The Altar

What was the first thing Noah did when he stepped off the ark?

What did Noah do with some of the animals he had saved in the ark?

“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even thoughevery inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8 v 20-22)

The very first thing he did was build an altar. The door opens, and they have survived the catastrophe; everyone is released. They walk around, observing the biggest reset moment the world has ever known. It is right then, at that very moment, that Noah begins knocking nails into wood again, maybe from the ark that saved them. He builds an altar and places some animals that are clean for eating and sacrifices them—proof that he does not own them. Everything belongs to God.

This was more than just a prayer. This was more than a song. It required more effort from Noah. It took more time. This was and is worship.

This wasn’t just any religious ritual he recognized; it was genuine gratitude. He understood his survival was thanks to God. It shows the heart behind this man.

We all enjoy the smell of a bonfire or, even better, a BBQ aroma. It seems God does too. However, Moses, in writing this account, doesn’t mean to suggest that God has nostrils or other physical features. Instead, he is trying to show that God was pleased with the attitude behind the altar. Putting God first, acknowledging Him before anything else—what we call worship—paved the way for God to make a promise that this worldwide disaster would never happen again.

Noah might have had many reasons not to do this. They needed every animal for the world’s largest breeding program. It was costly for Noah.

Worship always does.

Worship consistently puts God first.

Worship always points to who the Saviour really is. It says, ‘this is not because of me, it is Him’.

Worship always dedicates the start of a new season.

Worship is not a monologue but a dialogue. Noah was speaking to God through the altar, and God responded.

Worship is a place of Divine exchange.

The invitation to build an altar is still there.

Before you start your day with all of its activities and you meet with God in prayer; your decision to give generously even when it means you have to sacrifice what you were going to buy for yourself; the decision to volunteer to help when all you want to do is have time for yourself; it is intentional; it takes effort; you are building an altar; worship.

The invitation is now: worship.

Worship says, ‘This is Yours, God.’

The response is still grace, in that God commits to loving us even though He knows we will sin. His response is still mercy: in every seasonal change —when the leaves fall to the ground, when the winter cold comes, when the spring of new life emerges, and when the glorious heat of summer descends —this is God, the faithful God who has not and will not abandon us.