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Altar of Burnt Offering

(Exodus 27:1-8)

Introduction

Exodus 27:1-8 — And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. 3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. 4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof. 5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar. 6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. 7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. 8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was showed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

(Exodus 38:1-7; Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22)

The Brazen Altar was the foundation of the whole worship of Israel. There was no approach to God and no worship accepted by by way of the Altar of the blood Atonement. The Brazen Altar was the first object seen upon entering the Outer Court of the Tabernacle. It is a remarkable type of Jesus Christ in His person and His sacrificial work.

Names Given to the Altar

  1. Altar of Shittim Wood, Exodus 27:1
  2. The Brazen/Bronze Altar, Exodus 38:30
  3. "The Altar" by way of pre-eminance, Exodus 29:12
  4. Altar of Burnt Offering, Exodus 35:16
  5. The Altar that is by the Door of the Tabernacle, Leviticus 1:5
  6. My Altar, The Table of the Lord, Malachi 1:7; Lev. 21:6,22
  7. Altar of the Lord, Malachi 2:13

Materials Used in the Construction of the Altar

Both Shittim Wood and Brass (explained later) were used in constructing the Brazen Altar. (Exodus 27:1,2)

  1. Shittim Wood

Shittim or Acacia was a desert growth. This is a type of the flesh and humanity.

Isaiah 53:2 — For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

It was necessary that Christ should become incarnate.

Hebrews 10:5,10 — Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

  1. Brass/Bronze
  • Brass

Deuteronomy 8:7-9 — For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.

Job 28:1,2 — Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it. 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

When the children of Israel were asked to give in the building of the Tabernacle, they gave from what they had received from the spoils given them by the Egyptians, and they had given so much that they were commanded to stop giving. Out of the abundance of what they gave was Bronze. A total of 6,700 lbs. of bronze was given.

  • BRASS (or is it BRONZE?) IN THE BIBLE

In ancient Israel there was no such metal known as brass. During Bible times bronze was an alloy of copper and tin and was used to an enormous extent.

AT THE PRESENT: The term BRASS is applied to an alloy having copper (55%-90%) and zinc (10%-45%) as its essential components. Modern Bronze is an alloy of copper, tin, zinc, phosphorus, and sometimes small amounts of other elements. Bronzes are harder than brasses.

IN THE KING JAMES VERSION: The term translated BRASS could be more accurately translated BRONZE, since the alloy used was copper and tin (Ex 27:4). In some Scriptures just copper is meant (as in Deut 8:9 where a mineral not an alloy is intended). The one Hebrew word for copper and bronze was rendered brass by the King James translators because at that time the word BRONZE had not yet been introduced into the English language. BRASS appears in the English Bible, referring to either pure copper or to an alloy of copper and tin.

  • Judgment

The main use for the 6,700 lbs. of bronze was in the tabernacle furniture within the outer court, in the places where exceptional strength and heat resistance was important. Bronze has a melting point of 1,985 degrees. Since the altar was a place where intense heat was present it was overlaid with bronze.

Bronze represents Divine judgment. When Moses raised the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:9) it spoke of the power of the serpent being judged through the raising of the Son of God (John 3:14).

  • Firm and Enduring

"Bronze," is used in Scripture as the symbol of what is firm, stubborn, strong and enduring, thus we see "gates of bronze" (Ps 107:16), "hoofs of bronze" (Mic 4:13), etc. Is is mentioned in reference to people and cities.

Bronze typifies the divine character of Christ who took upon Himself the fire of God's wrath, holiness and justice by becoming a sin offering.

2 Cor 5:21 — For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Matthew 27:46 — And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

continued next:

Dimensions of the Altar

Horns of the Altar

Vessels of the Altar

Grate of the Altar

Fire of the Altar

Lesson #11 Altar of Burnt Offering, Exodus 27:1-8

Introduction (REVIEW)

The Brazen Altar was the foundation of the whole worship of Israel. There was no approach to God and no worship accepted by by way of the Altar of the blood Atonement. It is a remarkable type of Jesus Christ in His person and His sacrificial work.

