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Devotionals
The Altar
Q: Who was the first person to build an altar to God in the Bible?
A: Noah
Tidbit: He built it after the flood and offered clean animals as sacrifices.
Reference: Genesis 8:20-22
The Significance of Noah Building the Altar: The passage demonstrates the importance of gratitude and worship; in particular after receiving divine protection and deliverance.
- First recorded act of worship after the flood
- It marks the first mention of an altar in the Bible
- The sacrifice demonstrated Noah's gratitude for survival
- Established a pattern of worship for future generations
Historical Context:
- Occurred immediately after the Great Flood subsided
- The earth had just dried, and Noah's family and the animals had left the ark
- This was humanity's fresh start, with only 8 people remaining alive
The Specific Act: Noah's first action upon leaving the ark was to build this altar
God's Response: God was pleased with the offering ("pleasing aroma")
- God established a covenant to never destroy all life by flood again
- God promised that seasons and natural cycles would continue
This moment initiated a new relationship between God and humanity
Important Details: Noah had taken extra clean animals onto the ark (Genesis 7:2-3), seemingly in preparation for this sacrifice
- This act of worship influenced many later Biblical sacrificial practices
- The altar became a central feature of worship in later Biblical history
References
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