THE BRAZEN ALTER

THE BRAZEN ALTER

Having reconstructed the tabernacle and its court, we now proceed to supply them with beautiful and appropriate furniture, the various articles of which were called holy vessels. We begin with the first holy vessel reached on entering the court, and as its importance and the ends it served demanded, occupied a central and commanding situation, standing mid- way between the gate of the court and the door of the tabernacle. It was square in form, being 5 cubits long, 5 cubits broad, and 3 high (Exodus 27:1), made of acacia wood and overlaid on the outside with brass, as were also the projections called horns, one of which arose at each corner (v. 2). To these horns the animals to be sacrificed were sometimes bound. “Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar” (Psalms 118:27).

From Model. The Brazen Altar. Scale—1 inch to a cubit. The compass (Exodus 26:5), probably, was a rim or border encircling the upper part of the altar (see view of altar, p. 48), probably less ornate than those of the ark, incense-altar, and shewbread table, and helping to compact its sides together. Without something of the kind, the court altar would have had a plainness and want of finish about it not in keeping with the rest of the sacred furniture. The grate of network (Exodus 26:4-5), extending, in our opinion, like a shelf or ledge from the middle of the altar on the outside, served as a platform for the priests standing on when offering up sacrifices. Ashes falling accidentally off the altar would escape through the meshes of the grating, while fuel and pieces of the sacrifice would be caught. Though the altar itself had no rings, the grate had four, one at each of its corners (see view of altar, p. 48), and it was through these the staves passed by which the altar (not the grate merely) was carried (see Exodus 27:1-8; Exodus 38:1-7). This could not have been the case had the grate, as some suppose, formed the surface. Some think that the grate was suspended half-way down the inside of the altar, that the rings of the grate passed though holes in the altar to the outside, and that the rings so placed not only served as places of the staves passing through, but also to sustain the grate in its place. Anyone, however, may see that the fire so far down in the hollow of the altar was entirely unsuitable for the purpose required; and, further, that the fire would have burned the sides which within the altar were not overlaid with metal. The text merely says, referring to the outside, “thou shalt overlay it with brass” (Exodus 27:2), whereas when both outside and inside of any articles were to be covered with metal, the text distinctly says, “within and without shalt thou overlay it” (Exodus 25:11). Earth, therefore, of which the hollow of the altar must have been filled, would form the surface on which the fire burned (Exodus 20:24).

Fr. Von Meyer is substantially of our opinion. He considers, however, that the compass was the shelf or platform, and that the grate was its support, being placed under it and parallel with its outer edge. According to this plan the under half of the altar (including the compass and the grate) was broader than the upper half. The above woodcut shows our model altar, with the compass and grate placed according to Meyer’s opinion, and which the RV seems to favor. It renders the original not “compass” but “ledge.”

The platform, whether the compass or the grating, being at the distance of only 1 1/2 cubits (2 1/4 feet) from the ground, a very gentle slope of earth could easily have led up to it at one or more sides.

Before leaving one place of encampment for another, the ashes and the fire were removed—the former cast away, and the latter probably placed in a fire-pan for the purpose of being transported. A cloth of purple was then spread over the top of the altar, and not unlikely luted to the horns. On it the various vessels connected with the altar were placed, and then a cover of badger’s skin spread over them. When all was ready for starting, the massive brazen framework was raised, and borne away by its bearers, the earth only being left behind. The utensils of the altar were all made of brass (Exodus 27:3). Their varied uses are obvious—the “pan” for removing the ashes to a clean place (Leviticus 4:12); “the shovel” for scraping the ashes together and placing them in the pan; the “basins” for holding the blood of the slain animals; “fleshhooks” for keeping the sacrifices in proper position on the fire, lifting up portions that might fall off, and retaining them on the altar; “fire-pans” for holding the fire when the surface of the altar was being cleared, and also for transporting it when the Israelites were on the march (Exodus 27:3). The fire was kindled supernaturally (Leviticus 9:24), and the divine command was, “The fire shall ever be burning, it shall never go out” (Leviticus 6:13). THE USE OF THE ALTAR The altar “Was to make reconciliation upon” (Leviticus 8:15), between God and His sinful people. This was effected by the priests, who sprinkled upon it the blood of the atoning victims, and who also put their carcasses, or certain pieces of them, on the fire to be consumed. Hence, day by day, continually, new propitiatory animals were slain, fresh blood poured out, and the fire, ever crying “give, give,” fed. The bloodshed and poured out before and sprinkled upon the altar, was an atonement for the sins of the people. The death of the victim signified that the offerer deserved to die for his transgressions, and that its life was substituted for his. This was the appointed means of propitiating Jehovah—in other words, of procuring remission of sins, averting deserved wrath, such as the plague or other judgments, and securing to the people of Israel the continuance of the privileges and blessings which they enjoyed.

