2 Samuel 24:18, 25 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite….And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
Because of David’s, and Israel’s, pride the Lord sent a three day pestilence. David was told to build an altar unto the Lord and pray, and so he did. He built the altar in the threshing floor of Araunah. It so happened that this spot became the site of Solomon’s Temple. David responded to the crisis, and to the command, by obeying and praying. The plague was stopped right then and there.
We are also commanded to respond to problems by building an altar. The altar in our case is the cross on which Jesus sacrificed Himself for us to bring us to God. By believing in Jesus and His shed blood we build an altar. That is why we pray in the name of Jesus. This not a magic formula, but it symbolizes a heartfelt faith in Christ. This is how we build an altar when we pray. We intreat the Lord based on the sacrifice, blood, and name of Jesus.
When we pray in Jesus’ name we are building an altar unto the Lord. Our God hears us, not because we prayed good, but because Jesus is the sacrifice (the altar) that brings us into acceptance by and connection with God the Father. And the Lord responds to the altar (the cross) by staying the plague.