Markers

Altars. They are scattered throughout the Bible for a multitude of reasons. Some for making sacrifices for the atonement of sins, some torn down because there were used to make sacrifices to false gods, some were built as a witness. I especially love the story about Elijah and the altar on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18 and of Paul and the altar to the “unknown God” in Acts 17. In the beginning of the Old Testament, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses built altars as a marker to the greatness and glory of their God, the One and Only God, and very often, they built them using a pile of stones as markers.

We build altars, are building altars. Making markers. Because in building altars and making markers, not only are we reminding ourselves Who the Provider is, we are reminding ourselves of His goodness (then, now and to come) and are glorifying Him. We are reminded of what He sacrificed to set us free. We are reminded of His goodness in the land of the living and we are reminded of His great, unfathomable love.

 

“Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.”  Genesis 35:3