In the Old Testament, there were two altars in the temple, the altar of incense and the brazen altar.  The altar of incense was a pleasant, peaceful experience. It was where a sweet smelling incense was offered before the Lord along with the prayers of the people in the quietness of the Holy Place. The brazen altar was a totally different experience. It was loud with the sounds of animals being slaughtered and people milling around. It was gory with the sight of blood and the smell of death and burnt flesh. Smoke smarted the eyes and filled the nostrils. It was a place of loss and suffering, where people had to pay the price of an animal or give up their pet. It was a place of pure sacrifice.

We in the New Testament often say Jesus was our sacrificial lamb and the brazen altar is no longer relevant to us today. However, when we look in Revelation we find that there are still two altars in heaven, where the tabernacle was copied from. There is the altar of incense where the prayers of the saints continually rise before God along with the smoke of the incense (Rev 8:3-5). And there is the altar of sacrifice where those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, the martyrs, are under it (Rev 6:9).  

Jesus was our ultimate sacrifice and we no longer offer the blood and flesh of animals, so what is the altar of sacrifice in heaven for? The very definition of sacrifice is to offer something precious. Every time we give something precious to God, it is offered on the altar in heaven. What we leave, or give, to God becomes a sacrifice before Him.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29

Sometimes it feels like something has been taken from us, rather than that we freely gave it. During one of the housing debacles, the bank repossessed our home. The realtors, lawyers, accountants, even IRS agents, all said the house was stolen from us when they looked at the records. At the same time, we were working for the Lord and taking a stand on some things and we knew this was a direct attack on us because of this. The Lord began to deal with us and showed us that if we count the house as stolen, the thief was required to return sevenfold. However, if we freely gave our house – this dream house we had worked so hard for and had remodeled every room in it – if we freely gave our precious home as a sacrifice, the Lord Himself would provide a hundredfold return. Now there are two things about this – first, a hundredfold is better than a sevenfold and, second, the Lord is more trustworthy than the enemy to pay. We learned to offer our precious things to the Lord because He is faithful.

We also need to realize that heaven’s perspective is different than our earthly perception. Often what seems like a loss from the worldly viewpoint is looked at with honor in heaven. Losing a job, a house, a car, a relationship, even one’s life looks shameful to the world, but if it’s because of kingdom business it is esteemed with honor in the records of heaven. We’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how people perceive things. They don’t know the details, the cries in the night season, or the prayers and sacrifices offered, but God does. It is more important that God counts us faithful.

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Yes, there is an altar of sacrifice in the temple of our God in heaven. We need to recognize our sacrifices that are laid on the altar and esteem them. They are a sweet savor to our God.