Names Given to the Altar (REVIEW)

  1. Altar of Shittim Wood, Exodus 27:1
  2. The Brazen/Bronze Altar, Exodus 38:30
  3. "The Altar" by way of pre-eminance, Exodus 29:12
  4. Altar of Burnt Offering, Exodus 35:16
  5. The Altar that is by the Door of the Tabernacle, Leviticus 1:5
  6. My Altar, The Table of the Lord, Malachi 1:7; Lev. 21:6,22
  7. Altar of the Lord, Malachi 2:13

Materials Used in the Construction of the Altar (REVIEW)

  1. Shittim Wood (This is a type of the flesh and humanity. It was necessary that Christ be made flesh.)
  2. Brass/Bronze (Judgment of God and the Endurance of Christ to Withstand the heat.)

Dimensions of the Altar

Exodus 27:1 — And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

The Altar of Burnt Offering was seven and a half feet in length and breadth and four and a half feet in height. It was twice the length and height of the Ark of the Covenant.

In fact, it had capacity enough to contain all the other vessels of the sanctuary. This is rich in meaning: within one great sacrifice on the cross every blessing is comprehended.

Romans 8:32 — He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? What does the Believer Have or have access to through Christ being offered up?

altar.jpg

  • Peace with God (Romans 5:1)
  • Joy in God, Atonement (Romans 5:11)
  • Grace Reigns (Romans 5:21)
  • The Renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5,6)
  • Predestinated Us Unto the Adoption of Children (Ephesians 1:5)
  • The Victory (1 Corinthians 15:57; Romans 8:37; Hebrews 2:14)

Horns of the Altar

  • Might

In Exodus 27:2, the horns of the altar are mentioned which are symbol of prevailing might and strength.

  • The Gospels Influence

These horns pointed in every direction, signifying and presenting salvation to the four corners of the earth (north, south, east, west).

Mark 16:15 — And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

  • For Binding the Sacrifice

Sacrifices were bound to the altar before slain, but it was not nails but love that held Christ on the cross!

Psalm 118:27 — God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar

John 10:18 — No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

  • Refuge for the Sincere

1 Kings 1:50 — And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

Solomon was to be the king after David, but his elder brother, Adonijah, was preferred by Joab, the captain of the host, and by Abiathar, the priest; and, therefore, they got together, and tried to set up Adonijah as king. They utterly failed in this; and when Solomn came to the throne Adonijah was afraid for his life, and fled to the horns of the altar at the tabernacle for shelter. Solomon permitted him to find sanctuary there, and forgave him his offence, and said that if he proved himself a worthy man he should live without further trouble.

Typical of the poor sinner, who flees for refuge to lay hold of the Gospel.

Also we find a solemn lesson in Exodus 21:14.

Exodus 21:14 — But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

For the presumptous sinner and hyprocrite, the atonement of Jesus provides no shelter while he so continues.

1 Kings 2:28 — Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

But very soon after Solomon's mercy to Adonijah, Adonijah and his confederates began plotting again, and sought to undermine Solomon now that David was dead. Solomon determined to begin dealing with Joab-the bottom of all the mischief, who, though he had not followed after Absalom in David's time, was now following after Adonijah. No sooner had the king determined upon this, than Joab thought that, as Adonijah had gotten a hold of the horns of the altar successfully before, Joab might repeat it, and have some hope for his life.

He was a man of hoary head, who had thirty or more years before committed two atrocious murders, and now they came home to him. He did not know where to fly except he fled to the horns of an altar, which he had very seldom approached before. As far as we can judge, he had shown little respect to religion during his lifetime. He was a rough man of war, and cared little enough about God, or the tabernacle, or the priests, or the altar; but when he was in danger, he fled to that which he had avoided

Charles Spurgeon "Joab sought to make a refuge of that which he had neglected. Now, I want you to notice that when Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took hold of the horns of the altar, it was of no use to him."

