Altars - And a Worship Confession

I believe in the importance of church activity, and have for the most part attended my meetings faithfully for the majority of my life. Having said that, I confess that while my mind understands the importance and necessity of church and temple attendance, my heart has not always been with my body as I have sat through those meetings. I would even say that nine times out of ten I leave the church and temple place empty handed.

To be clear, I do not believe this weakness of mine has anything to do with a failure to understand the doctrines of the gospel. Rather, I think it has more to do with the way I hold those doctrines in my sometimes empty heart. This emptiness has caused me deep feelings of regret and guilt. When I hear others talk of their rewarding, spiritual, and uplifting experiences from church and temple worship, I feel even guiltier. I feel glad for those people and their experiences, but frankly I can't always relate. But I'm trying to.

In 1997 I was inspired by a lesson my seminary teacher, Lon Pyper, gave. He referenced a book which after sharing some information from, I knew I needed to buy. The book is called “Symbols in Stone”, by Mathew Brown. A certain story in there about a man from the early 1800’s touched me deeply, and I have carried it with me all these years. In short, the man envisioned himself following his life at the altar of God, whereupon he placed ‘sheaves’ before God and Jesus. He found himself praying that the Lord would accept his offering. It was then shown to him that the sheaves represented numerous people he had been the means of bringing into the Father's Kingdom and that his offering was accepted [1].

I suppose the reason the story touched me so deeply, was because at the time, I feared what my offering would look like if I were in his shoes. I felt the sting of arriving at the Lord's altar empty handed. I think it would feel much like Alma described of those whose works were evil in life when they stand before God, who wanted the rocks to fall upon them to hide them from his presence (see Alma 12:14).

Over the past year I have been engaged in deep gospel centered study, which has been rewarding beyond anything I’ve experienced. I recently decided to conduct a study on the word “Altar”. When I began this exploration I was so unfamiliar with the term that my first internet search was spelled "alter", rather than “altar”. Understanding not only the correct way to spell it, but the role of altars in my life has made all the difference in my desire to worship God.

Altars have been around since the time of our first parents, Adam and Eve. I find their experience of being removed from the garden to be very touching when I put myself in Adam's place. These people who spoke with God face to face were removed from that divine privilege by their partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which removal and separation I believe must have created deep feelings of loss and loneliness. I believe building an altar was a way of restoring that lost privilege of divine association and symbolically created the Lord's presence among them.

The phrase, “Holy Altar”, has sometimes been a bit mysterious to me. The altars I’ve seen are nice looking, but to call a piece of stone ‘holy’ has sometimes seemed perhaps like a bit of an overstatement. The question in my heart when put to words is “what makes an altar holy?" Under the Law of Moses, altars had to be made of unhewn stones—meaning stones not cut with human tools—or of an elevated portion of earth (see Exodus 20:24–25), signifying that anything man made is inherently defiled. For this reason, often times mountains (see Genesis 12:8) or other high naturally occurring places were treated as altars, or temples; ultimately signifying the act of drawing nearer to the Lord. One such word use from Ezekiel 43 literally means “mountain of God” [3]. In short, altars are symbolic of the Holy presence of God himself. So, yes, altars (and temples) are holy.

The word "altar" itself is derived from the Hebrew word, zabach, which means to slaughter or sacrifice [2]. In Israelite times there were four special altars, each with its own symbolism. During those times there were two halves of the temple, the first and bigger portion was the "Holy place", and was rather public. This portion of Hebrew temples reminds me of modern church services where the general public is welcome to attend and participate in the outward ordinances of the gospel.

In the Holy Place was the first and large altar near the entrance of the sanctuary called the altar of sacrifice, the altar of burnt offerings, or the table of the Lord (Mal. 1:7, 12; 1 Cor. 10:21). This altar was relatively public, and served to atone the sins of Israel and was where they brought their offerings. In my deranged way of thinking, I like to imagine several people in modern times waiting outside the bishop's office, some with Bulls, some with sheep, and others with doves. Then I kiddingly think to myself, "whoa, Brother Jones brought the bull today, he must be working on a big one".

But in seriousness, I find the public nature of the sacrifice to be special, especially when applied to the modern repentance process. Because of the public nature of repentance in those days, I have to believe that fellow Israelites shared one another's burdens, perhaps more than we do now, and were likely much less appalled when a loved one was under the burden of sin. I would have been the guy who brought a Bull to the altar every week.

The repentance process would have gone something like this: First the offender brought an animal to the priest, who then placed hands upon the head of the animal (Lev 16:21; Num 27:18,20; Deut. 34:9), and symbolically transferred the offender's sins upon the innocent animal, which became a personal proxy or substitute (Num. 8:10; Lev. 1:4). The animal was then slain by the priest, symbolically representing Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice when he innocently took our sins upon himself and was slain. Blood from the sacrificial animal was captured and then ritually sprinkled or poured in various locations (Ex. 30:10; Lev 8:15; 16: 18;17:11), also symbolic of Christ's spilled blood. A majority of the animal was then burned, and the remainder provided a sacrificial meal for the priest, the offender, and God (the burnt portion). This meal was symbolic of the spiritual feast and reunion with God following true repentance.

