The mystery of altars – Part 1

Altars Are Gateways For The Spirit Realm
For it came to pass when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, that the angel of the Lord ASCENDED IN THE FLAME OF THE ALTAR (Jud. 13:20).

There are certain places that are most significant in the spirit realm. They act as contact and entrance points, pathways and gateways to the spirit realm. ALTARS and thrones are two such entities.

Abraham raised up an altar unto the Lord in a place called Bethel. “And he (Abraham) removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel…and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord,” Gen. 12:8.

He later revisited the particular altar he raised at Bethel, Gen. 13:1,3,4. Two generations later, his grandson Jacob while running away from Esau passed through the exact location and tarried there for the night. As he slept, the heavens tore open and he had a Divine visitation. A pathway had been opened up by Abraham into the spirit realm. Hence, as he slept on that spot, angels of God ascended and descended upon him through the night. When he woke up, Jacob immediately raised up an altar. (Gen. 28:18-19).

What Jacob experienced was not just one angel but a traffic of angels ascending and descending not just on him but on that very spot. Traffic is meant for roadways and pathways. When Abraham raised an altar generations ago, a pathway was opened in the spirit. That place became a gateway. Jacob himself as he awoke declared: “This is none other but the house of God, AND THIS IS THE GATE OF HEAVEN,” (Gen. 28: 17b).

In Genesis 35, we see Jacob going back to that same spot. “So Jacob came to…Bethel…And he built there an altar and called the place Elbethel…” (Gen. 35:6-7).

Note what happened next: “And God appeared unto Jacob again…and blessed him.” (Gen. 35:9). So Bethel was a gateway to Heaven. It was the raising of an altar that made it so. The patriarchs seemed to understand this very well. Hence, they built so many; Abraham raised at least, four. (Gen.12:6 and 7; Gen. 12:8; Gen. 13:18; Gen. 22:9). Isaac, at least one- (Gen. 26:25), Jacob at least two – (Gen. 33:20 and Gen. 35:7). More importantly, whenever and wherever God appeared to them at a spot, they would raise an altar there establishing it as a gateway. You should do likewise.

And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: AND THERE BUILDED HE AN ALTAR UNTO THE LORD, WHO APPEARED UNTO HIM. (Gen. 12:7).

When God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, David’s eyes saw the angel standing between Heaven and earth. It was at that same spot that David was ordered to set up an altar unto the Lord (1 Chron. 21:16-18). It is also on that very spot that David instructed Solomon to raise the altar of God’s temple. “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah WHERE THE LORD APPEARED UNTO DAVID HIS FATHER…” (2 Chron.3:1).

In so doing, this altar became established as a major gateway. So much so that when Solomon offered, God also appeared to him (1 Kings 9:1-3). Moreover, the cloud of God’s glory filled the house so that the priests could not stand to minister (l Kings 8:10-11). In another instance, Solomon in a dream was handed so many blessings. Note what Solomon did: “And Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings…” (l Kings 3:15).

Rev. Theodore Effiong
Assemblies of God Church, Calabar
Or Prayer To All Nations (PTAN),
Prayer City, Calabar. CRS
Email: theoeffiong@yahoo.com
Phone – +234 9030012007, +234 7031921770