Why were altars built in the bible

However, altars were also made for such things as: worship Gen , to commemorate an encounter with God Judg Gen , a memorial Ex Josh ,34 , to make a covenant Ex , to find refuge 1 Kin 1 Kin Ex Nearly every prominent person after him in the Old Testament made an altar at some point.

God gave rules for how an altar was to be made. It was to be made from earth Ex or rocks Deut Josh sometimes a single rock: Judg , Judg which were uncut no tool used to shape them Ex Deut Josh They were not to be made of brick Isa Most believe this was primarily to prevent the altar from becoming an idol and to prevent pride over workmanship. The altar was to have no steps leading to it Ex There were to be no trees around it Deut Like the other objects in the courtyard, the altar was made of bronze.

It measured 20 x 20 x 10 cubits 2 Chron. Ahaz replaced this altar with one modeled on an alter he had seen in Damascus 2 Kings He moved the old altar, using it for divination. In Ezekiel's vision the courtyard altar also was horned Eze Altars were places where the divine and human worlds interacted.

Altars were places of exchange, communication, and influence. God responded actively to altar activity. The contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal involving an altar demonstrated interaction between Yahweh and Baal.

Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice to Yahweh. God smelled the aroma and found it pleasing. He responded to Noah's action by declaring that he would never again destroy all living things through a flood. In the patriarchal period, altars were markers of place, commemorating an encounter with God Gen , or physical signs of habitation. Abraham built an altar where he pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai. Presumably at that altar he "called on the name of the Lord" Gen Interestingly, we are not told if there was a response.

In the next passage, however, Abraham went to Egypt and fell into sin, lying about Sarah out of fear of Pharaoh. Perhaps there was no true communication at the altar between Bethel and Ai.

Sacrifices were the primary medium of exchange in altar interactions. The priestly code of Leviticus devotes a great deal of space to proper sacrificial procedure, and to what sacrifices are appropriate in various circumstances. Sacrifice was the essential act of external worship. Unlike the divinities of the nations surrounding ancient Israel, Yahweh did not need sacrifices to survive. The Israelites, however, needed to perform the act of sacrifice in order to survive Exod The act of sacrifice moved the offering from the profane to the sacred, from the visible to the invisible world.

By this action the worshiper sealed a contract with God. Joshua Verse Concepts. Judges Verse Concepts. Firewood Height Wood. Sacrifice, In Ot Goats. Home Altars To The Lord. Altars Altars To The Lord. Bible Theasaurus Built instances. Subscribe to the Verse of the day. Never miss a post Name.

Verification Code. Related Readings 1 more readings on Altars.