“You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide — the altar shall be square — and its height shall be three
1. What was this thing?
Notice now as we move outside the tabernacle proper to the court that the articles of furniture are made of brass: the brazen altar and the brazen laver. Inside, you recall, the articles of furniture were of gold. As you get closer to God, the emphasis is on the person of Christ. As you move farther out, the emphasis is on the work of Christ. The furniture in the outer court is made of brass which represents judgment of sin. The sin question must be settled in the court before entrance can be made into the Holy Place. The furniture in the Holy Place was all of gold and pictures communion with God and worship of God. There is no sin in the Holy Place. The sin question is dealt with in the outer court.
MizbeachAs this altar was five cubits long and five broad, and the cubit is reckoned to be one inches, hence it must have been eight feet nine inches square, and about five feet three inches in height, the amount of three cubits, taken at the same ratio.
Man is standing on the outside. How is he going to approach God? The first thing he must have is a substitute to die for him. Man might avoid meeting God, but if he wants to meet God and not die, he must have a substitute. Someone will have to die on that brazen altar for him.
2. Why would it have horns?
Thou shalt make the horns of it—The horns might have three uses:
1. For ornament.
2. To prevent carcasses, etc., from falling off.
3. To tie the victim to, previously to its being sacrificed.
Horns. Upward projections at the four corners of the altar. They were symbols of help and refuge . They also symbolized the atoning power of the altar: Some of the blood was put on the horns of the altar before the rest was poured out at the base.
3. What are all these utensils for?
Thou shalt make his pans— a sort or large brazen dishes, which stood under the altar to receive the ashes that fell through the grating
His shovels— some kind of fire-shovels are intended, or scuttles, which were used to carry off the ashes that fell through the grating into the large pan
His basin— bowls or basins to receive the blood of the sacrifices, in order that it might be sprinkled on the people before the altar, etc.
His flesh-hooks—It was probably a kind of trident, or fork with three prongs, and these bent to a right angle at the middle, as the ideal meaning of the Hebrew seems to imply crookedness or curvature in general.
His fire-pans— “this was a larger sort of vessel, wherein, probably, the sacred fire which came down from heaven (Leviticus 9:24) was kept burning, whilst they cleansed the altar and the grate from the coals and the ashes; and while the altar was carried from one place to another, as it often was in the wilderness. Thou shalt make for it a grate— on the top of which was a grating to supply the fire with air, and permit the ashes to fall through into the siroth or pan that was placed below. At the four corners of the grating were four rings and four chains, by which it was attached to the four horns; and at the sides were rings for the poles of shittim wood with which it was carried
9 “You shall also make the court of the tabernacle. For the south side there shall be hangings for the court made of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long for one side.10 And its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets shall be bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be silver.11 Likewise along the length of the north side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, with its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze, and the hooks of the pillars and their bands of silver.12 “And along the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits, with their ten pillars and their ten sockets.13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits.14 The hangings on one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.15 And on the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.
4. What was this enclosure for?
The court of the tabernacle—The tabernacle stood in an enclosure or court, open at the top. This court was made with pillars or posts, and hangings. It was one hundred cubits, or about fifty-eight yards and a half, in length; the breadth
we learn from ; and five cubits, or nearly
three yards, high, Exodus 27:18. And as this was but half the height of the tabernacle,Exodus 26:16, that sacred building might easily be seen by the people from without. The enclosure in which the edifice stood was a rectangular court, extending rather more than fifty yards in length and half that space in breadth, and the enclosing parapet was about three yards or half the height of the tabernacle. That parapet consisted of a connected series of curtains, made of fine twined linen yarn, woven into a kind of network, so that the people could see through; but that large curtain which overhung the entrance was of a different texture, being embroidered and dyed with variegated colors, and it was furnished with cords for pulling it up or drawing it aside when the priests had occasion to enter. The curtains of this enclosure were supported on sixty brazen pillars which stood on pedestals of the same metal, but their capitals and fillets were of silver, and the hooks on which they were suspended were of silver also.
we learn from ; and five cubits, or nearly
common computation, was 50 yards long, and 25 broad. Pillars were set up at convenient distances, in sockets of brass, the pillars filleted with silver, and silver tenterhooks in them, on which the linen hangings were fastened: the hanging which served for the gate was finer than the rest. This court was a type of the church, enclosed, and distinguished from the rest of the world; the enclosure supported by pillars, noting the stability of the church hung with the clean linen, which is said to be the righteousness of saints, Revelation 19:8. Yet this court would contain but a few worshippers; thanks be to God, now the enclosure is taken down; and there is room for all that in every place call on the name of Christ.
27:12–13 west end … east end. The courtyard is described as having two equal parts. The Most Holy Place probably occupied the central position in the western half, the altar of burnt offering the central position in the eastern half.
27:13–14 toward the sunrise … the entrance. The entrance to the tabernacle courtyard faced east, as did that of Solomon’s temple (see Eze 8:16 and note) and of Herod’s temple.
