The concept of sacrifice is central to the biblical narrative, serving as a means of worship, atonement, and covenantal relationship between God and His people. Throughout the Scriptures, specific locations are designated as places of sacrifice, each carrying profound theological significance.

1. The Altar of Noah

The first recorded instance of a sacrificial altar is found in Genesis 8:20, where Noah, upon exiting the ark, builds an altar to the Lord and offers burnt offerings of clean animals and birds. This act of worship and thanksgiving marks a new beginning for humanity and signifies God's covenant with Noah, promising never to destroy the earth by flood again.

2. Mount Moriah

Mount Moriah holds a pivotal place in the sacrificial tradition. In Genesis 22, God commands Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering on a mountain in the region of Moriah. This test of faith is halted by divine intervention, and a ram is provided as a substitute. This event foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ and establishes Moriah as a sacred site. Later, it becomes the location of Solomon's Temple, where sacrifices are central to Israelite worship (2 Chronicles 3:1).

3. The Tabernacle and the Temple

The Tabernacle, and subsequently the Temple, serve as the primary places of sacrifice for the Israelites. Detailed instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle are given in Exodus, with the altar of burnt offering being a focal point (Exodus 27:1-8). The Temple in Jerusalem, built by Solomon, becomes the permanent center for sacrificial worship, where daily offerings, sin offerings, and annual atonement rituals are conducted (1 Kings 8:62-64).

4. The High Places

Throughout Israel's history, high places are frequently mentioned as sites of sacrifice. While some high places are used for legitimate worship before the Temple's construction, many become centers of idolatry and syncretism, condemned by the prophets (1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:11). The reforming kings of Judah, such as Hezekiah and Josiah, are noted for their efforts to destroy these high places and centralize worship in Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 23:8).

5. Golgotha

The ultimate place of sacrifice in the Christian faith is Golgotha, the site of Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Referred to as "the place of the Skull," Golgotha is where Jesus, the Lamb of God, offers Himself as the perfect and final sacrifice for the sins of humanity (John 19:17-18). This event fulfills the sacrificial system of the Old Testament and establishes a new covenant through His blood.

6. The Spiritual Altar

In the New Testament, the concept of sacrifice transcends physical locations. Believers are called to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, as an act of spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). The writer of Hebrews emphasizes that through Jesus, believers have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat (Hebrews 13:10), highlighting the spiritual nature of Christian sacrifice.

The places of sacrifice in the Bible, from altars in the wilderness to the cross at Calvary, reveal the unfolding plan of redemption and the profound relationship between God and His people. Each site, whether physical or spiritual, points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who fulfills and transcends the sacrificial system, offering eternal atonement and reconciliation with God.