The Tabernacle -  Timeless Truths of The Brazen Altar.

Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

The Brazen Altar was just a picture of the perfect sacrifice to come that would take away sins.

Exo 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.

Exo 27:2 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.

Exo 27:3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make [of] brass.

Exo 27:4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network [of] brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

Exo 27:5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

Exo 27:6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.

Exo 27:7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

Exo 27:8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make [it].

First thing you see when you come thru the gate is the Brazen Altar. And you are not getting any further until you deal with this Altar of sacrifice. The Altar was for sacrifice without which is no atonement for sin.

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul.

On this altar we see how God has found a way to justly and forgive sins. It is at this altar that the innocent paid the debt of the guilty.

This altar was a picture of what Christ did on the cross.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

The sinner cannot be judged after he has trusted in Christ as far as his salvation is concerned. You cannot come into the condemnation of hell after you are saved.

However, if you backslide God will bring chastisement down on you in this life right now and you can loose rewards in heaven for it.

But as far as the wrath of hell, the moment that you are saved you are delivered from it.

1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The Altar is a representation of the cross. It is only because of this altar and its shed blood that God could meet with Israel.

At the cross is the only place God can meet sinners. Only because of the cross and the shed blood of Jesus can God accept men.

What happened on the cross is the most important event in all of History, and this Altar was a picture of the cross. So let’s take a few minutes and look closer at the Brazen Altar.

It was the largest piece of furniture in the Tabernacle.

It was always open to guilty Israelites so they could atone for sin. It never shut down. The same is true for us. His offer is always open to save those that believe.

The Brazen Altar was made of Shittim wood overlaid with Brass

Shittim wood pictures the humanity of Christ.

Shittim wood is a hard incorruptible indestructible wood that grows in the Sinai Desert

Wood comes from the earth. It grows out of the ground. He is a root out of a dry ground the Bible tells us.

Isa 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.

The shittim wood speaks of the humanity of Jesus.

Everywhere else in the tabernacle you find the shittim wood overlaid with gold. Picturing humanity and deity. But here it was overlaid with Brass. Brass typified divine judgment.

That is because it is the cross that is in view here. Jesus was under God’s wrath on the cross. He took the divine judgment of the heavenly Father in our place.

2Co 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.

So at the altar the shittim wood was covered in brass.

The altar had 5 utensils

There were Pans to receive the ashes

Shovels to pick up ashes

The ashes were what was left after the sacrifice was finished. The ashes therefore speak of the finished work of Christ.

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

After the sacrifice was finished, they used the pans and shovels to remove the ashes from the place of sacrifice and take them outside the camp and put them in a clean place.

They did not disregard them haphazardly. And they did not put them out with the trash. The ashes from the finished sacrifice at the Brazen Altar did not belong with the death and decay of the trash heap.

After Jesus finished His work on the cross He was removed from the place of sacrifice and He was placed into a clean place. Jesus was placed in a new sepulcher.

Joh 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave [him] leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

Joh 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight].

Joh 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Joh 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

Joh 19:42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation [day]; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

He was taken from the place of sacrifice with great care. Jesus was taken to a clean place. He was not placed in a sepulcher that had the stench of rot and decay. Have you ever thought about the two thieves that died on crosses next to Jesus that day? They were not put in the tomb with Jesus. They were buried in the common graveyard of the common criminals. They were put in the ground with other corpses. They were put in an unclean place if you will. But not Jesus. He was put into a clean new tomb. And how they handled the ashes in the tabernacle was just a picture of how Jesus’ body would be handled after His sacrifice was finished.

Basin to gather blood

The blood of the sacrifice was poured out at the base of the altar.

Exo 29:12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

Christ poured out His blood at the base of the cross.

Flesh hooks to arrange sacrifices.

They would take the flesh hooks and drive them into the sacrifice to place it on the altar. Sound familiar? This pictured the cruel hands of men who nailed Christ to the cross.

Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Some will say that Jesus was just tied to the cross, but that is not what the Word of God says. He was nailed to the cross and the Flesh hooks of the Brazen Altar was just a picture of that.

Fire pans to move the fire

Sometimes also called censers. They were used to carry the fire from the brazen altar to the altar of incense. The altar of incense represents prayer.

Fire must be used to burn the incense to get it to rise toward heaven. But not any fire could be used. Only the fire from the altar.

This teaches us that the ability to pray is only because of the altar of sacrifice. We only have the ability to pray because of Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary. Prayer must be based on the fire of the altar of sacrifice.

Fire speaks of judgment. Only because Jesus took the fire of God’s judgment for us; Only on the basis of that can we pray. Only saved people have the authority to pray. The only prayer a lost person can pray is to get saved.

This fire originated from Heaven.

Lev 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.

