=> There are different ‘types’ of altars in the Word of God.

An altar can be described as a place where heaven and earth meet and God enters into a covenant with a human being (cf. Genesis 8) or also where a priest offers sacrifices or gifts to God.

The altar service of believers in Christ is related to the life of Jesus Christ (Note: Yeshua Ha Messiah) as High Priest, who gave Himself on the altar of the cross as a one-time atoning sacrifice for the sins of humanity, and who serves in the power of an indestructible and immortal life (cf. Revelation 1:5-6).

Revelation 1:5-6:
… 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

A righteous altar includes the following:
 

• a place of worship where by men, sacrifices are offered (sacrificed) to God,
• a place of meeting between God and people,
• a gateway to the spiritual realm,
• a place where God reveals Himself to people,
• a place where a covenant between God and man is consummated,
• a place of revelation where God speaks to people,
• a place where promises are made,
• a place of power and authority in the grace of God,
• a place where people receive power from God,
• a place of holiness where one encounters the presence of the living God.

 

An altar can be established for God or for Satan and represents legal ground for a blessing or a curse. If the altar is erected for the glory of God, blessing proceeds, but if it is set up for a false god or evil spirit, this releases curse (cf. Judges 6:11-32).

 
An unrighteous altar, on the other hand, involves the following:

• a place of false worship where people offer worship and sacrifice to other gods or evil spirits,
• a meeting place of evil spirits with people,
• a gateway to the spiritual world,
• a place where evil spirits reveal themselves to people,
• a place where a covenant is made between a false deity or a spirit with people,
• a place where people draw power from unclean or evil spirits,
• an unholy place.

The cross of Jesus can be seen as the ultimate expression of an altar, with Christ serving in the fullness of His deity and humanity in the capacity of the high priest at the altar, but also becoming the Passover lamb sacrificed on the altar (cf. Hebrews 8:1-2).

 

Hebrews 8:1-2:
1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: we do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant of grace, and His blood has atoned for the sin of all mankind. He ministers in the power of an immortal and eternal life (cf. Hebrews 7:16).

Hebrews 7:16:
… 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

The cross is God’s help to understand the power and authority of His love and His faithfulness as a God who offers His covenant to man and blesses it.

 

The apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth: ‘For we are the temple of the living God’ (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:16) and ‘your bodies are a temple’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:16). This means that if the bodies of the saints represent the temple, their hearts make up the altar, where they come together in the relationship of a covenant of love and in close communion with Christ.

 

The next altar is the family altar, which is established at home through prayer, praise, reading the Word of God, and righteous living. In this way, the LORD is served and thereby an ‘altar’, i.e. a place of fellowship with the living God, is established. Joshua expressed it this way, ‘I and my house, we will serve the LORD!’ (cf. Joshua 24:15b)

 

Another aspect of divine altar service is the congregational gathering place for the glory of God. The gathering of believers to serve God and worship HIM carries the altar of His presence and power with it into every sphere of society. The apostle Paul teaches that believers, fellow citizens of the saints, are God’s household. ‘Joined together in Him (Christ Jesus), the whole building grows into a holy temple in the Lord.’ (cf. Ephesians 2:21)

 

A fourth aspect of an altar is that of a country. These are places of historical significance to a nation or group of people and places where governmental authority and influence is established and/or exercised. The apostle Peter writes, ‘But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that you may proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness to His marvelous light.’ (cf. 1 Peter 2:9)

 

The prayers of God’s people are accompanied by incense, which is offered to HIM on the heavenly altar (cf. Revelation 8:3).  <= (The text placed in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the prophetic article ‘What happens at the altar affects the destiny of individuals, cities and whole countries.’ by Catherine Brown, Gatekeepers Global Ministries.)

 

The importance of establishing a righteous altar at the time of increasing wickedness and fornication is revealed by the intervention of the prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel (Note: means ‘fruit garden’ => region of true relationship with God, the Father).

Here Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal and of Ashera on Mount Carmel and revealed the discord among the people of God because the altar of the LORD was in destruction at that time (cf. 1 Kings 18:30).

1 Kings 18:30:
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come here to me.’ They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down.

The first command of Elijah, addressed to the people of God, was that they should come united into the prophetic presence of God, represented at that time by Elijah.

As the people of Israel approached, Elijah began to gather the twelve stones of the tribes descended from Jacob to use them for the construction of the altar of the LORD. A short time later these stones were set up to bear the bull that had been slain which represents the love and power of the Father through Jesus Christ by which the Holy Spirit moves (cf. John 16:7.13-15; cf. 1 Kings 18:31-33).

John 16:7.13-15:
7 But very truly I (Note: Jesus Christ) tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. …

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.’

1 Kings 18:31-33:
31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Your name shall be Israel.’
32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench round it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.’

Even though it wasn’t enough that the people of Israel were on Mount Carmel with Elijah and came together in unity at the prophetic command of the LORD, and even being built up into an altar symbolizing the unified heart of the fellowship of saints (Note: of one spirit and mind).

It was necessary for each of the ‘sons of Israel’ to be also in the right position as well as in the right alignment in the altar, which for us today means that we expect the increase of power released from Jesus’ victory on the Cross at the right time, in the right place with the right saints. In the same way as the approximately 120 saints in the Upper Room at Shavuot/Pentecost expected to glorify Jesus Christ.

The saints at the time after Jesus’ resurrection also followed the prophetic command of their LORD (cf. Luke 24:49 i.c.w. Acts 1:14-15; Acts 2:1-4).

Luke 24:49:
49 I (Note: Jesus Christ) am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

Acts 1:14-15:
14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) …

Acts 2:1-4:
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel and Tina Glimm