Exodus 27:1-21 Instructions About the Bronze Altar, the Courts of the Tabernacle and the Oil for the Lamp
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Exo 27:1-21 Instructions About the Bronze Altar, the Courts of the Tabernacle and the Oil for the Lamp
[Study Aired November 7, 2022]
Exo 27:1 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.
Exo 27:2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.
Exo 27:3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze.
Exo 27:4 You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.
Exo 27:5 And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar.
Exo 27:6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
Exo 27:7 And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried.
Exo 27:8 You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.
Exo 27:9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side.
Exo 27:10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
Exo 27:11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
Exo 27:12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases.
Exo 27:13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits.
Exo 27:14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.
Exo 27:15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.
Exo 27:16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases.
Exo 27:17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.
Exo 27:18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze.
Exo 27:19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
Exo 27:20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.
Exo 27:21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.
Exodus chapter 27 focuses on three items of the tabernacle – the bronze altar, the court of the tabernacle and the olive oil for the lamp. When a person entered through the court gate of the tabernacle, the first thing they would see was the bronze altar, which is also called the brazen altar. The altar points to the fact that it is our sins which separate us from the presence of the Lord. It is therefore imperative that to have fellowship with God, sin must be dealt with.
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
The altar therefore reminds us that we were not worthy to approach the holy God without first offering a blood sacrifice for our sins. It unveils God’s plan for the salvation of humanity which called for a spotless, sinless sacrifice. It is only our Lord Jesus who met that requirement, that is, to atone for the sins of the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ was therefore sacrificed on the altar of the cross just as the lambs and sheep had died on the bronze or brazen altar.
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.
The next item of importance in this review is the outer court of the tabernacle where there is the place of sacrifice. It is where we recognize we are sinners and are without hope except the Lord intervenes. Spiritually, it signifies our walk in Babylon. We were first Levites who were permitted in the outer court but were not allowed in the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. It is as we leave Babylon after washing ourselves in the laver of the word of the Lord that we are permitted to enter the Holy place and subsequently, the Holy of Holies.
Num 1:50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
Num 1:51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
The final item mentioned in this review is the oil for the lamp, which was situated at the Holy place. It shows us that we must move from Babylon (the outer court) to the Holy place. It is only as we move that we see the significance of the oil for the lamp. This is the work of the Lord as it is only those who have been predestinated that are given the grace to move to the Holy place. What this means is that we are to move on to spiritual maturity! We must progress past the point of “Jesus saves” and know Him more intimately. Worshiping the Lord is all about relationship! This means that our walk with the Lord must progress from the outer court of the tabernacle into the Holy place and finally, the Holy of Holies. The oil represents the Holy spirit or the Comforter whom the Lord promised us as follows:
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Our review of chapter 27 today gives us details of how these items – the altar, the court of the tabernacle and the oil for the lamp – were made or constructed. It will give us more insight into our walk with the Lord as we journey from the outer courts into the Holy of Holies in this age.
Exo 27:1 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.
The altar to be constructed was a portable one and was the largest of the tabernacle’s seven pieces of furniture. Placed in the outer court of the wilderness tabernacle, the brazen altar was the most prominent and imposing object in the court, and no worshiper could avoid seeing it upon entering. The fact that the altar was to be a square in shape is to let us know that from whatever angle we are looking at, sin is a problem that has to be dealt with in order to appear before the Lord. The natural laws of various countries, the laws of various religions (Babylon) all point to one thing – that is, sin must be dealt with. That is why our Lord Jesus came to atone for our sins.
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The fact that the altar was made of acacia wood is to indicate that even our sins and the remission of sins is all the work of the Lord. Without Him, nothing functions!!
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
The altar is to be measured. The standard of measurement is Christ. Those whose sins have reached the heavens in this life are therefore judged to conform to the standard of Christ. The fullness of the sins of humanity will later follow them to be dealt with in the lake of fire. They are those who are not measured as they belong to the Gentiles!!
1Ti 5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Exo 27:2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.
The horns at the four corners of the altar symbolize the strength of the Lord to deal with the sins of the whole world. The four corners of the table represent the whole world.
Exo 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Exo 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:Rev 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
What is insightful about verse 2 is that the altar must be coated with bronze. All the instruments in the Holy place and the Holy of Holies were overlaid with gold, signifying that it is through the refining work of the Lord that we can gain access to His presence. This refining work is the judgment of our old man. The coating of the altar with brass is to signify our frail bodies of corruptible flesh and blood. It is through this corruptible flesh and blood that our Lord Jesus made atonement for our sins and appeared before God. As He is, so are we in this life. It is through our corruptible flesh and blood that our Lord will save the world from their sins. It should be noted that when the Lord appeared to Apostle John to unveil Himself to him, His feet were like fine brass. This is to show us that Christ does everything through His saints who are still in these bodies of corruptible flesh and blood.
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
Exo 27:3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze.
The various utensils to be used at the altar refer to various categories of humanity who are all utilized by the Lord to accomplish His purpose of making us aware of the problem of sin, the atoning work of Christ and the need for our sins to be judged.
2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
Exo 27:4 You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.
Exo 27:5 And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar.
A grating of bronze was to be inserted into the hollow center of the altar to hold the firewood and sacrifice as it was being burned, allowing the ash to fall below. The grating is a symbol of the judgment we must go through to deliver us from our sins such that we become a sweet savor to Christ our Lord.
