The Apostle Paul established the high and holy purpose of the altar in the House of God. He asked, “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar” (1 Corinthians 9:13). The transition from the Jewish temple to the New Testament church is vaguely mentioned in our Bible, but it did occur. This scripture leaves no question that respect for God’s house was real to the New Testament saints and an altar was connected to His house. We must not make the altar a thing of mystery or a religious relic. It is simply a place that we come in surrender to provide our Father a sacrifice.

The Old Testament altar was a place of death. It had to include the blood of the victim, and there was a continuing need for more blood. Our altar is a place of life and the blood has been provided once and completely; “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Now we present a living sacrifice, but it must be holy by His divine death. Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Jesus Christ has made it plain that it’s all or nothing. The First Testament sacrifice was a type and shadow of the finished work, and that sacrifice was required to be without blemish and complete. Paul finished the verse above with this explanation. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The altar always represents two movements. First, we bring the sacrifice, and second, the Father provides the fire. This is the promise that Apostle Paul was declaring to us. “They that wait at the altar are partakers with the altar” (1 Cor 9:13b). I love that He promised, “partakers with the altar.” He did not say “on the altar” or “by the altar;” He said “with the altar.” There is an altar in the heavenly temple where the blood of Christ has been placed. It is divine blood, living blood, and it still speaks. “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24).

Our altar when understood and respected is an extension of the altar in the temple of heaven. Ours is but a shadow or a representation and never anything more. It is the spiritual truth that He wants to transfer to our hearts. When He said “partakers with the altar” the Holy Ghost was promising that everything that the temple in heaven was promising of His fire and power, we can have at our earthly altar. When the mountain of Sinai was on fire, it was an awesome sight. They quaked and trembled before His revelation. The apostle said, “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious” (2 Corinthians 3:7-8). Our altar or ministration is the greater—not the lesser—of the two.

When we return to the altar with a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, the Father will furnish the fire. The Day of Pentecost was just such a day. The dead religion that offers nothing but noise is deplorable to our world, but a living faith where fire is being poured out will draw a multitude. The Father has never—not one time in Scripture or history—poured fire on an altar without a sacrifice. He never will, but He is seated on His throne before the heavenly altar, and He will know in an instant whether its earthly counterpart has a prepared vessel ready to be consumed.