yourself as a living sacrifice.”

Every human heart harbors an unseen altar where the battle between the flesh and the spirit unfolds. By surrendering aspects of our lives to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we essentially place those areas on the altar before God. Reflecting on Abraham’s altar, where he offered his son Isaac to the Lord, can be beneficial «And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. », (Genesis 22:9). We can seek the Lord

What aspects of our lives does He demand that we present to Him? We can symbolically place them on the altar and release them. We do not need a flat surface; we can yield our lives to God on the altar of our hearts whenever we choose.