An altar is a structure used for offering sacrifices and worship to God. In the Bible, altars were important places where people could connect with God. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about altars:
Types of Altars
There are several different types of altars mentioned in the Bible:
Stone Altars: These were the most common type of altar in the Old Testament. They were made of stone and earth and used for offering animal sacrifices and grain/food offerings to God. For example, Noah built an altar to the Lord out of stone after the Flood (Genesis 8:20). The Israelites were commanded to build an altar of uncut stones when they entered the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 27:5-6).
The Bronze Altar: This altar was located in the tabernacle and later the temple. It was made of bronze and used for offering animal sacrifices. Sacrifices offered here were burnt completely (Exodus 27:1-8).
Incense Altars: These golden altars were used for burning incense before God. There was a small portable bronze incense altar used in the tabernacle (Exodus 30:1-10). Later Solomon built a larger permanent incense altar for the temple out of cedar wood overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:20, 22).
The Altar of Burnt Offering: This was a large bronze altar located outside the entrance to the tabernacle and later the temple. Animal sacrifices were offered here and completely burnt (Exodus 40:6, 29).
So in summary, stone altars were common outside, while altars made of precious metals were inside the tabernacle and temple for offerings and incense.
Key Roles of Altars
According to Scripture, altars served several important spiritual purposes:
Place of Sacrifice: One of the main functions of altars was to provide a place for offering sacrifices to God. Animal sacrifices (along with grain offerings) were offered to atone for sins, show devotion, or signify covenants (Leviticus 1-7; 2 Chronicles 7:12). Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the ultimate and final sacrifice, fulfilling all the sacrificial laws (Hebrews 9:11-14).
Place of Calling on God: Altars were places where people called upon the name of the Lord and worshiped Him through prayer and sacrifice (Genesis 12:8; Genesis 26:25; 1 Kings 18:24). They provided a designated spot to meet with God.
Place of Commemoration: Key events and covenants in Israel’s history were commemorated by building altars. For example, Jacob built an altar at Bethel to commemorate his encounter with God there (Genesis 35:1,7). Joshua built an altar after crossing the Jordan to enter Canaan (Joshua 8:30-31).
Place of Purification and Consecration: Altars were places of purification from sin. Sacrifices offered on altars allowed for confession, cleansing and holiness before God (Exodus 29:36-37; Ezekiel 43:26-27).
So in summary, altars fundamentally served as places to meet with God, offer sacrifice, worship, pray, purify and commemorate important spiritual events. They were sacred sites.
Important Altars in the Bible
There are several significant altars highlighted multiple times throughout Scripture:
The Bronze Altar: This was the main altar located in front of the tabernacle and later Solomon’s temple. Many important sacrifices were offered here, including daily burnt offerings and sacrifices on the Day of Atonement (Exodus 40:29; 2 Chronicles 1:6).
Noah’s Post-Flood Altar: After the Flood, Noah built an altar and sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord (Genesis 8:20). God smelled the pleasing aroma and promised to never again destroy the earth.
Abraham’s Altars: Abraham built altars in various places like Shechem, Bethel and Hebron to worship the Lord and commemorate God’s promises (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 22:9).
Isaac’s Altars: Isaac also built altars at places where God appeared to him, like Beersheba (Genesis 26:23-25).
Jacob’s Altars: At key sites like Bethel and Peniel, Jacob set up altars and worshiped God, commemorating the covenant promises (Genesis 35:1-7).
Elijah’s Altar on Mt. Carmel: Elijah built this altar for a contest with the prophets of Baal to prove Yahweh’s power (1 Kings 18:30-32). God sent fire from heaven, affirming Himself as the one true God.
So these are some of the notable altars in the Bible and the significant events associated with them. They were places where God’s people worshiped, sacrificed to Him and remembered His works.
Altar Elements and Construction
Though altars took different forms, here are some common features according to biblical descriptions:
– Raised platform: Altars provided an elevated surface on which to burn offerings and sacrifices to God (Exodus 20:24-26).
