EXODUS LESSON 46
We will begin this lesson in Exodus 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."
This altar was 7 1/2 feet square and 4 1/2 feet high.
Exodus 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."
"Brass" has to do with judgement. The brazen altar was the first
thing a person came to, when, he entered the court. A person who comes
to God has to go to the place of repentance first. You cannot truly
worship God, until you realize you have sinned, repent, be saved, and
then worship God. The place of repentance was before the place of
baptism. This altar was outside the holy place in the outer court.
When someone would sin, he would run to this place, grab hold of
these horns of mercy, and beg for forgiveness. Even the priest on the
way to the sanctuary had to pass by this brazen altar. This was a
place of purging away sin. There was an altar in the holy place, but
an individual could not go to that altar. This brazen altar was
available to everyone. These "horns" on the corners of this altar
showed God's strength, not man's. This altar not only made man conscious
of his sin, but was a place where man could come and make peace with
God. This altar, in that sense, was symbolic of the cross of Jesus,
which does the same thing. We, Christians, find our place of repentance
at the cross of Jesus.
Exodus 27:3 "And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes,
and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans:
all the vessels thereof thou shalt make [of] brass."
Everything to do with this brazen altar was of the very same
metal. These instruments did not need to be gold, because they would
not be used in the Holy Place or the Most Holy Place.
Exodus 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."
This was just explaining the rings in the four corners to carry it
with and, also, the grate to place the sacrifice on.
Exodus 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."
The "compass", here, was, probably, some sort of circle around the
altar. Whether ornamental, or to catch the residue to keep it from
falling off the altar, was not indicated. Anything we might say about
this would be pure guessing.
Exodus 27:6 "And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves
[of] shittim wood, and overlay them with brass." Exodus 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."
These "staves", as we have said before, were just poles that were
slipped through the rings, and people got hold of the poles and
carried the altar. This brazen altar and everything about it matched.
Brass was to be used with brass. this did not come in direct contact
with God, and was not necessary to be made of gold.
Exodus 27:8 "Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was
shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make [it]."
This "Hollow", here, was, probably, speaking of the altar where the
offering was sacrificed. Probably, dirt, or sand, was put in this hollow
and the sacrifice was placed above that. At any rate, this altar was
hollow in the middle.
Exodus 27:9 "And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle:
for the south side southward [there shall be] hangings for the court
[of] fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:"
The long part of this outside court was a wall of linen 150 feet
long.
Exodus 27:10 "And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty
sockets [shall be of] brass; the hooks of the pillars and their
fillets [shall be of] silver."
These "fillets" were thought to be connecting rods that held the
tops of the curtains together and that the curtains actually hung
from.
Exodus 27:11 "And likewise for the north side in length [there
shall be] hangings of an hundred [cubits] long, and his twenty pillars
and their twenty sockets [of] brass; the hooks of the pillars and
their fillets [of] silver."
This "north side" and "south side" were both 150 feet long, and
this was held up by 20 pillars, This "curtain of linen" (righteousness)
was going out around the entire court of the tabernacle.
Exodus 27:12 "And [for] the breadth of the court on the west
side [shall be] hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their
sockets ten." Exodus 27:13 "And the breadth of the court on the east
side eastward [shall be] fifty cubits."
The east and the west outside walls were 75 feet wide. This made
the outside enclosure 75 ft. by 150 ft. As we said before, anyone could
come here for help from God. The metals, in all of this, give us the
progression a Christian goes through on his way to God. The first
thing is, we judge ourselves, which is represented by bronze. Then we
seek redemption in Jesus. Redemption is symbolized by silver. God
accepts us, and brings us into His presence. Gold is symbolic of the
presence of God. We find this progression: in the outer court -bronze,
at the entrance. In the Holy Place -silver and gold, and in the Most
Holy Place -gold only.
Exodus 27:14 "The hangings of one side [of the gate shall be]
fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three."
