aLTARS
WHAT ARE THEY & WHAT DO THEY DO?
Altars, what are they and what do they do? We read about many altars in the Bible, some of which the building of resulted from direct commands from the LORD Himself; some of them the LORD FORBID. Altars have been constructed since the beginning of time either for the LORD or against Him. In fact, the very first altar was in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned, the LORD Himself, in proxy, slew/sacrificed two animals, probably sheep, “And YHVH ĔLOHIM made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them” (GNS 3:21 BSB). Thereby the LORD instituted the system of blood sacrifice, in this case for the covering of sin and postponement of judgment.
Before they fell, Adam and Eve communed with GOD face to face every day in the “cool of the day” (GNS 3:8). After they fell, that kind of communion was no longer possible, because Holy Spirit had left them. In this instance, a pre-incarnate Savior served as the priest in a redemptive transaction for keeping the life of Adam and Eve temporarily and established the functions of the altar on earth, a picture of the tabernacle yet to come.
We see also in the book of Genesis that Cain and Abel also made altars: “Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. 3 So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to YHVH, 4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock” (GNS 4:2-4 BSB). At this time, man was still vegetarian, so the raising of sheep was for sacrifice and the resulting leather and clothing. Cain should have traded some of his produce for obtaining a proper sacrifice from Abel’s flock and his offering was rejected by the LORD because a blood sacrifice was needed.
One of the most prolific builders of altars was the founding father of faith, Abraham, while he was yet Abram. Let’s take a look at a passage from Genesis in which we see the building of altars.
1 “Then YHVH said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. (A sacrifice of sorts.)
2 ‘I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
3 ‘I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you;
and all the families of the earth
will be blessed through you.’
4 So Abram departed, as YHVH had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then YHVH appeared to Abram and said, ‘I will give this land to your offspring.’ So Abram built an altar there to YHVH, who had appeared to him” (GNS 12:1-7).
Tradition says that Abram’s father, Terah, was a maker of idols in their home in Ur-Kasdim. If that is true, Abram very much understands the power of altars and the reason for building altars. When he encounters the true GOD, he realizes something is special about YHVH, for He manifests and talks to Abram face to face, not like the idols he grew up serving who do not hear or see or talk directly. YHWH makes a promise to him that He will give the land of Canaan to Abram’s offspring. Notice where this takes place, in Shechem. Abram’s immediate response is the building of an altar to the GOD Who appeared to him.
Shechem lies in a sheltered valley, protected by Mounts Gerizim on the south and Ebal on the north (remember the curses and blessings of DTR 27 & 28), 34 miles north of Jerusalem. When Jacob returned to his homeland from his long sojourn with his father-in-law Laban, he camped outside of the city of Shechem, then a Hivite city, and purchased a plot of land to pitch his tent for he had large herds (GNS 33:18). Later, Jacob and his sons, entangled in the controversy over his daughter Dinah (GNS 34), eventually fought against the city and conquered it and the surrounding cities, pushing back the natives of Canaan and establishing themselves in that area. Jacob’s son, Joseph, at his death in Egypt, requests that his bones be returned to Shechem and the bones of Joseph lay buried at Shechem (GNS 24:33; JSH 24:32).
During Joshua’s time, Shechem became a designated Levitical “city of refuge” (JSH 21:20, 21). Also, “Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before ĔLOHIM” (JSH 24:1), meaning they worshipped the LORD at Shechem. “So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem” (JSH 24:25). Here, after Moses’ death, Joshua renewed the COVENANT with YHWH at the altar of Shechem, laying a large sacred standing stone inscribed with the Law in front of the wilderness tabernacle. Later, Joshua also establishes Shiloh as the place of worship.
