The first altar mentioned in the Word was the one built by Noah after he came out of the ark, after being saved from the great flood. On that altar, he sacrificed clean animals to the Lord.

Mountains represent the Lord because of their height; we need to raise our thoughts above worldly things when "talking" with the Lord. An altar is a small artificial mountain. When it's used in worship, it can call to mind this raising of thought. The fire and smoke that rise from an altar are symbolically being sent to the Lord.

Most altars were made from unhewn stones. Stones represent truths. Unhewn stones - ones that have not been shaped by men - represent truths from the Word, truths that have not been adulterated.

The clean beasts to be sacrificed represent good things, charitable acts done because they are right. The clean birds represent thoughts about doctrine and actions, and about what is right. Presenting these things is an acknowledgment that we have them from the Lord, and a giving thanks to Him for them.

In the Israelitish Tabernacle, the altar of burnt offering represented the acknowledgment of good and the altar of incense that of truth. For this reason this larger altar, which was outside by the door, was made of brass which signifies natural good, while the altar of incense was made of gold, which signifies love to the Lord from whom comes truth.

1152. Verses 3-4 And the sons of Gomer Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

'The sons of Gomer' also means those who possessed external worship, but an external worship derived from that which existed with the nation 'Gomer'. 'Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah' were just so many nations with whom such worship existed, and who also mean just so many types of matters of doctrine which were forms of ritual, derived from the external worship existing with 'Gomer'. 'The sons of Javan' means others again with whom there existed external worship derived from the worship existing with the nation 'Javan'. 'Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim' were just so many nations with whom such worship existed, and who also mean just so many types of matters of doctrine which were forms of ritual, derived from the external worship existing with 'Javan'.