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Exodus 20:24–25
“An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it.”
Our study of the meetings between Moses and Pharaoh emphasized the fact that the Lord saved Israel from Egypt in order to create a community to worship Him (Ex. 3:12; 5:3; 8:27). Israel’s exodus from Egypt having been accomplished, the people of God needed instruction regarding the form of worship and the structures necessary for the right praise of the Creator. We have already seen some basic guidelines for this in things such as the first and second commandments (20:3–6). Today’s passage gives the first details for the structures that Israel would use in worship.
God tells Moses how to build altars for sacrificing burnt and peace offerings. Note that the altars described in Exodus 20:24–25 are not the same as the bronze altar that would later be constructed for the tabernacle and temple (Ex. 27:1–8; 2 Chron. 4:1). Once the bronze altar was constructed, that would be the proper place of sacrifice; until then, the people would need a space for their offerings in worship, so God gave them directions for the altars to build in the meantime.
The Lord directed that these altars be made out of earth or unhewn stones (Ex. 20:24–25). In other words, altars could be a mound of dirt or a pile of uncut stones roughly fitted together in a pile but not a permanent structure made of quarried stones held together by mortar. This would underscore the temporary nature of these altars and also prevent future idolatry. If the Israelites were to create something that would stand for some time, later generations might find the altars and use them to worship Yahweh or other gods. But because the Israelites were to have no God but Yahweh and were to sacrifice only at the tabernacle once it was built (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 12:1–7), idolatry or sacrifice at unapproved locations was forbidden. John Calvin comments, “God would have them built of earth, that they might fall down of themselves, and that no trace of them might remain after the departure of the people; but if stones were used, He forbade their being fitted together in a permanent structure, but would have them thrown rough and unpolished into a heap, lest their appearance should entice posterity to superstition.”
Altars that were basically piles of natural materials also reminded Israel to obey God’s rules for worship and not their own. They were not to employ their own craftsmanship to create an altar of their own design, but to follow God’s design for how He wants to be worshiped.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Later in Scripture, God reveals a more elaborate liturgy and building for worship (Ex. 25–Lev. 27) that was to be in force during the old covenant period. That the first altars for Israel were simple, however, shows us that the Lord is not opposed to simplicity in worship. Whether our liturgies and buildings for worship are simple or elaborate, they are fit for worship if we worship in a manner agreeable to God’s Word.
For Further Study
- Exodus 30:1–10
- Hebrews 13:10