Altars without Sacrifice

Go into any Christian church building and while you might find an altar in the front of the sanctuary, it is relatively an unused piece of furniture. If one is in the place of worshipping believers, it is a reminder of a past age when God’s people worshiped with priests and sacrifices in a tabernacle, and subsequently a temple. Why the change?

The Old Testament is very exacting in its prescriptions. Scan through the Book of Leviticus and you’ll find detailed instructions for five different kinds of sacrificial offerings (Lev. 1:1-7:38), codes for maintain a holy priesthood (Lev. 8:1-10:20), codes for ceremonial purification (Lev. 11:1-16:34), and codes for maintaining ceremonial purity (Lev. 17:1-25:55). Worshippers who kept their covenant with Yahweh were blessed whereas the unfaithful were cursed (Lev. 26:1-46); yet, there were ways sinners could be redeemed (Lev. 27:1-34). Similar ordinances can also be found in Exodus 20-40 and the Book of Deuteronomy.

Yahweh eventually exiled the descendants of Abraham from their promise land on account of unfaithfulness to the covenant (2 Kings 17 & 25). Many were led into Babylonian captivity for seventy years (Jer. 25:1-11; 29:10-14). A remnant of the exiles eventually returned to their promise land in the days of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah. Worship through priest, sacrifices, and temple even resumed. Something occurred on Golgotha that shook the very foundations to time and space. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ would ultimately serve as the last sacrifice, terminating the need to continue priestly offerings in the temple/tabernacle. The Book of Hebrews puts it this way:

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:11-12).

Elsewhere the author of Hebrews observes,

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Heb. 10:11-14).

The Old Testament Law, with its worship through priest, sacrifices, and temple/tabernacle, ultimately pointed forward in time to something greater—Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:24). The Old Testament Law was the type (the shadow) and Christ the anti-type (the substance).

Christians now gather together to worship God in new ways, since Jesus Christ has brought an end to the former age with its worship in priest, sacrifices, and temple/tabernacle. The church altar reminds us of the once for all sacrifice for sin which Christ had offered upon the cross. The purpose of bloody animal sacrifices ends with Christ and Christianity. Christian worship centers on Christ, particularly His death and resurrection, which brings sinners into a right relationship with the Heavenly Father. The hosts of heaven declare, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Rev. 5:12).

~ WGN