As a Methodist pastor, I’ve thought a lot of altar calls. As is often the case with Protestants, we define ourselves by how we’re different than other traditions. Methodists do altar calls, but Presbyterians and Lutherans do not (read more here on reasons why certain traditions don’t do altar calls).
As a natural part of my reflection on altar calls, I’ve asked the question, what is an altar and its importance and significance in scripture?
The word “altar” (Heb. mizbeach; Gk. thusiasterion) appears 380 times in the Bible. The famous altars in the Bible are the two primary altars of the Old Testament temple: (1) the altar of burnt offering, and (2) the altar of incense.
These altars—as you can imagine—are all a preparation for the altar that is the cross of calvary.
The first time an altar appears in scripture is in Genesis 8:20 where Noah builds an altar after the flood waters reside.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.— Genesis 8:20
Abraham is the second person to build an alter in Genesis 12:7
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
Abraham built no less than four altars, the last of which was to be an altar to sacrifice Isaac.
Nonetheless, back to the original question: What is the meaning of an altar? Because Abraham was the first to build several altars (and because I’m studying the Abraham story for the Wellspring sermon series on Genesis), I look to his story to begin to answer this question.
So, when the Bible says that Abraham built an altar to the Lord, it signifies several important theological and spiritual truths:
1. Worship and Devotion to God
Altars in the ancient world were places of worship where sacrifices were made to deities. When Abraham built an altar to the Lord, it was an act of devotion, demonstrating his commitment to Yahweh. It symbolized his acknowledgment of God’s presence and sovereignty over his life (Genesis 12:7-8; 13:4, 18).
The altar is a mark of Abraham’s commitment to the Lord, similar to how circumcision is the mark of God’s commitment to Abraham (see here for a theological explanation of circumcision).
2. A Response to Divine Revelation
Abraham built altars in response to God’s appearances and promises. For example, in Genesis 12:7, after God appeared to him and promised the land to his descendants, Abraham built an altar at Shechem. These altars marked significant moments where God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham, and Abraham, in turn, responded in faith and gratitude.
In this sense, the altar is a place of remembering. We so easily forget. the Bible repeatedly encourages us not to forget what God has done (Heb. 2:1–4). Building altars mark the moments that we can look back upon to remember that the experience was real and pivotal.
3. A Place of Sacrifice and Atonement
Sacrifices were often made on altars as acts of worship, thanksgiving, or atonement for sin. While the Bible does not explicitly state that Abraham offered sacrifices at every altar he built, it was common practice in ancient Israelite worship. His most famous altar was on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:9), where he prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God’s command—a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.
This means that when we do an altar call, we’re inviting individuals to give back to God sacrificially. Abraham left his land and people for God. That was his sacrifice. Jesus teaches that only those who are willing to surrender their lives for His sake are truly worthy of following him.
4. A Symbol of God’s Claim Over the Land
By building altars in different locations (Shechem, Bethel, Hebron, Moriah), Abraham was staking a spiritual claim over the land God had promised him. These altars symbolized God’s presence in the land and Abraham’s faith that the land would one day belong to his descendants.
Jesus’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension means that he has reclaimed what was lost in the Garden of Eden. The whole creation belongs to him—the True Adam and Image Bearer—now. He commissions his Church to go and drive back the gates of Hell and take back enemy territory. When Christians fulfill the great commission, they bring true worship (altar) back to the place of the curse.
5. A Testament of Faith to Future Generations
This is one of my favorites. Altars served as lasting memorials of divine encounters. They would stand as visible reminders to Abraham’s family and future generations that God had spoken, made promises, and was to be worshiped.
What altars have you made that your kids can see? Is your witness strong, loud, and clear to those around you? This is the purpose of an altar.
Finally, when Abraham built an altar to the Lord, he was actively demonstrating his faith, obedience, and worship. These altars were not just piles of stones but symbols of covenant, divine presence, and trust in God’s promises. They foreshadowed the ultimate fulfillment of worship and sacrifice in Jesus Christ, who became the perfect sacrifice for humanity.