1 Kings 2:34 — So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

Charles Spurgeon "Outward ordinances will avail nothing.... But, secondly, there is an altar-a spiritual altar-whereof if a man do but lay hold upon the horns, and say, "Nay; but I will die here," he shall never die; but he shall be safe against the sword of justice for ever; for the Lord has appointed an altar in the person of his own dear Son, Jesus Christ, where there shall be shelter for the very vilest of sinners if they do but come and lay hold thereon.

Lesson #11 Altar of Burnt Offering, Exodus 27:1-8

Introduction (REVIEW)

There was no approach to God and no worship accepted but by way of the Altar of the blood Atonement. It is a remarkable type of Jesus Christ in His person and His sacrificial work.

Names Given to the Altar (REVIEW)

Materials Used in the Construction of the Altar (REVIEW)

  1. Shittim Wood (This is a type of the flesh and humanity. It was necessary that Christ be made flesh.)
  2. Brass/Bronze (Judgment of God and the Endurance of Christ to Withstand the heat.)

Dimensions of the Altar (REVIEW)

The Altar of Burnt Offering was seven and a half feet in length and breadth and four and a half feet in height. It was twice the length and height of the Ark of the Covenant. It had capacity enough to contain all the other vessels of the sanctuary.

Horns of the Altar (REVIEW)

  • Might, The Gospels Influence, For Binding the Sacrifice, Refuge for the Sincere (not the presumptous, Outward ordinances will avail nothing)

Vessels of the Altar

Exodus 27:3 — And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

All of the vessels of the altar were made of Brass — a type of judgment.

    1. The Pans to receive the ashes

Great care was bestowed upon these ashes. They were not taken outside the camp and thrown anywhere, but only in a clean place. They were precious because they spoke of Gods acceptance.

Ashes are also a symbol of complete destruction, that is why people would sit in ashes and pour ashes on their head, or clothe themselves in sackcloth and ashes as a sign of grief and mourning.

Ashes were also for cleansing and purification:

Numbers 19:17 — And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

    1. The Shovels were used to clear away the ashes from the altar and place them into the pan and to remove the fire from the Brazen Altar to censers or fire pans.
    1. The Basins to Receive the Blood from the sacrifice offered.

The priest would catch the blood in a basin and used it for the sprinkling and for the pouring out at the bottom of the altar.

    1. The Flesh Hooks for placing the pieces of the offering in order on the altar and arranging them so as to be consumed. (1 Samuel 2:13)
    1. The Censers or Fire Pans were used to hold the burning coals from the Altar of the Burnt Offering to be carried to the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place.

Grate of the Altar

Exodus 27:4,5 — 4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof. 5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

The Brazen Altar was hollow, but on the inside half way from the top was a grating or network of Brass upon which the sacrifices were laid. The grating was the exact height of the Mercy Seat (Half way of 3 cubits = 1.5 cubits). There can be no mercy ministered to us apart from the blood sacrifice. The vilest sinner can obtain mercy through the blood. Even the "good person", if they reject the blood, can claim no mercy.

God is Equal in Mercy and Judgment (Ps 101:1; Rom 11:22).

Fire of the Altar

  • The fire on the Altar was first kindled by God.

Leviticus 9:24 — And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

  • Strange Fire is a Counterfeit fire that emanates from some other source than God. Divine Fire consumes all such other fires!

Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire in Leviticus 10:1,2.

  • It was never to go out as a type of Christ our continual sacrifice.

Leviticus 6:12,13 — And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. 13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

  • Fire is a symbol of God's Holiness.

Fire symbolical of God's Holiness is expressed in 3 ways:

  1. CONDEMNATION - Genesis 19:24
  2. PURIFICATION - Mal. 3:2,3; Matthew 3:11,12
  3. APPROVAL - Exodus 3:3; Lev. 9:24; 1 Kings 18:38; Acts 2:3
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