EXODUS CHAPTER 27 ----------------- This chapter carries us to the outer court of the tabernacle. Verses 1-8, The Brazen Altar In these verses we have a description of the Brazen Altar which was showed to Moses in the mount (vs 8). As we can see from its size (7.5 feet or 5 cubits square and 4.5 feet or 3 cubits high) that it was the largest of the seven pieces of furniture that the tabernacle contained. It was placed before the door and just inside the outer court. Ex 40:6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. Ex 40:33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Therefore it would be the first object that the Israelite worshiper would see as he entered into the outer court. It is designated the "Brazen Altar" (Ex 38:30) to distinguish it from the "golden altar." It is also called "the altar of burnt offering" (Ex 30:28). Ex 38:30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar, Ex 30:28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. It was to the brazen altar that the sinner came with his divinely appointed sacrifice. According to Lev 6:13 there was a fire continually burning on it. Lev 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. And there was a daily sacrifice which was renewed each morning, so there it was ever smoking and ever blood stained and ever open for any guilty Hebrew to approach. The sinner having given up his right to life by sin, brought an innocent victim which gave its life in the stead of the sinner. The Israelite would lay his hands on the head of the victim, thus identifying himself with the victim, and in symbolic jester transferring his sins to the victim and the victim's innocence to the sinner. 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. 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. 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. 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. The brazen altar was also used by the high priest on the great annual day of atonement (Lev 16). ITS POSITION: It was the first object that was seen, being positioned in front of the door and just inside the outer court. It was not on the outside of the court for the world to use but on the inside of the gate for the provision of God's chosen people. Had it been designed for the wilderness tribes also, it would have been positioned outside the tabernacle's court. The brazen altar faced the door of the tabernacle and it was there that Jehovah met with His people in sacrifice. For the priest to enter the door of the tabernacle he must go by the brazen altar. It was not set over in the corner somewhere. Even though the laver was between the altar and the door, yet many scriptures, according to Pink, make no mention of the laver. This shows the necessity of sacrifice in order to approach unto God. Blood-shedding is the basis of approach to God. ITS MATERIAL: It is made of shittim wood and overlaid with brass (vs 1-2). Except for the taches for the curtains and the sockets for the pillars of the door, this is the first place that brass is mentioned. Everything else has been gold or silver. All of the wood has been overlaid with gold so far, from looking back at it. And the brass, so far, would have been invisible. But here in the outer court brass met the eye. The brass may have been copper and tin, rather than copper and zinc, which is modern day brass, and first used by the Romans. Brass speaks of judgement as much as gold speaks of glory and silver speaks of redemption. The serpent that was put on the pole was made of brass, signifying that judgement would be put upon the substitute. 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. Duet 28:23 And thy heaven that [is] over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee [shall be] iron. ( judgement for their sin ) The acacia or incorruptible wood has already been learned of in past lessons. It speaks of the incorruptible and sinless humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ being sinless was not subject to death but laid down His life freely. We see here that Our Lord was also the altar that sanctified the gift. Mat 23:19 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. We do, today, have an altar, but it is not some material object as in the Old Testament, but the person that the Old Testament type pointed to, the Lord Jesus Christ. The wooden boards overlaid with brass tell us of the ability of our saviour to bear the full judgement of God for our sins. The wood speaks of His humanity, but the brass speaks of His power to endure the cross (judgement of God). ITS MEANING: It spoke of the cross of Calvary, not the wooden stake, but the act that went on there. The Lord Jesus was both the antitype of the sacrifice and the altar. Brass can endure heat much better than gold or silver. Only the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, could endure the cross and all its implications. Some other man may have been able to die on a wooden stake, but only Christ could endure the Cross. Only Christ could endure the full judgement of God for sin, the sin of His people. Though the altar had no steps (Ex 20:26), yet perhaps they placed it upon a rise in the ground, because Lev 9:22 speaks of Aaron coming down from it. This would point to perhaps the hill of Calvary. ITS DIMENSIONS: Five cubits and three cubits and foursquare. Five speaks of the number of Grace. Five is the breadth and the length of it. Nowhere do we see grace demonstrated as we see it at the cross. The length: This was no sudden thought with God on the "spur of the moment" but from before the foundation of the world was this grace in the mind and purpose of God toward His people. 