In Bible times, all religions used altars, places where animals or other items were sacrificed. The first one mentioned in the Bible was erected by Noah after leaving the ark (Gen. 8:20). God gave Moses specific instructions on constructing the altar used in the tabernacle (Ex. 27).
It was made of wood but overlaid with bronze, and at each corner was a “horn,” a sort of pointed projection. Like the ark of the covenant, the alter was portable, carried about on poles. Later, when Solomon built Israel’s temple, a larger altar was installed.
Because some of the kings “polluted” the altar by sacrificing to pagan gods on it, it had to be ritually “cleansed” at times (2 Chron. 29:12–18).
Besides the altar for burnt offerings, there was a smaller altar for burning incense, placed near the Holy of Holies and made of gold (see 127 [incense]).
Altars are not mentioned as part of Christian worship in the New Testament.
Jesus is presented as the final sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:12), so there is no need for animal sacrifice. As time passed, however, the table used for the bread and wine of Communion came to be referred to as an altar. Catholics and others refer to “altar” while some churches prefer to use “table.”