Further into the Temple was the Holy of Holies. Even though our current temples sometimes have a special room that goes by this name, this part of Hebrew temples is representative our temples themselves. In that place the more sacred and therefore less public worship occurred. This place, like Adam's altar, was symbolic of the literal abode of Deity.

Immediately before the Holy of Holies was the veil, and just before that veil was another altar with a small altar just next to it. These were for burning incense, another special ritualistic symbol. The sweet smelling smoke from frankincense and other odors rose heavenward symbolizing man's connection to God through prayer. Temple going members will understand the special role prayer plays near veils today.

Near this set of altars was a third type of altar, the table of shewbread, on which lay 12 loaves of bread and a wine offering. This altar closely relates to our modern sacramental emblems of bread and wine (water). I find it significant that this type of altar with its special offering existed well before Christ instituted what we think of now as the sacrament, or communion.

The fourth altar was found in the Holy of Holies, and was known as the Arc of the Covenant. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism states of this alter: "The ark was to Israel the portable throne or Mercy Seat and symbolized the presence of the Lord. It was here that the high priest, once a year on the Day of Atonement (Heb. 9:7; Lev. 16:1-17), made covenants with the Lord for all Israel, as though he represented all at the altar" [4].

These altars share a number of significant similarities, each of which bears eternal symbolism of the redeeming role of Jesus Christ. Each plays a role in creating a connection with Deity, or symbolically abiding in his presence. Offerings are associated with each altar. Whatever was placed upon them was always a sacrifice (or offering) which was the essence of Israelite worship. To summarize the entire Israelite altar experience, sacrifice, offerings, and worship symbolically brought them into the Lord's presence.

We know that Christ's atonement was the great and last sacrifice that completed the Law of Moses, but it didn't end the law of sacrifice. Evidence of this truth is found in altars of today. The first of which is found in every chapel in the church - the sacrament altar. Other altars exist in temples and likewise have important sacrificial symbolism. And lastly there is the altar of God; the place all other altars are symbolic of. This altar, if not tangible, at least metaphorically exists to lay our spiritual sacrifices and offerings upon it.  It is the altar each who lives on earth will visit when their life is complete, and will lay upon it the offerings of their life.

Our offerings will not be animals, nor will it be anything we made with our hands. Those things belong to the Lord to begin with. Then what can we offer him?  Neal A. Maxwell said "the submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give'… are actually the things He has already given or loaned us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give! [5]. M. Russell Ballard said "When we overcome our own selfish desires and put God first in our lives and covenant to serve Him regardless of the cost, we are then living the law of sacrifice” [6].

My altar research culminated one Sunday morning around 11:45 during the Elder’s quorum lesson I was teaching on the subject. My lesson was well prepared, though going into the lesson I didn’t have any burning testimony of the subject. During my lesson, I went off script as I believe I was moved upon by the Holy Ghost and began to confidently speak about the way I had failed to find fulfillment in my temple worship. I spoke about the way ancient Hebrew’s brought animals to the temple for a literal sacrifice, and that I had failed to bring my own sacrifice. The spirit burned within me as the impression came that the reason I have often left church and temple worship services empty handed, was because I was empty handed before I even arrived at the services. If I had arrived at the great table of burnt offerings in the temple during ancient times without an animal offering, I would have been the laughing stock of all Israel. And yet, that has been my form of worship for over ten years.

Now my confession is complete. Moving forward, I intend to consider my failures and animal tendencies before church and temple meetings that I may lay them upon the church and temple altars each of which are symbolic of the merciful and loving Savior, who is the great sacrificial offering of all mankind. I know in him, my sins can be consumed even as the animal offerings of ancient Israel upon their holy altars. Thus essentially sacrificing myself, I am confident I will not arrive at the final altar of God empty handed.

Sources:

1. Symbols in Stone, Mathew Brown, 1997. pg 10-11

2. The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 2010. #2076, pg 72 of the Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary

3. LDS Church Article: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/02/then-will-i-go-unto-the-altar-of-god?lang=eng

4. BYU Article. http://eom.byu.edu/index.php?title=Altar&oldid=4373

5 Swallowed up in the will of the Father: Neal A. Maxwell, October 1995: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/swallowed-up-in-the-will-of-the-father?lang=eng

6. The Law of Sacrifice, M. Russell Balard, Ensign, Oct. 1998, 10

See Also:
SACRIFICE
OFFERING

WORSHIP

"So it is that real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed! Such is the “sacrifice unto the Lord … of a brokenheart and a contrite spirit,” (D&C 59:8), a prerequisite to taking up the cross, while giving “away all [our] sins” in order to “know God” (Alma22:18) for the denial of self precedes the full acceptance of Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen".  Neal A. Maxwell, April 1995 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/04/deny-yourselves-of-all-ungodliness?lang=eng

"We must possess the spiritual strength to overcome our challenges, laying our faults on the altar and giving our lives to the Lord" - https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1997/10/for-such-a-time-as-this?lang=eng&query=altar

"If you would have a blessing from the Lord, put something upon the altar. Make the sacrifice". Hartman Rector Jr. 1979. Follow Christ to Victory. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1979/04/following-christ-to-victory?lang=eng&query=surround+altar