Long after Joshua’s death, in the period of the Judges, we read that the people forgot their GOD, and built a large temple in Shechem called Baal Berith or El Berith, worshipping in the same place, but worshipping different gods; “And as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals, and they set up Baal-berith as their god” (JDG 8:33). Later after Solomon’s death, even though the Temple stood in Jerusalem, we are told (1 Kings 12:1), “that all Israel assembled at Shechem, and Rehoboam, Solomon’s successor, went thither to be inaugurated as king” (as it was still considered a sacred place).
Here, at this same place, the ten tribes renounced the house of David, and transferred their allegiance to Jeroboam, (1 Kings 12:16) under whom Shechem became for a time the capital of his kingdom (when Israel split into Northern and Southern kingdoms). Jeroboam builds temples at Bethel and Dan installing in each a golden calf for the people to worship (1 KNG 12:28) so that they would not return to the temple in Jerusalem (NOT GOOD). From Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “From the time of the origin of the Samaritans, the history of Shechem blends itself with that of this people and of their sacred mount, Gerizim.
“Shechem [SAMARIA] reappears in the New Testament. It is the city of SYCHAR of John 4:5 near which the Saviour conversed with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well” (Smith Bible Dictionary). It is no accident or coincidence that the LORD chose to go through this area of Samaria, because it was a place of an “open Heaven,” where the spiritual realm was breached, the site of an ancient altar and covenant with Abraham and later, an altar to other gods.
The presence of the LORD at the site of such an altar radiated its effects into the surrounding area. We read next in John’s account that the people believed Him (Jesus) as their Messiah and GOD created a revival in that place even though the Samaritans and the Jews had been at enmity with each other for a very long time, the altar, with a Holy Priest, Jesus, began working again, affecting the local atmosphere so that Jesus’ words took root. Compare this incident with His rejection in other cities.
Going back again to Abram’s time, notice the site of the next altar Abram built, in the region of Bethel: 8 “From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to YHWH, and he called on the name of YHWH” (GNS 12:8).
In the next chapter of Genesis, we read, “So Abram went up out of Egypt into the Negev—he and his wife and all his possessions—and Lot was with him. 2 And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold. 3 From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched, 4 to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of YHVH …14 YHVH said to Abram, ‘Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, 15 for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted’” (GNS 13:1-4; 14-16). So Abram returned to the altar where GOD appeared to him before and YHVH renewed his promise. Notice that Abram became extremely wealthy after building his altars.
Many years later, Abram’s grandson, Jacob, while fleeing from the anger of his brother, settles for the night in an unusual place, 11 “On reaching a certain place, he spent the night there because the sun had set. And taking one of the stones from that place, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to Heaven, and ĔLOHIM’s angels were going up and down the ladder. 13 And there at the top YHVH was standing and saying, ‘I AM YHVH, the ĔLOHIM of your father Abraham and the ĔLOHIM of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 Look, I AM with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’
16 When Jacob woke up, he thought, ‘Surely YHVH is in this place, and I was unaware of it.’ 17 And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of ĔLOHIM; this is the gate of Heaven!’ 18 Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone that he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it, 19 and he called that place Bethel (house of ĔLOHIM/ GOD), though previously the city had been named Luz.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If ĔLOHIM will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear, 21 so that I may return safely to my father’s house, then YHVH will be my ĔLOHIM. 22 And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be ĔLOHIM’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth’” (GEN 28:11-22). Jacob, no doubt, rested in the place of the earlier altar and had found one of the stones of Abram’s altar and rested the night on that stone, triggering his amazing encounter with YHVH and changing his life forever. Remember also, that when Jacob left Laban, he was extremely wealthy as GOD had provided for him even better than requested.
Many years later the LORD desired that Jacob return to Bethel: 1 “Then ĔLOHIM said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to ĔL who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’ 2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, ‘Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to ĔL, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.’ 4 So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem. 5 As they set out, a terror from ĔLOHIM fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons. 6 So Jacob and everyone with him arrived in Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel, because it was there that ĔLOHIM had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother” (GNS 35:1-7).
