Find Out About Biblical Altars in the Bible

An altar is primarily the place of sacrifice and hence it is to be found where sacrifice is offered (and may be a temporary construction.)

Normally it stood outside rather than inside ancient temples and was found on the high places of Canaan.Altars are mentioned in the patriarchal stories as well as the story of Noah.

The altars discovered in Canaanite sites are made of stone either a block table of hand-hewn stones or a one large block of stone. The altar described in Exodus is the oldest form of Israelite altar known and fairly primitive. This altar was created out of earth piled up or of a pile of uncarved stones.

Working or carving in the stone "profaned" it and modified it from the state in which it came from God and thereby it was unfit for sacred use. The biblical altar is not to have steps, although altars having such steps have been discovered at Megiddo.

The altar described in Ezekiel is built in three stages of which each stage is two cubits shorter than the side below which interestingly recalls the ziggurat of Mesopotamian temples. Some altars had horns at the corners which have appeared on altars discovered at Megiddo.

Biblical altars symbolized the deity in the sacrificial ritual and the victim was 'delivered' to the diety by physical contact with the altar. In earlier eras it does not appear that the altar was employed for burning the victim. The victim was offered up to the deity by applying the blood of the victim which symbolized its life to the altar.

The horns also symbolized the deity but with no distinct symbolism from the altar as a whole that can be detected.

In the year 732 B.C. Ahaz had an altar made after the model of an altar which he saw at Damascus but exact details of construction are not provided.

In the New Testament references to altars exclusively referred to either the altar of the temple in Jerusalem or the altar of incense or altars in pagan cults; in the New Testament there was as yet no altar in Christian cult. A single reference to a Christian altar is in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 10 which most probably refers to the Eucharist.

Bible Topics: Altars
Isaiah 65:3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; ...

ALTAR - Holman Bible Dictionary on StudyLight.org
Dictionary, the King James Dictionary, and Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary. ... Theological Significance Altars in the Bible were places of sacrifice. ..

2 Chronicles 34:4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn ...
James Bible. And they brake down the altars of Baalim ... Douay-Rheims Bible. And they broke down before him the altars of Baalim, and demolished the idols ..

Bible Dictionary: Altars in the Bible and Ancient Near East
Altars in the Bible and Ancient Near East, including horned altars and high places.

Altar - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia is linked to the additional ... of the Bible, sacrifices are prior to altars, and altars prior to sacred buildings. ...

Daily Bible Study - Ancient Altars
Ancient Altars. Altar. Sacrifice. Burnt Offerings. Discover the amazing truth of the Gospel. Eternal life. Christian living. Bible people, places, things. End time ..

Altar - Christianity
Altar - Altars in the Hebrew Bible. Altars (Hebrew mizbeah, ... The first altar recorded in the Hebrew Bible is that erected by Noah (Genesis 8:20). .

Hosea 8:11 "Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these ...
King James Bible. Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. ... Geneva Study Bible ... Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary ...

Isaiah 17:8 They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands ...
King James Bible. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall ... to the altars (Isa Isi Is) Christian Bible Study Resources, ..

Altar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Altars are usually found at a shrines, and they can be located in temples, ... very common for the altar to have on it only an open Bible and a pair of candlesticks. ...

In addition to describing altars dedicated to God, the Bible speaks ... Altars in the Old Testament. The first altar in the Bible was the one built by Noah ...

Altars in the Bible
An altar is primarily the place of sacrifice and hence it is ... Daily Bible Study ... Come explore the Bible by yourself or with others from your church and ...

Altars of Worship - Bible Objects, Bible Quiz
Altars of Worship - Bible Objects, Bible Quiz. Who was slain while holding the horns of the ... Lightning came down and split the altar in two. The hand he ...quiz.c

Altar (WebBible Encyclopedia) - ChristianAnswers.Net
description and definition ... The first altar specifically mentioned in the Bible is the one erected by Noah ... and afterwards in the temple, two altars were ...

Torreys Topical Index - Altars - HTML Bible
Altars. Altars. Designed for sacrifice - Ex 20:24 ... Next Topic (Altar of Burnt-offering, The). [ Main Bible Index

Exodus 34:13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones ...
OT Law: Exodus 34:13 But you shall break down their altars (Exo. Ex) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools ...

Altar
Abbreviated sermon illustrations, with textual references, to be used freely, in part or in whole. Lessons on altar. ... Bible Store. Altar. ALTARS THAT CHALLENGE ...

Eastons Bible Dictionary | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Altar. Other Dictionaries. Eastons Bible Dictionary; Naves Topical Bible. ... Altars were generally erected in conspicuous places (Gen. 22:9; Ezek. ...