When the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem after decades of Babylonian captivity, their first priority wasn’t rebuilding homes or establishing commerce. Despite their fear of hostile neighbors and the overwhelming task ahead, they began with something far more fundamental: they rebuilt the altar in the temple, which had been destroyed.

“Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices” (Ezra 3:3). This ancient scene from Israel’s restoration offers profound insight into what should remain central in our spiritual lives today.

The Biblical Foundation of Altars

The concept of altars runs like a golden thread through Scripture, mentioned 402 times in the Old Testament alone. From Noah’s altar of thanksgiving after the flood to Abraham’s altar of sacrifice on Mount Moriah, these sacred spaces represented humanity’s deepest need to connect with the divine. They served as established places of meeting, thanksgiving, memorial, and sacrifice—locations where the earthly and heavenly realms intersected.

The altar wasn’t merely a religious ritual; it was the recognition of a fundamental spiritual truth. The priests who rebuilt Jerusalem’s altar understood that “there is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood.” Even with their temple destroyed and their nation scattered, they knew that sacrifice remained at the center of authentic worship.

Moses received the heavenly pattern for altars on Mount Sinai, creating a template that would guide worship for centuries. The Ark of the Covenant itself became the ultimate altar, carrying the very presence of God among His people. These weren’t arbitrary religious customs but divine blueprints for maintaining relationship with the Almighty.

 

Altars in the New Covenant

While animal sacrifices ended with Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, the altar concept didn’t disappear—it transformed. Paul captures this beautifully in Romans 12:1: “Therefore, 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.”

Christ became the Lamb of God, the radical sacrifice that fulfilled all Old Testament offerings. The communion table now serves as another altar, where we remember His broken body and shed blood. Yet the principle remains unchanged: sacrifice continues at the center of Christian worship, though now we offer ourselves rather than animals.

In the New Covenant, we are all priests. This means we’re responsible for building and maintaining altars in our own lives—sacred spaces where we meet with God and offer ourselves wholly to His purposes.

Building Personal Altars Today

How do we construct spiritual altars in our modern context? The essential elements mirror the ancient patterns while adapting to our contemporary lives:

Foundation of the Word: Just as physical altars required solid foundations, our spiritual altars must be built on Scripture. A life given to God’s Word creates the bedrock for authentic worship and communion with the Almighty. This means more than occasional Bible reading—it requires embedding Scripture so deeply in our hearts that it becomes the filter through which we view everything.

Lifestyle of Praise and Worship: Ancient altars were places where sacrifices burned continually. Similarly, our lives should emanate continuous praise and worship, not confined to Sunday services but permeating our daily routines. This transforms mundane activities into sacred offerings.

Deep Prayer and Communion: The altar was where priests met with God in intimate fellowship. Our prayer lives must go beyond casual requests to include deep communion and what the old saints called “travailing prayer”—intercession that births God’s purposes on earth.

Prophetic Insight: Altars were places of revelation where God spoke to His people. We must cultivate spiritual sensitivity to hear His voice and discern His will for our lives and circumstances.

Subduing the Flesh: Ancient sacrifices involved death—the putting to death of the old nature. Personal altars require ongoing crucifixion of selfish desires and carnal impulses that compete with God’s will.

The Family Altar

Beyond personal altars, Scripture emphasizes corporate worship within families. The family altar represents God’s design for households to fellowship and pray together, creating spiritual unity that transcends mere cohabitation.

Many families live under the same roof while remaining spiritually divorced, lacking the binding factor of shared devotion to God and His Word. When families fail to establish spiritual foundations through prayer and worship, they miss the opportunity to shape the next generation’s leaders, prophets, and policymakers.

History demonstrates that every great civilization’s destruction began when family foundations crumbled. Strong family altars influence successful societies, while their absence contributes to cultural deterioration and breakdown. When fervent family prayer disappears, we lose the church of the next generation.

Overcoming Opposition

The returned exiles faced significant opposition to their altar-building efforts. Local enemies tried discouragement, intimidation, bribery, and political maneuvering to stop God’s work. For sixteen years, construction ceased as opposition seemed to triumph.

Yet God used prophets Haggai and Zechariah to reignite the people’s passion for His purposes. Through prophetic words, He reminded them that their personal prosperity meant nothing if His house remained in ruins. The same opposition we face today—discouragement, distraction, intimidation, and complacency—requires similar responses:

Stay focused on God and His work rather than fixating on enemies. Expect opposition when pursuing God’s will, but don’t become internally focused or complacent. Most importantly, speak God’s Word to opposition, knowing that His purposes will ultimately prevail.

The Power of Small Beginnings

When the new temple’s foundation was laid, older people wept because it seemed less impressive than Solomon’s original structure. Yet the prophet Zechariah declared, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”

God delights in small beginnings that grow into His greater purposes. Our personal and family altars may seem insignificant compared to grand religious institutions, but they represent the foundational work of the Kingdom. Like the ancient Jews who persevered despite opposition, we must faithfully build our spiritual altars, trusting God to accomplish His purposes through our humble offerings.

The altar remains central to authentic Christianity—not as a physical structure, but as a lifestyle of sacrificial worship, continuous communion, and unwavering dedication to God’s purposes. In rebuilding these sacred spaces in our hearts and homes, we follow the ancient pattern that has sustained God’s people through every generation.

What altar is God calling you to build or rebuild in your life today?