Lev 1:7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
Lev 1:8 And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
Lev 1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Exo 27:6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
Exo 27:7 And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried.
The altar is a portable one. It was therefore carried using the poles which are required to pass through the rings such that the Levites who carry the altar did not touch the altar. The portability of the altar means that the redemptive work of Christ is still applicable to us as we journey in this life. It means that we bear in our bodies the mark of His suffering, that is, we, too, are going through suffering in this life to complete the suffering of Christ.
Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Exo 27:8 You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.
As His elect, we must measure up to the standard of Christ. Achieving this standard is a life-long process. We are constantly being measured and judged in this life to conform to the standard of Christ.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
In the above verse (Rom 8:30), it is shown that whom the Lord calls, He also justifies. This justification process includes the fiery trials we go through to achieve the standard of Christ.
Exo 27:9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side.
Exo 27:10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
Exo 27:11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
Exo 27:12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases.
Exo 27:13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits.
At the court of the tabernacle stood the Brazen Altar and the Laver. Hangings of fine twined linen marked the boundaries of this court and its dimensions were 100 cubits on the north and south sides and 50 cubits on the west and east. The fine twined linen hangings were fixed to twenty pillars on the north and south, ten on the west, but only six on the east as this was the side where the gate was situated. Each of the pillars sat on a brass socket and the hangings were attached to the pillars by means of silver hooks.
Spiritually, the court represents our lives in Babylon where we only see our Lord Jesus Christ come to die for our sins. It is a period of our lives where we have our own doctrines and follow our own ways thinking we have our own will to choose what we want.
Isa 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
The fact that the north and the south sides should be 100 cubits in measurement is significant. The number 100 (10×10) signifies the fullness of the flesh. What this means is that during our walk in the court of the tabernacle, the deeds of the flesh have to be complete before we are given to wash ourselves in the word of the Lord in preparation to enter the presence of the Lord.
The use of twenty pillars and the bases emphasizes the point that those whom the Lord is using to build His temple are those who are mature enough to wage war with the flesh to overcome it. During the time of the elect in the court of the tabernacle or Babylon, we are defeated seven times (completely) by the flesh as part of the preparation to learn how to war against the flesh.
Jdg 3:1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
Jdg 3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Num 1:20 And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
Num 1:24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
The use of bronze to coat the twenty pillars and bases signifies that it is through this corruptible flesh and blood of the elect that the Lord is building His house or dwelling place. This is the same as having treasure in earthen vessels.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
The fact that the west and the east sides of the tabernacle must be fifty cubits in length is to suggest to us that a pre-requisite to become the dwelling place of the Lord is through the liberty we have in Christ. This liberty is being free from the bondage of sin.
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Exo 27:14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.
Exo 27:15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.
In total, there were six hangings at the east end of the tabernacle where the gate was. The number six is the number of mankind. This is to emphasize the point that it is through us, in our corruptible flesh and blood, that the Lord is using to admit all those predestinated to come to His presence. In an age to come (the lake of fire age), the Lord will also use us to bring all humanity into His presence.
The fact that the hangings on each side of the gate were three in number is to let us know that becoming the conduit for humanity to enter into the presence of the Lord is through spiritual maturity which is brought about through the Lord’s judgment of our old man.
Exo 27:16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases.
The measurement of twenty cubits long for the gate of the court is to let us know that to become the means through whom humanity will enter into the Lord’s presence requires us to be able to go to war against the flesh and overcome it. This waging of the war against the flesh is all part of the Lord’s work. All we have to do is to believe that He will bring us to an expected end.
The screen for the gate must be of fine linen and colored blue, purple and scarlet. The color red or scarlet, symbolizes the first Adam being of the earth, while the color blue symbolizes the last Adam – Jesus Christ coming to be in our heavens. The colors purple and scarlet remind us of our sojourn in Babylon where our adamic nature became obvious while living under the law as shown in the following verses:
Rev 18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
What this means is that the process of becoming the screen for the gate, through whom salvation will come to the world, starts with us recognizing our spiritual poverty (purple and scarlet linen) while in Babylon before we are turned into blue linen, that is, Christ coming to us. All humanity must pass through the same process to become a habitation for the Lord to dwell.
Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Exo 27:17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.
Exo 27:18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze.
The pillars being filleted with silver and the hooks also being of silver is to let us know that the redemptive work of the Lord is what makes it possible for us to become the dwelling place of the Lord. As indicated, the bases being of bronze signifies the Lord’s use of corruptible flesh and blood like us to become His dwelling place.
Exo 27:19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
This is another way of saying the following:
2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
Exo 27:20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.
The pure olive oil represents the Holy spirit who will lead us into all truth so that we become the light of the world.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Exo 27:21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.
Aaron and his sons represent the elect of every generation who are required to keep the lamp in the Holy place burning every night. This lamp is the word of the Lord. What this means is that this verse is the same as the admonition given to Joshua when Moses died, as he took over the leadership mantle.
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
As His elect, we are required, just like Aaron and his sons and Joshua, to ensure that the Lord’s words do not depart from our mouth as we meditate on it daily. This is what will make us the light of the world.
Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
May the Lord be merciful to us to cause us to desire to know Him more through His word which is able to give us an inheritance among them who are sanctified. Amen!!
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