2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, The breadth: God is full of grace and His grace does not fall short as the Arminian preaches. God's grace did not go only so far and make salvation possible. The breadth also speaks of objects of this Grace. God said, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion" (Rom 9:15). The height: Three speaks of the God-head. All three persons of the Godhead were involved in this. Foursquare: Speaks of the world wide aspect of the Cross and the Gospel. The Gospel is to be preached to the whole world and God has redeemed a people out of every tribe and nation and tongue and race. The cross was not just for the nation of Israel but also for the children of God that were scattered abroad. ITS HORNS: "And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof" (vs. 2). Ps 118:27 God [is] the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, [even] unto the horns of the altar. Horns usually speak of power and strength. Hab 3:4 And [his] brightness was as the light; he had horns [coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his power. The horns were not the nails on the cross, for that could never hold the Lord Jesus Christ to the cross. He had the power to come down from the cross. No, what held him to the horns were the cords of Love. Love and devotion to His Father and love for His people. Ho 11:4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them. ITS UTENSILS: "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." (vs. 3) Pink says that the pans were for receiving the ashes and removing them to their appointed place. Lev 6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place. The ashes point to the completeness of the offering. The sacrifice was completely consumed and the act was finished. There were shovels used about the fire to collect dead embers, etc. The basins were receptacles for the blood, in order to bring it to each place for sprinkling. The fleshhooks would be for arranging the different parts of the sacrifice on the fire of the Altar. The firepans are probably identical to the censers. Lev 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it] within the vail: 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he die not: The grate was used to hold the fire. The altar was hollow within (vs 8). So the grate is what held the fire and supported the offering. This shows us that the fire of God's judgement was within Him and not just an external thing. All were made of brass, which again shows that they were instruments of judgement. ITS COVERING: Ex 27:7 shows us that provisions were made to carry the altar. In Numbers 4:13-14 we are told how it was then covered. Nu 4:13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 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. Pink says that this is the only piece of tabernacle furniture that was wrapped in purple. We have seen purple in the hangings, but this is the only piece of furniture that was wrapped in purple. Purple is the royal color. Joh 19:5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And [Pilate] saith unto them, Behold the man! Our Great Sacrifice and Altar is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The world only saw the badgers' skins. Verses 9-19, THE OUTER COURT The Tabernacle stood in an open space of ground which was 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide and was enclosed by hangings of fine twined linen. The court nor the holy places had any paved work, but were erected on the dessert sand. When the priest entered the tabernacle there was nothing to look down at but everything that was glorious was above. Our Lord came from heaven and heaven is where he is at this time. This earth holds nothing for us. In contrast the temple that Solomon built had the floor overlaid with gold, without and within (1Ki 6:30). Solomon's temple foreshadows the Millennial reign of Christ when God's people will no longer be in the wilderness but present with Christ and this world will be filled with the glory of the Lord (Num 14:21). Nu 14:21 But [as] truly [as] I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Then immediately around the Court of the Tabernacle were the tents of the Levites (the tribe of the priesthood). Then encircling them were the twelve tribes, three on each side, thus forming a square. ITS HANGINGS: It was made of fine linen (vs 9). "Fine linen" is the emblem of righteousness, as we have seen before. Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. So the Tabernacle was surrounded by white walls on every side which were a standing witness to the holiness of Him whose dwelling it was. Of the Pharisees, Christ said, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness." (Mt 23:27 ) How different was the Tabernacle. It was beautiful within as opposed to the whited sepulchres, which pictured the Pharisees. Pink says that the tents that surrounded the tabernacle were made of goats hair and were dark and would have been in sharp contrast to the tabernacle which stood in the midst. Song 1:5 I [am] black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Tents in the middle east were dark in color. Of course this would point to the fact that God's people are sinners and have no righteousness from within themselves but their righteousness is