The "Altar of the LORD" holds significant importance throughout the biblical narrative, serving as a central place for worship, sacrifice, and communion with God. It is a sacred structure where offerings are made to the LORD, symbolizing devotion, repentance, and covenantal relationship between God and His people.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, altars are frequently mentioned as places where patriarchs, prophets, and priests offered sacrifices to God. The first mention of an altar is found in Genesis 8:20, where Noah built an altar to the LORD after the flood: "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. Taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar" . This act of worship and thanksgiving set a precedent for future generations.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob also built altars as acts of worship and as markers of divine encounters. In Genesis 12:7, after God appeared to Abram, he built an altar to the LORD: "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'I will give this land to your offspring.' So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him" .

The construction of the Tabernacle introduced a more formalized altar system. The altar of burnt offering, described in Exodus 27:1-8, was made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze. It was placed in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and used for daily sacrifices. Leviticus 1:9 outlines the purpose of these offerings: "The priest is to burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD" .

The Altar in the Temple

With the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem, the altar took on even greater significance. Solomon's Temple featured a large altar of bronze, as described in 2 Chronicles 4:1: "He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high" . This altar was central to the sacrificial system and the religious life of Israel.

The altar was not only a place for burnt offerings but also for peace offerings, sin offerings, and other sacrifices prescribed by the Mosaic Law. It was a place where the Israelites could seek atonement and express their devotion to God.

Prophetic and Symbolic Significance

The prophets often spoke of the altar in terms of Israel's faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God. For instance, in 1 Kings 18, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, repairing the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. This act symbolized a call to return to true worship: "Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come here to me.' So they came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down" (1 Kings 18:30).

The altar also holds eschatological significance. In the prophetic vision of Ezekiel's Temple, a new altar is described, symbolizing the restoration of true worship in the Messianic age (Ezekiel 43:13-27).

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, the concept of the altar is transformed through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:10 states, "We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat" , indicating that Christ's sacrifice on the cross fulfills and surpasses the Old Testament sacrificial system. Jesus Himself becomes the ultimate altar, offering His body as the perfect sacrifice for sin.

The altar of the LORD, therefore, is not only a historical and religious artifact but also a profound symbol of God's covenant, grace, and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the redemption of humanity.