7 Bible Verses About Altars

The sacred texts reveal the altar not merely as a structure of earth or stone, but as a profound locus of divine encounter and consecration. To delve into these verses is to understand the very essence of covenant and communion with God. Here, offerings were made, prayers ascended, and holiness was affirmed. Studying these scriptural accounts illuminates the enduring call to dedication in our own lives, teaching us how God establishes His presence and invites us to live as a living altar of devotion, finding sacred ground wherever He calls us.

Featured Verse

And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Biblical Altars: Key Verses for Contemplative Study

But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

Exodus 34:13KJV

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

Numbers 23:1KJV

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

Numbers 23:4KJV

And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Numbers 23:14KJV

But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

Deuteronomy 7:5KJV

And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

Judges 2:2KJV

And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

1 Kings 19:10KJV

These scriptural instances reveal the altar not as inert matter, but a sacred threshold where earth meets heaven. It is the place of solemn covenant, humble offering, and divine appointment. More than a relic of history, the concept challenges us: where in our lives do we build these altars? Where do we set apart space, time, or substance for singular devotion, for sincere surrender? The altar calls for a response, an oblation not of beasts upon stone, but of heart and will before the Eternal. It signifies the sacred call to consecrate all that we are and all that we possess to the One who meets us there, demanding truth in the inward parts and wholehearted allegiance. This selection invites not mere study, but soul-searching: what altar stands in the sanctuary of your own being, ready for the divine encounter?