Here we observe a family traditional altar, begun by Abraham and continued by his grandson at Bethel. Bethel also housed the Ark of the Covenant for a time during the period of the Judges, 26 “Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, where they sat weeping before ĔLOHIM. That day they fasted until evening and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to ĔLOHIM. 27 And the Israelites inquired of ĔLOHIM. (In those days the ark of the covenant of ĔLOHIM was there, 28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it)” (JDG 20:26-28).
This must have been shortly after the death of Joshua. Phinehas would have also been very aged. Most scholars put the Ark at Shiloh during this period. Was the Ark temporarily moved from Shiloh after the death of Joshua to a place considered more suitable and traditional to Phinehas? And then, possibly returned to Shiloh after the death of Phinehas? Note that although this altar began as a holy place to YHVH, Jeroboam later made it an altar to idols where the golden calf (1 KNG 12:28) and other things were worshipped.
The LORD was angry that His altar had been converted to idolatry and we read of the attempt for a return of proper worship; “Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of ĔLOHIM from Judah to Bethel by the word of YHVH. 2 And he cried out against the altar by the word of YHVH, “O altar, O altar, this is what YHVH says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the (idolatrous) priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”
3 That day the man of ĔLOHIM gave a sign, saying, ‘YHVH has spoken this sign: ‘Surely the altar will be split apart, and the ashes upon it will be poured out.’ 4 Now when King Jeroboam, who was at the altar in Bethel, heard the word that the man of ĔLOHIM had cried out against it, he stretched out his hand and said, ‘Seize him!’ But the hand he stretched out toward him withered, so that he could not pull it back. 5 And the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out, according to the sign that the man of ĔLOHIM had given by the word of YHVH. 6 Then the king responded to the man of ĔLOHIM, ‘Intercede with YHVH your ĔLOHIM and pray for me that my hand may be restored.’ So the man of ĔLOHIM interceded with YHVH, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before” (1 KNG 13:1-6). The prophecy came to pass just as predicted in 2 Kings, Chapter 23 and King Josiah destroyed the idolatrous altars in the land and temporarily brought the people back to GOD.
Shiloh, another important altar, established by Joshua and not Abraham, existed, “on the north of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah” (JDG 21:19); “The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them” (JSH 18:1). After Joshua reached Shiloh, realizing that his time was short but much land still needed conquering, he sent out spies from Shiloh. After their return, he allotted the tribal territories according to the Urim and Thummim. Shiloh is in the territory allotted to the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua’s tribe, and makes sense that it becomes a central location for meeting as Joshua of that tribe was their leader.
The Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle/Tent of Meeting remained at Shiloh from 1444 BC to 1116 BC, an estimated 328 years with regular sacrifices and worship and its presence affected the surrounding territories. The boards normally used for the wall of the outer court were replaced with a stone wall during this time, making it substantially more permanent. The cause and time of its destruction remains unmentioned specifically, although it is written that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant while Eli was High Priest and his two sons died in the battle. Most likely at this time, it was destroyed. Note that when the Philistines return the Ark seven months later, it does not go back to Shiloh, but to Beth-shemesh in the territory of Judah.
Jeremiah also, compares Solomon’s Temple with Shiloh as he compares its destruction to the destruction of Shiloh (burned to the ground), referencing it as a place of worship. “For go now to My place that is in Shiloh, where I caused My Name to rest at first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel” (JRM 7:12). The LORD implies here that Shiloh was, in effect, a temple site.
Returning back to the time of Abram, and the next altar we see Abram building, the LORD tells Abram, 17 “‘Get up and walk around the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you.’ 18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to YHVH” (GNS 13:1-4; 14-18).
Hebron, originally called Kirjath-Arba after King Arba (father of the giant, Anak), rivals Damascus as one of the most ancient cities of the world still existing. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob resided and were buried there (GNS 14:13-24, 23:2-19, 35:27). When Sarah died at Hebron, Abraham purchased from the Hittites the cave of Machpelah as a family tomb (GNS 23:2-20). Hebron also became a Levitical city of refuge under Joshua. David ruled Judah from his royal residence in Hebron for seven and half years before he was made king of all Israel and at Hebron, he was anointed as king of all Israel.
