God commanded that all sacrifices, except for the Passover, be conducted on one national altar at the central sanctuary, the Tabernacle, located where He alone would choose. This centralization was vital for maintaining loyalty to Him as the only God and for preserving the unity of Israel as a holy nation. Deuteronomy 12 strictly forbids erecting altars for normal ceremonial worship anywhere other than the appointed place, a rule that applied once the land was conquered and the Tabernacle was set up at Shiloh, seven years after crossing the Jordan. During this period of conquest, no regular sacrificial worship, including the waving of the sheaf, was performed, as the central sanctuary was not yet established. The concept of a single altar was so significant that in Joshua 22, a potential war was averted when an altar built by the eastern tribes was revealed to be a memorial, not a competing place of worship, thus preserving national unity under God. Additionally, the altar in Joshua 8:30, erected on Mount Ebal as commanded by God for a covenant renewal ceremony, was a one-time exception and did not conflict with the central sanctuary mandate.

The altar is symbolically the place of purification. The fire under the altar, which had its source in God, was the only fire acceptable for use in worship and service to Him. The priests were responsible for keeping this fire, which represents passion and enthusiasm for service to God, continuously burning. They used this fire to take coals to the incense altar, located in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle and Temple, where incense was burned twice daily. The incense had to be made according to God's specifications, as only that which God recognized as authentic was acceptable. The censers used by the rebels in Numbers 16 were holy, and after the rebellion, they were hammered into plates and fastened to the altar, serving as a reminder of the folly of rebellion against holy things and that only the priests, descendants of Aaron, were permitted to offer incense before God.

The altar serves as the central place of meeting for the offerer, the priest, and God during the peace offering, embodying the essence of sacrificial service and devotion. In the process described in Leviticus 3:1-5, the offerer brings the offering to the altar, lays his hand on it, and slays it, while the priest sprinkles the blood upon and around the altar. The animal is then cut up, with God's portion placed on top of the already burning burnt and meal offerings on the altar. This act of burning on the altar pictures God consuming a meal and being satisfied, reflecting the satisfaction and acceptance that result from devoted service. The altar, therefore, represents the focal point where sacrifice facilitates peaceful communion and fellowship among all parties involved, highlighting the profound connection between devotion and the resulting harmony.