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.

4624. But to come to the correspondence of the sense of smell and therefore of the nostrils with the Grand Man. Those who belong to this province share the gift of perception of a more general kind, so that one may call them 'perceptions'. To these the sense of smell corresponds, as therefore does the organ serving that use. This also explains why 'smelling', 'scenting' and 'being sagacious', ¹ also 'having a good nose', are used in everyday speech in reference to people whose predictions are usually correct, and also to those who are perceptive. For much of the inner content of the words a person uses has its origin in correspondence with the Grand Man, because as to his spirit he is in the company of spirits but as to his body he is with men.

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