One more altar established by Abraham late in his life is found in the hills of Moriah. In Genesis, Chapter 22, we find Abraham (GOD had changed his name from Abram) given an unusual command, 1 “Some time later ĔLOHIM tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he answered. 2 ‘Take your son,’ ĔLOHIM said, ‘your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you’” (Abraham immediately obeys.) Notice that although Ishmael was Abraham’s first-born son through Hagar, the concubine, YHVH refers to Isaac as his ONLY son.
On the way, 7 “Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘My father!’ ‘Here I am, my son,’ he replied. ‘The fire and the wood are here,’ said Isaac, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ 8 Abraham answered, ‘ĔLOHIM Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two walked on together. 9 When they arrived at the place ĔLOHIM had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 Just then the Messenger of YHVH (the Messenger of the Covenant-Jesus) called out to him from Heaven, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. 12 ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,’ said the Angel/Messenger, “for now I know that you fear ĔLOHIM, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.’ 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham called that place ‘YHVH Will Provide.’ So to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of YHVH it will be provided’” (GNS 22:1-2, 7-14).
The story has been abbreviated for the sake of time and space, but there are a few things one may gain from what we read: 1) Abram/Abraham habitually sacrificed on the altars he built. Notice that when YHVH asked him to sacrifice, even his SON, he hesitated not one moment. Also take note that Isaac, mentions to his father that they have the FIRE and the WOOD, but where is the LAMB, not yet knowing that he was the intended lamb. Isaac knows the habits of his father in sacrificing and understands how it should be, showing this a common practice of Abraham.
2) We also see a BLOOD sacrifice of an animal as the usual sacrifice until the second temple was destroyed and also that the LORD never intended Isaac’s sacrifice, but only tested Abraham and quickly stopped him from going through with His command. Although YHVH did not require Abraham’s son’s sacrifice, the LORD Himself fully intended sacrificing His own Son, our LORD Jesus, more or less, on the very same mount. 3) Notice the location, Mount Moriah, the hill on which Solomon eventually built his famous temple (2 CHR 3:1), where YHVH previously appeared to Solomon’s father, David “in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (2 SML 24:16-25) (where David also built an altar to YHWH which interceded for David and stopped the plague); the mount which comprises the Eastern elevation of Jerusalem, separated from Mount Zion by the Tyropoeon valley.
We know from the Biblical record that eventually Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem was used in the worship of idols as we see in the book of Ezekiel, 1 “In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me; and there the hand of the Adon YHVH fell upon me…3 Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of ĔLOHIM to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes jealousy was seated. 4 And there I saw the glory of the ĔLOHIM (GOD/Mighty One) of Israel, like the vision I had seen in the plain.
5 ‘Son of man,’ He said to me, ‘now lift up your eyes to the north.’ So I lifted up my eyes to the north, and in the entrance north of the Altar Gate, I saw this idol of jealousy. 6 ‘Son of man,’ He said to me, ‘do you see what they are doing—the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing—to drive Me far from My sanctuary? Yet you will see even greater abominations.’ 7 Then He brought me to the entrance to the court, and I looked and saw a hole in the wall. 8 ‘Son of man,’ He told me, ‘dig through the wall.’ So I dug through the wall and discovered a doorway. 9 Then He said to me, ‘Go in and see the wicked abominations they are committing here.’ 10 So I went in and looked, and engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 Before them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising” (EZK 8:1, 3-11). The account has been shortened, but the LORD takes the prophet all throughout the temple and its grounds, showing him all the different forms of idolatry practiced there and what YHWH intends doing about it.