16 “For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets.17 All the pillars around the cour tshall have bands of silver; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze.18 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen, and its sockets of bronze.19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for all its service, all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
pins or pegs– were designed to hold down the curtains at the bottom, lest the wind should waft them aside.
5. What kind of gate is this?
The large curtain which overhung the
entrance was of a different texture, being embroidered and dyed with variegated colors, and it was furnished with cords for pulling it up or drawing it aside when the priests had occasion to enter.
And for the gate of the court—It appears that the hangings of this gate were of the same materials and workmanship with that of the inner covering of the tabernacle, and the outer and inner veil.
Once again the colors of the hangings tell a story. Blue was a heavenly color and spoke of Christ. Scarlet spoke of Christ’s humanity and the blood that He shed for mankind. The purple was a blending of the blue and scarlet, the color of royalty, speaking of Christ’s kingship. This was the hanging for the gate of the court through which the priests and Levites entered. The entrance was only five cubits high, and the fence that went around the outside of the tabernacle was one hundred cubits by fifty cubits, and was covered with white linen all the way around. It separated those on the inside from those on the outside.
20 “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.21 In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel
6. What kind of oil was this? What did it represent?
Pure oil olive beaten—That is, such oil as could easily be expressed from the olives after they had been bruised in a mortar; the mother drop, as it is called, which drops out of itself as soon as the olives are a little broken, and which is much purer than that which is obtained after the olives are put under the press. 27:20, 21 clear oil of beaten olives. The clear oil from crushed unripened olives granted almost a smoke-free light. The people were to provide the fuel to maintain the light needed by the High-Priest and his priestly staff in the Holy Place.
27:20 clear oil of pressed olives.
Unripe olives were crushed in a mortar. The pulpy mass was then placed in a cloth basket through the bottom of which the oil dripped, producing a clear fuel that burned with little or no smoke.
The burning light speaks of Christ. Now all that has changed — the Lord Jesus Christ has gone back to heaven.
Matthew 5:14 tells us: “Ye are the light of the world….” You and I do not make much light. It is only the Spirit of
God that can use us. The first picture we have of Christ in the Book of Revelation shows Himwalking in the midst of the lampstands. He is trying to keep the church’s light of witness alive and burning on earth. Christ is dealing with those who are His own.
God that can use us. The first picture we have of Christ in the Book of Revelation shows Himwalking in the midst of the lampstands. He is trying to keep the church’s light of witness alive and burning on earth. Christ is dealing with those who are His own.
7. Why did the lamp have to lit continually?
To cause the lamp to burn always—They were to be kept burning through the whole of the night, and some think all the day besides; but there is a difference of sentiment upon this subject. See the note on Exodus 27:21. shall order it from evening to morning — The tabernacle having no windows, the lamps required to be lighted during the day. Although the priests were obliged from necessity to light them by day, they might have let them go out at night had it not been for this express ordinance.
This oil and continual flame were not only emblematical of the unction and influences of the Holy Ghost, but also of that pure spirit of devotion which ever animates the hearts and minds of the genuine worshippers of the true God. Shall order it from evening to morning—Josephus says the whole of the seven lamps burned all the night; in the morning four were extinguished, and three kept burning through the whole day. Others assert that the whole seven were kept lighted both day and night continually; but it appears sufficient evident, from 1 Samuel 3:3, that these lamps were extinguished in the morning: And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark
of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, etc. See also Exodus 30:8: And when Aaron LIGHTETH THE LAMPS AT EVEN. It appears therefore that the business of the priests was to light the lamps in the evening; and either to extinguish them in the morning, or permit them to burn out, having put in the night before as much oil as was necessary to last till daylight.
A statute for ever—This ordering of the lamps night and morning, and attendance on the service of the tabernacle, was a statute that was to be in full force while the tabernacle and temple stood, and should have its spiritual accomplishment in the Christian Church to the end of time. Reader, the tabernacle and temple are both destroyed; the Church of Christ is established in their place. The seven golden candlesticks were typical of this Church and the glorious light it possesses, Revelation 1:12-20; and Jesus Christ, the Fountain and Dispenser of this true light, walks in the midst of them.
ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes
- MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes
- NIVSN…..NIV Study Notes.
- JVM ……………..J Vernon McGee,
- ACC ……………. Adam Clarke’s Commentary
- BN ……………..Barnes Notes
- WBC……………. Wycliffe Bible Commentary
- CN …… …………..Constables Notes
- IC………………….Ironside Commentary
- NET……………….Net Bible Study Notes.
- JFB…………..Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
- VWS……………..Vincent Word Studies
- CMM………….Commentary on Matthew and Mark
- BDB………….. Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)
- Darby………..John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT
- Johnson………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament.
- NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark.
- EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures
- CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary
- SBC…………………Sermon Bible Commentary
- K&D……………….Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT
- EBC…………………Expositors Bible Commentary
- CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College
- GC……………………Guzik Commentary
- RD……………………. Robert Deffinbaugh
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