These were merely temporal in their nature and participated in by all Israel. Pious Israelites, however, were more highly favored, for they were partakers not only of temporal, but also of spiritual and eternal blessings. And we believe that many, if not all, of those who were Israelites indeed, had glimpses more or less distinct, through the altar and the sacrifices, of the coming Messiah.

TYPICAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

Three words about the altar. First, It was a type of the cross—the wonderous cross on which the Prince of Glory died. He, the one great sacrifice for sin, was offered up on it. As reconciliation was made upon the altar, so the end of all sacrifices was attained by that which was presented on the cross: “And (having made peace through the blood of His cross) by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled” (Colossians 1:20-21). See, in the blood shed at and sprinkled upon the altar, the type of that blood which cleanseth from sin, and in the lamb slain and offered upon it every morning and evening, “the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.” Yea! In every bleeding victim see the one great sacrifice, “Him who was once offered to bear the sins of many.” And see in the priests who served at the altar Him who, in the fullness of time, offered Himself. Christ is both priest and sacrifice. No priest save Himself could have administered at the New Testament altar, and no victim but Himself could have bled and died on it for the sins of a world. The brazen altar, and the various sacrifices offered on it, had no meaning if they did not typify Christ. The blood of the sin-offerings was sprinkled on the altar’s horns, which were symbols of power, protection, and salvation.

Second, The altar was sometimes used as a place of sanctuary where certain transgressors (such as those who had sinned ignorantly) were shielded by divine authority from punishment.

Others—-for whom the law did not regard it as a refuge—sometimes fled to it in the vain hope of escaping the desert of their sins. Thither Adonijah fled from the wrath of Solomon, and laid hold on the horns of the altar, and continued clinging to them till he received the king’s pardon (1 Kings 1:50-53). Thither also fled the wicked and treacherous Joab, and laid hold on the same horns, but they availed him not, for he was slain by the king’s command even while clinging to them.

We have an altar, even Jesus, who has never failed any poor sinners who have fled to Him, and by faith laid hold of His arms ever outstretched to save. No sooner are His arms grasped by faith than the penitent clinging one receives the king’s pardon,—hears a voice coming down from the excellent glory, saying, “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions.”

Blessed Jesus, when to Thy cross we flee, and by faith lay hold on Thee, we are safe. The thunders of God’s wrath may roll over our heads, and the lightnings of His vengeance flash all around us; our sins, like mountains may rise up before us, and the law may cry for vengeance; and devils and wicked men may unite for our destruction; yet none of these things can move us, harm us, or endanger our safety, while in our arms we hold Thee, blessed Jesus!

Third, The altar was a very conspicuous object in the court. It stood in the center, and when worshippers entered it was right before them. They could not fail to be impressed with its square and massive form, its bright and blood-stained exterior, its blazing fire, and the ascending curling smoke of the burning offerings, and its white-robed and ministering priests. If the type of the crucifixion was so very conspicuous in the court, how much more so should the crucified Christ Himself be in the New Testament church? As the devout Hebrew on entering the gate leading to the sacred precincts could not miss seeing the brazen altar, so believers when visiting the Christian sanctuary, should ever behold Jesus as its greatest attraction. The minister who does not make the cross the grand theme of his preaching, need not expect to lead sinners to the Savior. As the altar was the most prominent of the holy vessels in the tabernacle court, and as its antitype, the cross of Christ, is the principal object held up in the pulpit by faithful ministers of the Gospel, so Christ is and ever will be the chief attraction of the New Jerusalem; and if we are among the number of the happy ones, to whom its golden gates will open when they die, we shah behold as we enter right before us Jesus all glorious in the midst, for the first scene that will burst upon our wondering and admiring gaze will be the “Lamb that once was slain;” and the first wave of celestial melody that will greet our ears and transport our hearts will be, not the song of angels—they cannot join in it—but the song of the redeemed, high above the song of angels, praising Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.