This writer would be remiss, not to mention an important altar, which YHWH Himself established, that of Mt Sinai. Moses’ experience with YHWH began at the burning bush at the foot of Sinai and later, when Moses rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the LORD, through Moses, in a chuppah of glory cloud, betrothed Israel to Himself in the presence of seventy elders of Israel, a most unforgettable and terrifying parousia of the LORD, with smoke and fire and the quaking of that mount in which His covenant was established with His people. This writer finds it very interesting that today we only speculate on the true site of Sinai.
The most powerful altar ever built on the earth was, however, a mobile altar, that is, the Ark of the Covenant, built according to the pattern of the first and more important, more powerful altar, the altar in Heaven, where Jesus applied His own precious blood after His sacrifice for the cleansing of all the sin of man. Never before or since has there been another altar like the Ark of the Covenant, representing the throne of YHVH on the earth. The Ark was brought into battles where its effect caused mighty victories for the Israelites. Only once, did it fail, when the priests who brought it to battle were themselves wicked and living sinful lives.
At that time, Eli was the High Priest and his sons, though priests, were wicked men (1 SML 2:1). In a battle with the Philistines, they brought the Ark out to battle for them, but because of their wickedness, GOD did not fight for them and the Ark was captured and brought to the city of Ashdod and placed in the temple of Dagon (1 SML 4 & 5). Then we read a most amazing account of the battle of two altars, “After the Philistines had captured the ark of ĔLOHIM, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, 2 carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue. 3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of YHVH. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.”
4 “But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of YHVH, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained. 5 That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.” 6 “Now the hand of YHVH was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, ‘The ark of the ĔLOHIM of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.’”
8 “So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the ĔLOHIM of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,’ they replied. So they carried away the ark of the ĔLOHIM of Israel” (1 SML 5:1-8). The Ark was moved from Gath to Ekron where the people of each city were afflicted until the Philistines, seven months later, decided to return the Ark to Israel with offerings of peace to YHVH (1 SML 6). The Ark, on a cart drawn by milk cows, who left their calves and their home, unguided, brought the Ark to Beth-Shemesh, where 70 men of the city were slain by GOD for looking into the Ark (1 SML 6:19).
Later, when King David attempted bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, it was put on a cart and when one of the ox stumbled, Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark and was struck down by YHWH (2 SML 6:1-9). David later researched and found that the LORD commanded the Ark be carried on poles on the shoulders of Man, not ox. When the king performed the removal according to the Biblical instructions (1 CHR 15:1-27), he succeeded in bringing it to its final home (that’s another story.
But on to WHY altars were built. We see the text mentions at least twice, one specific reason why Abram built the altars, “And there Abram called on the name of YHVH.” Abram recognized something special about the places where altars were built, because when he prayed at an altar, “Then YHVH appeared to Abram.” We see the same thing happening with his grandson Jacob. The altars provoked the appearance or presence of the LORD, tearing the veil between the natural and spiritual worlds.
Most importantly, altars create an “open heaven,” a place where the veil opens between this world and the eternal realm; a place where GOD appears and where His voice is clearly heard; a place where mortal connects to immortal. It seems from historical record that once the veil opens in a place, it remains open. That’s why we see the patriarchs returning to the same places time and again at different points in their lives, desiring a connection or re-connection with the Creator.
That reason also explains why many of these sites have been fought over for possession, very much coveted, often changing hands through war. Jerusalem is the foremost example of this. A small, insignificant place, once desolate and abandoned, has become the most pivotal, desired and hated city in the whole world. Why, because the writings of the prophets have been sprinkled with prophecies of Jerusalem as a world power; because the enemy knows that the heavens gape open at Jerusalem, whether for good or evil. The enemy desires forestalling the installation of the Great King, destined for reigning over the whole world in the end of this millennium, which approaches very quickly.
Not only did the LORD appear and speak with Abram, but each time he gave him promises. So we observe Abram’s return to the places of the altars where GOD has appeared to him, probably because he desired further direction from the LORD, but always resulting in blessings and promises. Now we may consider, what prompted GOD’s appearance at the sites of those altars?
