In the Old Testament, many godly men built altars to worship God at certain defining moments of their lives or in their encounters with Him. Consider Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, the Jewish exiles...
What is an altar? At its foundation, an altar is conceptually a meeting place between God and man. It is a place of consecration and sacrifice. It is a place where a person’s identity, beliefs and behavior is shaped by the Mighty God.
Two persons can go to church every week but have very different experiences. For one, the message touches him deeply. For another, it is likened to have had the news read to him. It has to do with the different altars in their lives – one is consecrated to God; the other is consecrated to the world.