The Exodus. Day 99, The Altar Of Burnt Offering

Today we'll be taking a look at the description of the altar of burnt offering. Below you'll see an artist's rendering of what the altar may have looked like, based on the instructions the Lord gives Moses in our passage.

"Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide." (Exodus 27:1) Each of its sides was approximately four and a half feet long and unlike many of the other parts and furnishings of the tabernacle, it is covered with bronze, not gold. It needs to be overlaid with a material that can withstand intense heat. The word translated "altar" is the Hebrew "mizbeach" (pronounced miz-bay'-akh) and it is derived from the root word "zabach" which means "to kill/slaughter". This altar's only purpose is for the burnt offerings---offerings in which the sacrificial animal, once slain, is wholly consumed by fire. As we've discussed before, a burnt offering is a complete relinquishing of the offering. It is a full surrender to God. There were other types of offerings in which the bringer and the priests could partake of the meat, but the burnt offering is an exception.

"Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are all of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze." (Exodus 27:2) In the Bible the word "horn" most often symbolizes power or mercy. King David habitually used the word "horn" when referring to his God-ordained right to rule over Israel. He also used this word when asking the Lord to protect and defend him or to vindicate his honor. We find the word "horn" being used as a symbol of mercy as well. It was an ancient practice (in many tribes and nations) for a person being pursued by his enemies or by the authorities to flee to an altar and grab hold of its horns. Making it to the horns of the altar in this manner earned him asylum until his case could be heard and ruled upon. If the judges determined he was being unfairly persecuted or unlawfully pursued, he would be acquitted and granted permanent asylum. If it was determined he was guilty of a serious crime (fleeing to an altar was usually the result of being accused of a capital crime like murder or treason) then his sentencing was carried out according to the laws of his tribe or nation. This practice helped to prevent innocent people from being executed. Even in cases where the person was actually guilty, at least he received a fair trial and was given the opportunity to put on a defense.

When the priests place burnt offerings on the altar, they will smear some of the blood of the offering on each of the altar's horns. If these horns represent power, whose power do they symbolize? The Lord's, for the Lord alone has the authority to forgive sins. God is the lawgiver. We have trespassed against His law. Who but the maker of these laws can forgive the breaking of these laws? No one. Likewise, who extends mercy and forgiveness to us? The Lord. No one else can cleanse us from our unrighteousness. No one but a righteous God can impute righteousness upon sinful human beings. So if the horns of the altar symbolize mercy, they symbolize the Lord's mercy. When the burnt offering is placed upon the altar, and when the blood is smeared on the altar's four horns, the Lord accepts the faith of those making the offering. The bringers of the offering are acknowledging their sins and are admitting their need for mercy and forgiveness. They are coming to the only One who has the power to extend the mercy they seek.

"Make all its utensils of bronze---its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans." (Exodus 27:3) The utensils must also be plated in durable bronze. Gold or silver would have been too soft.

"Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. Put it under the ledge of the altar so that is is halfway up the altar. Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried." (Exodus 27:4-7) Like the Ark of the Covenant and the table for the showbread, the altar must be easily transportable. Every time the Lord directs the children of Israel to move to a new campsite, the tabernacle must be disassembled and reassembled. Its furnishings will be transported with it and they are to be carried by hand with the attached poles, never placed in a wagon or cart. Later in the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant a sad incident will occur when the people transport the ark in a manner that blatantly disobeys the Lord's clear instructions. (This account can be found in 2 Samuel 6:6 and 1 Chronicles 13:9.)

"Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain." (Exodus 27:8) Think of our modern grills where we cook over either a charcoal fire or over a gas fire. We place the meat on a grating and the space underneath the grating is open. This is where the fire is placed and this is where the drippings and the ashes will be collected.

Again we learn that the Lord carefully showed Moses exactly how everything regarding the tabernacle and its furnishings are to be made, for He says in verse 8 above, "It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain." The Lord has said this same thing about the other items He commanded the people to build. We don't know by what method the Lord demonstrated these things to Moses. Perhaps Moses saw visions of what the finished products should look like. Perhaps the Lord drew the patterns out in the sand. I feel that the main thing we can take away from this is that the Lord guided the process every step of the way. And if the Lord was willing to provide such precise instructions for the construction of inanimate objects, how much more willing is He to provide instructions for our daily living? It's vital we consult Him when making plans and decisions for our lives. He knows what's best. He has a pattern for our lives.