Altars

I was thinking about O.T. altars. First of all they had horns on the four corners. It was an altar shaped in a square. Altars were recessed in the middle because animals were burned in the middle. We see altars in churches. They are of course very different. We forget that altars were originally for sacrificing animals. Now when we think of sacrifice we think of giving money, the plate or the hat being passed. We also think of the sacrifice of time.

But in O.T. times an altar was associated mostly with sacrificing of animals. Oils and grains were also burnt as sacrifices. But mostly we think of sheep, goats, and the like. It's blood was poured out and collected.

Exodus 27:1-8 discussed the design of a new altar. Even this roving troop needed an altar. God, through Moses, describes all the utensils associated with an altar and sacrifice. I have seen the remains of an altar of stone like this, all one piece with the horn sticking out. Why do these altars have those horns? They are shaped like the horns of a goat or a deer. To me it is associated with the violence of sacrifice.

The O.T. altar described in Exodus is square. All Christian altars have rectangular tops. Christian altars are a far cry from this O.T. altar that is meant to be used for animal sacrifice. Altars today are mostly used to read from. If we think of it, the altar is meant to remind us that Jesus is our sacrifice. His altar was a cross.

Anything good can be taken to evil extremes. God allowed animal sacrifice of animals that the Israelites were allowed to eat. God never meant us to sacrifice humans. But many of the surrounding tribes did practice human sacrifice on these same kinds of altars. This altar shape was not unique to Israel. But this one was meant to be a practice sign of the worship of God. Today we worship by giving money and time. In those days we showed God his worth to us by giving up a perfect, unblemished animal to show our allegiance.