Although many versions translate Genesis 13:4 as “there Abram called on the name of YHVH,” some versions translate that verse similarly to, “This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshipped YHVH again” (GNS 13:4 NLT). So here we witness an important principle about altars, they are sites of WORSHIP and that Abram, indeed, in calling upon the name of YHVH, worshipped habitually at the altars he built, meaning that he acknowledged and praised the GOD to Whom he built the altar; he called on His name and prayed to Him.
Also, altars require SACRIFICE. Usually, a blood sacrifice was offered on these altars. This writer believes this habit began with the first ritual sacrifice in the Garden of Eden, which inaugurated the Blood Covenant between GOD and Man. Notice, that even Jacob, after seeing the LORD in his dream, having nothing much with him, sets up a pillar with the stone on which he rested and pours out an offering of oil, foreshadowing the later drink and oil offerings in the temple.
In the book of Enoch, we read that the fallen angels and their offspring, drank the blood of men and other sacrifices. The book of Leviticus explains this, “the life is in the blood” (LVT 17:11). GOD only required blood sacrifice of animals for covering the sin of man until He Himself was sacrificed for the final redemption of mankind, however, the fallen ones required blood sacrifice on their evil altars for the gaining of power and that spiritual bondage may be established in the participants of their altars. GOD’s altars created freedom and life; evil altars create bondage, eventually leading to death.
COVENANTS, always ratified with blood, take place at altars. GOD made covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon at altars. We even see in the New Testament, the covenant made to David in 2 Samuel 7, reiterated at the last supper by Jesus with His covenant promises, later ratified by the shedding of His own blood, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (MTH 26:28; MRK 14:24; LUK 22:20).
Altars woo the presence of that which is worshipped and possess a PRESENCE or CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE in the area where they stand. This applies to holy or evil altars. With today’s indiscriminate focus on the supernatural, particularly the “dark side,” people play games and engage in other activities which actually create evil altars. The realm of the spirit is real and unclean spirits desire enticing those unaware into their dark and condemned world. That is why John the Beloved warns us, “test every spirit,” (1 JHN 4) and writes of ways of testing in that chapter.
When YHWH asks Jacob to return to the altar at Bethel, the moment he sets out to do so, “a terror from ĔLOHIM fell over the surrounding cities” (GNS 35:5). Likewise, when Joshua establishes Shiloh, “The land was subdued before them” (JSH 18:1). Remember, at Mount Sinai, the presence of GOD was so strong and powerful, the mountain shook and smoked and a glory cloud surrounded it so that the people were terrified (EXD 19).
At the dedication of the temple, “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of YHVH filled the temple. 2 The priests were unable to enter the house of YHVH, because the glory of YHVH had filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of YHVH above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to YHVH: ‘For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever’” (2 CHR 7:1-3). Throughout King Solomon’s reign, there was peace in Israel, resulting from the presence of the magnificent temple this monarch built to YHVH.
Every place Abraham built an altar, we see the LORD comes to him and speaks with him and blesses him. The altar creates a connection with their GOD. Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua and David also all understood this principle. From the Scriptures, we see the following functions of altars as:
1) Altars create an “open Heaven” and woo the presence of GOD (GNS 12:7, 28:12-13, 16-17, 35:1, 7). They may also summon and give permission to demons as seen in each of the sites mentioned when the human priests began worshipping things other than YHWH (consider particularly the tower of Babel, built to defy YHWH.)
