To develop an understanding of the personal altar, let us first consider what an altar fundamentally is:
1. An altar is a spiritual gateway between the spiritual world and the material world
While altars in the Old Testament were still of a physical nature…
From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent so that Bethel was to the west and Ai to the east. And he built an altar there to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.
Genesis 12:8 (Schlachter 2000)
More than a hundred years later, Jacob came to Bethel. To this very place where Abraham had erected that altar.
But Jacob set out from Beersheba and journeyed to Haran. 11 And he came to a place where he spent the night, for the sun had set. And he took some of the stones of that place and put them under his head, and lay down to sleep in that place. And he had a dream; and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, reaching with its top to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give to you and your descendants. And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west, east, north, and south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed! And behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you!” When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Truly, the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it!” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is nothing less than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” And Jacob rose early in the morning and took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top, 19 and he called the place Bethel; but the city was formerly called Luz.
Genesis 28:10-19
Jesus created the first spiritual altar
And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man!”
John 1:51
Jesus taught his disciples that the opening of heaven is not a one-time encounter; it can be a daily encounter with God. They would see and experience what it means for a person to live in the constant presence of God, where angels and all of heaven stand ready to serve that person according to God’s will. This is what the New Testament reveals about a spiritual gate.
2. An altar is a place of intimate communication with God
at the personal altar => in our hearts
therefore, a personal altar can only come into being when we consecrate ourselves without compromise
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you! Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded!
James 4:8 (Schlachter 2000)
3. An altar is a place where sacrifices are offered
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship!
Romans 12:1 (Schlachter 2000)
Accordingly, our heart is the altar, and we ourselves are the living sacrifice.
We sacrifice our time and our own lives (i.e., our ideas, thoughts, and desires) (see Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:15)
4. An altar is a place of constant fire
A constant fire must be kept burning on the altar; it must never go out!
Leviticus 6:6 (Schlachter 2000)
Therefore, the personal altar must be the top priority in our lives
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