Altars

Throughout our Heavenly Fathers Word in the Old Testament, Altars were constructed to present sacrifices to our Heavenly Father.

Hebrew definition for Altar

Strong’s Number
H4196
Original Word
מזבּח
Transliterated Word
mizbêach
Phonetic Spelling
miz-bay’-akh
Parts of Speech
Noun Masculine
Strong’s Definition
From H2076; an altar: – altar.

The definition of Altar from its primitive root.

Strong’s Number
H2076
Original Word
זבח
Transliterated Word
zâbach
Phonetic Spelling
zaw-bakh’
Parts of Speech
Verb
Strong’s Definition
A primitive root; to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice): – {kill} {offer} (do) {sacrifice} slay.

We begin this study in the Old Testament by looking at Noah, who in Genesis Chapter 8, built the first Altar unto the Lord after the waters of the flood dried up from off the earth. 

Genesis 8:14-22 KJVS
“And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. [15] And God spake unto Noah, saying, [16] Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. [17] Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. [18] And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: [19] Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. [20] And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord ; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. [21] And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. [22] While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

After Noah went forth from the Ark with his family to be fruitful and multiply, our Heavenly Father smelled the sweet savour of Noah’s offerings which ascended from the Altar in which he had built.
God blessed Noah.

Looking ahead in the Book of Genesis we see Abram, who will become Abraham, built Altars to present his sacrifices to our Lord in Genesis Chapter 12, Chapter 13, not to mention in Genesis Chapter 22.

In Genesis Chapter 22, God tested Abraham who showed monumental faith by building an Altar to sacrifice his son Issac in which our Heavenly Father stopped. Obviously that sacrifice wasn’t necessary because the ultimate sacrifice would be made many years later on that same mountain In Moriah which would be called Golgotha during Christs crucifixion.

We see in the book of Genesis that Noah, who was holding on to that perfect pedigree that would lead down to Mary the espoused virgin that would bring forth Jesus Christ; and Abraham, who that seed through Issac would eventually come through, built Altars for our Heavenly Father. I find it very interesting that when Abraham pitched his tent in various areas, he was commanded to go, he would build an Altar first to present sacrifices of love to our Heavenly Father. Both Noah and Abraham, to me, displayed awesome faith in our Lord.

We may learn of that faith and love of Abraham towards our Heavenly Father and how it ties into to what Jesus Christ would later say to His disciples in the book of Matthew. 

Matthew 6:25-34 KJVS
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? [27] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? [28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: [29] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? [32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” 

We can see all the way through the Old Testament Altars were constructed to bring forth love offerings and sin offerings to our Heavenly Father. A building of an Altar was a way that our Heavenly Fathers children including His prophets showed their love, that is their reverence to our Heavenly Father. Because of their reverence to our Heavenly Father by holding true in the obedience in offering those sacrifices, they in return were blessed.

We can also see in the Old Testament how Noah, Abraham even Issac and Jacob, who would become Israel went forth being blessed with increase. On a deeper level we see that we have can also receive more of a spiritual increase from Christ who was born of God through Mary who was Noah’s Abraham’s, Issacs and Jacob’s direct descendant. 

Perhaps ask we can ask ourselves, how can we spiritually construct Altars unto our Lord during our existence here in the flesh?  Are the Altars that we build in our lives our desire to put God first along with His perfect will?

2 Peter 3:9 KJVS
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

His perfect will is the Promise of Eternal life offered to all that came through the flesh (John Chapter 1 verse 14). 

The promised Seed of Abraham who is Jesus Christ, who was God in the flesh had to be born through Mary so whomsoever will believe upon Him and remain in Him can have the Promise of everlasting life instead of perishing in the lake of fire.

This is our Heavenly Fathers perfect will of Salvation, and this was our Heavenly Fathers ultimate Sacrifice for us, His only begotten Son.

Colossians 2:9-14 KJVS
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: [11] In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: [12] Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. [13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; [14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

When Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected as the first born of every creation, He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances such as literal sacrifices, becoming the one- and all-time sacrifice for our sins. Physically constructed Altars to bring forth sacrifices since then are no longer needed. What is desired instead is your love and reverence shown to Him by seeking Him first in your daily lives. See what our Lord is saying in the book of Hosea? 

Hosea 6:6 KJVS
“For I desired mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

His knowledge that we seek rather than our own foolishness, is the fear of the Lord spoken about in Proverbs Chapter 1.

Proverbs 1:1-7 KJVS
“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; [2] To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; [3] To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; [4] To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. [5] A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: [6] To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. [7] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

This is our daily sacrifice and oblation given to our Lord in Heaven which is our love, time and or energy for Him and His Kingdom.

Our love is shown to Him by desiring knowledge through His Word and our time and or energy is the action of love we do by sharing what we learn of Him to others.

Where you live meaning wherever the Lord has placed you during your Sojourning here in this fleshly life is where your love, time and or energy for our Lord should go forth, and that desire given to us by the Holy Spirit to do so is what you should continue to follow.  

This is our Altar and He is most definitely worthy to receive, for He has given us much!

The End.