The moving of the fire from the altar of sacrifice to the altar of prayer also speaks of Christ’s ministry of prayer.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

1Jo 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

We need to pray in Jesus’ name. It was only because of His sacrifice that we can pray.

Fire never went out. It burned continually. It was always ready to receive the sacrificial offering of the people to cleanse them from sin.

Lev 6:12 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.

Lev 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

Today God is continually ready to receive people that accept the sacrifice of Jesus and cleanse them from sin.

He is just as ready today as He was back then. He is just as ready today as He was 50 years ago.

The Brazen Altar had 4 Horns on it.

Information about the Tabernacle is found all over the Word of God.

Psa 118:27 God [is] the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, [even] unto the horns of the altar.

The Horn symbolizes – power and strength Dan 8:21-24

Dan 8:21 And the rough goat [is] the king of Grecia: and the great horn that [is] between his eyes [is] the first king.

Dan 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

1Sa 2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

2Sa 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: [he is] my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

There was a Horn on each corner of the Altar. All directions. Power to save all the world.

1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

He has the power to save and that power is sent forth in all directions to all nations. That is what the horns speak of. In those days if a man accidentally killed someone he could run to the Altar and take hold of the horns. He then would be saved from the wrath of the slayer. The horns of the Altar speak of the power to save.

The altar was an elevated altar

Lev 9:22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

Christ was lifted up John 3:14

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Identification with the substitute had to take place.

The worshipper brought an animal to the priest and then laid his hands upon the head of the animal. This identified him with it in its death for his sins.

Lev 1:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, [even] of the herd, and of the flock.

Lev 1:3 If his offering [be] a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

Did you catch what it says about man’s will? “he shall offer it of his own voluntary will.”

You cannot force anyone to get saved.

Lev 1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Lev 1:5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that [is by] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

If he put his hand upon the head of the offering, then it shall be accepted.

The placing of the hands on the heads of the offering was symbolic of transferring your sins to the sacrifice. It was a way of identifying with the substitute. A way of acknowledging that the lamb was dying in your place. That he was dying for your sins.

You would not have had to put your hands on the lamb if you did not have any sins. Putting the hands on the head of the sacrifice was an admission of guilt.

So what we have at the Brazen Altar an innocent lamb that bore the judgment of the guilty.

Today Christ is our lamb.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Jesus bore the judgment of God’s wrath.

Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isa 53:5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

For the sacrifice to be effective for the worshipper, he had to identify with the one sacrificed. He first had to place his hands on the head of the animal thus admitting his guilt and his need of a substitute.

This is the way that it works for us today. When we accept Christ as our Saviour we have to identify ourselves with Him in His death and resurrection. There must be a realization that Christ died for me. It was for my sins that He died. It’s my sins that nailed Him there. I am the one that is guilty. I deserve the wages for my sin.

The wages of sin is death. An acknowledgement must come that I do deserve to die. That I do deserve the fires of hell.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It was at the altar that justification happened. It is the altar of sacrifice where you are declared righteous and put into a right relationship with God. But you must put your hands so to speak on the sacrifice.

Justification is not obtained by works but is bestowed freely. But there must be a realization of your sin to get saved. They had to put their hands on the head of the lamb. They had to admit their guilt and acknowledge their need of a substitute.

One of the things that is wrong with this health and wealth gospel that is preached today is that people are not brought to a point were they see their sin for what it is. They do not see how their awful sin nailed Jesus to the cross. They are not shown that they are the ones who deserved to hang on that cross. You are never going to get a man truly saved until you get him lost. He is already lost but you have to get him to realize it.

It was the first piece of furniture. They had to come here first. Access and fellowship with God can come only through the sacrificial death of Christ. They could not come thru the door and skip the Brazen Altar and it is the same with us today.

1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Approaching without offering meant certain death for them. It is the same for us today.

1Jo 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

When they moved the Brazen Altar they covered it with purple and then with badger skins.

Num 4:13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:

Num 4:14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, [even] the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.

Purple = king

Badger skins despised and rejected

That is how the world saw the cross. Jesus crucified as king of the Jews and they despised Him and rejected Him. He was king clothed in humanity. Purple covered with Badger skins.

But one day He will be seen by the world without the badger skins.

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until [the time] come when ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

The first time he came covered in Badger skins. He came as the lamb led to the slaughter. But he is coming back in glory. As the king, as the lion of the tribe of Judah.

We have seen many timeless truths of the Brazen Altar.

God said that the penalty for sin is death. For access to be open to a Holy God the penalty must be paid. It is a penalty that we cannot pay for ourselves. The Bible tells us that our righteousness are as filthy rags to God. It took the sinless Son of God going to Calvary, shedding His precious Blood. We have to acknowledge it, accept it, and apply it to ourselves. We have to personally identify with the substitute. It is the shed blood of Jesus that saves. Some want a bloodless religion, but without a bloody altar you cannot be saved. It is the blood of Jesus that saves.