– Stone or earth construction: Simple altars were often made from stone, rocks or packed earth (Exodus 20:24-25). More ornate temple altars were overlaid with metals like bronze and gold.
– Altar horns: Projections on the four corners of some altars were used for binding sacrifices or holding blood during offerings (Exodus 27:2; Exodus 29:12).
– Ramps and stairs: To ascend the altar, ramps or steps were included in larger altar constructions (Exodus 20:26; Ezekiel 43:17).
– Grates or grills: These allowed the firewood, offerings and sacrifices to be placed on top (Exodus 27:4-5; Leviticus 1:8).
– Utensils and basins: Items like pans, shovels and basins were used in altar service and sacrifice (Exodus 27:3; Exodus 38:3).
So key features of altars included raised platforms, projections for tying sacrifices, stairs or ramps for access, and grates for offerings along with various utensils. This allowed priests and worshipers to offer sacrifices and worship on the altars.
Altars Compared to Other Structures
Altars are different from other structures referred to in the Bible:
Temples and Tabernacle: These were shelters or dwelling places for God among His people. Altars were pieces of sacred furniture located inside or outside them used for sacrifice.
High Places: These open-air places on hills or heights were used for idol worship or forbidden sacrifices to foreign gods by wayward Israelites. But legitimate altars were also sometimes referred to as “high places” in Scripture.
Memorial Stones: While related, these stacked stone memorials (like Jacob’s pillar at Bethel) commemorated sacred events rather than provided a place for offering sacrifices to God like altars.
So while there is some overlap, altars, temples, high places and memorial stones had distinct forms and purposes according to the Bible. Altars specifically facilitated sacrificial worship.
Altars in the New Testament and Today
With Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, altars hold less significance for worship and sacrifice today:
– In the New Testament, references to altar mostly relate to the altar of incense or Christ’s sacrifice on the cross fulfilling the need for atoning altars (Hebrews 7:12-14; Hebrews 13:10).
– Jesus Christ is the ultimate sacrificial “altar” whose blood atones for sin once for all and opens direct access to God (Hebrews 9:11-14; Hebrews 10:19-22).
– Therefore, animal sacrifices and physical altars are no longer required or encouraged as ways of worshiping God (Hebrews 9:23-28; Hebrews 13:9-16).
– While many churches contain ornamental altars as part of sanctuary furniture, they bear little resemblance to Old Testament sacrificial altars.
– Communion tables or lecterns used in church worship spaces today serve some symbolic purposes of altars in offering spiritual sacrifices of praise (Hebrews 13:15-16). But ornate altars are not essential fixtures in Christian places of worship.
So in summary, with Christ’s complete sacrifice, altars are deprecated as places of offering atonement sacrifices. But they retain symbolic value for the great sacrifices and worship of God that occurred through them in biblical history.
Lessons Christians Can Learn from Altars
Though no longer required, altars in the Bible provide some important lessons for believers today:
– They remind us of the seriousness of sin requiring sacrifice for atonement and cleansing.
– They show the high cost involved – life given up – to deal with sin and enter God’s holy presence.
– They represent complete devotion and consecration to God as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).
– They picture Christ’s body sacrificed on the cross to make us holy before God.
– They illustrate that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).
– They prompt us to offer spiritual sacrifices like praise, obedience, repentance and service to God today (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15-16).
So while we no longer use physical altars, remembering their place in Scripture motivates us to honor Christ’s sacrifice and live as “living altars” devoted to God.
Summary of Key Points
To recap some key facts about biblical altars:
– Altars were raised structures used for offering sacrifices, worship and prayer to God.
– Different types of altars like stone, bronze, gold highlight their sacred purpose.
– Altars provided places to offer atoning sacrifices, commune with God, purify and commemorate.
– Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob built memorable altars where God met with them.
– Elements like ramps, horns and grates aided sacrificial usage of altars.
– Altars are distinct from temples, high places and memorial stones.
– Jesus’ sacrifice fulfills the need for atoning altars required in biblical times.
So in biblical history, altars served as sacred furniture facilitating worship and sacrifice to God at key times and places, now fulfilled ultimately in Christ.