imputed from the one that the tabernacle pictured, and any practical righteousness is worked in God's people by the Holy Spirit. The hangings were 5 cubits in height (vs. 18), which was 7.5 feet. So no one on the outside could see what was going on inside the court. Only a Goliath could look over the wall. Everyone else had to go through the gate to see the inside. Ps 84:1 How amiable [are] thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. ITS PILLARS: Though there is no mention of what material these pillars are made of, Pink says that it would be safe to conclude that they were made of shittim wood. Pink has calculated that the amount of metals that was listed in the Bible was not enough to do 60 pillars as well as what has been done before. All of the pillars before were made of shittim wood. And that the typical meaning of the court required wood rather than metal. They were 60 in number placed at intervals of 5 cubits. There were 20 on each side that was 100 cubits long. There were 10 across the back or west side. Then there were 3 pillars on each side of the gate and 4 for the gate which brings the total for the east side to 10 also, giving a total of 60 pillars in all. A pillar speaks of support and strength. Compare: Song 3:6 Who [is] this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? 7 Behold his bed, which [is] Solomon's; threescore valiant men [are] about it, of the valiant of Israel. Notice the word "wilderness." The Hebrew word translated "bed" means curtained-litter. The litter was the temporary resting place of the King. Notice that in the Song of Solomon 60 valiant men surround Solomon's litter. So the Tabernacle was God's resting place in the midst of Israel during their wandering in the wilderness. He was their King. No wonder when they wanted a King they were sinning against God for they had rejected their true King. ITS MEANING: Like everything else connected with the tabernacle, the court pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Court is called the "Tent of the Congregation" in Ex 39:40). Some have tried to make the Court to represent the Saints of the New Testament era, but the Court is the place where God's people met with their Lord. The redeemed meet with God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the meeting-place between God and his people. We already pointed out that the court and the tabernacle were placed on the desert sand. This could also point to the fact that Christ was "a Root out of dry ground" (Isa 53:2). From Lev 16:6-16 we see that the Court itself was also termed "the holy place." Because Aaron had to make an atonement for the "holy place" because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel. The court is where the children of Israel would come. The fact that the hangings were 7.5 feet tall made it a separated or holy place. 60=5x12. 5 = grace 12 = government, 12 tribes of Israel as a nation, which also represented God's people. The pillars were 5 cubits apart and 5 cubits high. Again showing that salvation is all of grace. Ps 65:4 Blessed [is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, [even] of thy holy temple. ITS DIMENSIONS: The curtain was 280 cubits in length and then the gate was 20 cubits. The gate was made different than the hangings, being [of] blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen (vs 16). 280 = 7x4x10 7 = perfection 4 = earth 10 = LAW and responsibility So Christ being the perfect man fulfilled the Law while on earth in front of men. 20 = 5 x 4 Grace on earth 5 Cubits in height. 5 is the most common number. Grace is the theme. It was small in comparison to the camp. In Hebrews 13:13 we see that the camp represented the religious world (Jerusalem in Christ's day). Could this be pointing to the fact that God's flock is a little flock in comparison to the religious world. Lu 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ITS SOCKETS: They were made of brass, which we have already seen speaks of judgement for sin. Christ had the ability to undergo the judgement of God for our sins. ITS HOOKS AND FILLETS: The fillets were connecting rods from pillar to pillar and the hooks would link the linen hangings to the rods. They were made of silver, which is symbolic of redemption. The pillars were 5 cubits apart and 5 cubits in height and redemption linked grace together. If there was no redemptive price then grace would fall apart. There would be no justice in grace, if there was no redemption. Thus the redeemed Israelite who entered the court was surrounded by walls of righteousness which were held to the pillars of grace by the rods of redemption. ITS GATE: "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." (Vs 16). The veil and the gate of the tabernacle and the gate of the court are all closely related. They were a door to enter in by. They were all made of the same material and the colors are mention in the same order. Each measured 100 square cubits. The same truth is taught by each. There could be no access to God but by Him who said, "I Am the Way." The Israelite who came to the brazen altar with his offering must go through the gate of the Court. The priest who placed incense on the golden altar must enter by the door of the Tabernacle, and the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies on the day of atonement must go through the Veil. A threefold witness that there is only ONE way to God and the Way is the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 20-21, SEE CHAPTER 28