This was just saying, that on either side of the opening entrance
to the outer court there were three pillars, not counting the corner
pillar, which holds the curtains up. The doorway was a curtain, as
well. To enter, they just pushed this curtain back and came in. You
could call it a gate, but really it was just a loose curtain hanging in
the opening to keep curiosity seekers from seeing inside. Anyone repentant
could come to the outer court. Some Christians today never get beyond
the outer court. They have just enough faith to keep them out of
hell. They never get deeper in their walk with the Lord, and make Him
their Lord, as well as their Saviour.
Exodus 27:15 "And on the other side [shall be] hangings fifteen
[cubits]: their pillars three, and their sockets three."
This "fifteen cubits" was 22 1/2 feet on either side of the
entrance. The opening was in the middle.
Exodus 27:16 "And for the gate of the court [shall be] an
hanging of twenty cubits, [of] blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
twined linen, wrought with needlework: [and] their pillars [shall be]
four, and their sockets four."
We see that this entrance into the outer court was beautiful.
These beautiful heavenly colors were woven into this has such beautiful
symbolism, that it cannot be overlooked. Someone outside the church can
see the righteousness (linen), and they can, also, see the heavenly
(three beautiful colors). This is the very thing that draws them to
the church. These (four) pillars show that whosoever will can enter in
at this gate. "Four" means universal, and we know that God turns no
one down, because of nationality, or color, or sex, or age. Salvation
is offered to whosoever will. This gate was never locked, but was
always open.
Exodus 27:17 "All the pillars round about the court [shall be]
filleted with silver; their hooks [shall be of] silver, and their
sockets [of] brass." Exodus 27:18 "The length of the court [shall be]
an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height
five cubits [of] fine twined linen, and their sockets [of] brass."
As we said before, the outer court was 75 feet by 150 feet, and
the curtain that went around it was 7 1/2 feet high. Brass (judgement
or strength), silver (redemption). and gold (purity of God) were the
three prevelent metals. Fine linen (righteousness) was the covering.
Red, blue, and purple were the colors. {All were godly colors.}
Exodus 27:19 "All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the
service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the
court, [shall be of] brass."
These brass "vessels" were to be used in the outer court.
Sacrifice, because of judgement, went on in the outer court.
Exodus 27:20 "And thou shalt command the children of Israel,
that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the
lamp to burn always."
This "beaten oil olive" is symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God.
Just take the Holy Spirit out of the church, and the light will go
out. This Light, that was to burn always, is the Spirit. If the Light
(Spirit) goes out, the church is dead, Second Timothy chapter 3 verse
5 describes this church where the Light (spirit) is gone, V-5, "Having
a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away."
Exodus 27:21 "In the tabernacle of the congregation without the
veil, which [is] before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order
it from evening to morning before the LORD: [it shall be] a statute
for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of
Israel."
This tabernacle was actually a tent, where the priests entered to
keep this statute forever. This was not something to take lightly. The
priests and high priest were to see that this Light never went out.
This Light was in the Holy Place. The testimony was the ark with the
Ten Commandments on stone, the Manna, and Aaron's rod that bloomed.
These priests were a separated people, and God would not allow sin in
their lives.
Exodus 46 Questions
1. What was the size of the altar in verse 1?
2. This altar, in the outer court, was made of what?
3. Where were the horns attached?
4. What was the first thing a person saw, when he came into the
court?
5. What is the very first step on the way to the Lord?
6. Which was the only altar that an individual could touch?
7. What did the horns on the altar symbolize?
8. What did this altar symbolize in a Christian's life?
9. Where were the brass vessels to stay?
10. What was the compass, most probably?
11. What were the staves for?
12. What were the curtains to the court made of?
13. How long was this court?
14. What were the fillets supposed to be?
15. How wide was the outer court?
16. What do the metals show the Christian?
17. How wide was the wall on either side of the door opening of the
outer court?
18. What would a stranger see, looking at the outside of the court?
19. How tall was the linen wall of the court?
20. What three colors were prevalent in the tabernacle and its court?
21. What was the oil for the lamp made of?
22. What does it symbolize?
23. How long should it burn?
24. Who was responsible to keep it burning?
25. Again, what three things were contained in the ark?
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