2) Altars are places of sacrifice, (GNS 22:13, 28:18, 22; JSH 18:1; JDG 20:26)
3) Altars are places of worship (GNS 13:4 NLT; JSH 24:1; JDG 20:26-28)
4) Altars establish covenants (GNS 12:2-3, 13:14-16, 28:13-15; JSH 24:25; 1 Kings 12:1)
5) Altars create a circle of influence (GNS 35:5; JSH 18:1)
6) Altars create either blessings or curses depending on the spirit ruling the altar. Consider the wealth and prosperity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
On the other hand, the tower of Babel contained an evil altar which opened this world up to more fallen angels (GNS 6:3; GNS 11:1-9), who ruled as “gods” and again, produced giants upon the earth, which plagued mankind for many years afterward. It is no coincidence that the man, who as a youth became a “giant slayer,” later established Jerusalem, expanded Saul’s kingdom, recovered the Ark of the Covenant and prepared materials for the building of a magnificent temple to house it in Jerusalem. His son, King Solomon eventually built the temple for worshipping YHVH with supplies his father laid aside for that purpose.
Altars open up the spiritual realm to good or evil. The site of the tower of Babel now lies destroyed by YHVH and was never rebuilt, until modern days in which Saddam Hussein, believing the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar dwelt in him attempted its reconstruction, which ceased at his death.
We already have seen a bit of the history of Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, Abraham worshipped and sacrificed there, King David worshipped and sacrificed there and the famous temple of Solomon stood on that site for hundreds of years with regular sacrifice. Today, the “Dome of the Rock,” dedicated to another god, not YHVH, occupies the temple mount and neither Israelites or Christians may pray there.
Hebron in modern times: the cave where Abraham buried Sarah and where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Leah were buried, is still there, and the walls of the Haram or mosque, within which it lies, form the most remarkable object in the whole city. From ATS Bible dictionary: “It is covered by a small mosque, surrounded by a stone structure 60 feet high, 150 feet wide, and 200 feet long. Within this no Christian is permitted to enter; but it is evidently of very high antiquity, and may well be regarded as inclosing the true site of the ancient tomb.” Now called el-Khulil, the friend, referring to Abraham) it also became a shrine to another god.
Shechem became the seat of Canaanite idolatry, the temple of Baal-berith being there (JDG 9:4, 46). Today, tourists visit there “a small, square enclosure of high whitewashed walls, surrounding a tomb of the ordinary kind, but with the peculiarity that it is placed diagonally to the walls, instead of parallel as usual. A rough pillar used as an altar and black with the traces of fire is at the head and another at the foot of the tome. In the walls are two slabs with Hebrew inscriptions, and the interior is almost covered with the names of pilgrims in Hebrew Arabic and Samaritan” (from Smith’s Bible Dictionary). The remnants of Joshua’s sacred standing stones have been identified, although partly destroyed, and reset into their believed original positions, but the place is mostly rubble. It is perhaps the only site which has not been covered by a shrine to another god, although a shrine abides near to the site.
Abraham is called by Mohammedans el-Khulil, “the Friend,” i.e. of GOD, and this is the modern name of Hebron. How interesting that some who claim and worship Abraham and Moses as fathers, do not worship their GOD, YHVH, but worship a different god. They do not read or obey TORAH, Moses writings, but read the writings of their god instead. It is also no accident or coincidence that most of the holy altars of the past established by godly men have been taken over by worshippers who do not worship the Creator YHVH. It is a battle strategy of the devil to use the power of the altars.
Now to current altars, the altars described heretofore were physical altars, but one can also build “spiritual” altars. A spiritual altar is an altar built in one’s heart to someone or something that receives the honor, worship, devotion and sacrifice due to GOD. The idol of that altar usually consists of either a child or children, a public figure adored and followed, etc. The idols of such altars may also be a sports team, or hobby or any activity which engages much of our time, energy and resources, meaning these things require sacrifice. The idol always takes one AWAY from GOD and does not bring the worshipper to Him and often competes with our time with the LORD.
Let’s examine our hearts and see if there be any thing in us which competes with our love for GOD; anything which drains very many resources and time and to which we give the things intended by GOD for His service to temporal things which do not endure or build our treasures in Heaven. Even though we should love our children and our spouses and do our duties toward them, if we build our world around them, securing them to us, we build idols against GOD and He may eventually remove those idols for our good.
The Psalmist writes, “Search me, O ĔLOHIM , and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting” (PSM 139:23-24).