The Bronze Altar

Story:  The Bronze Altar

Passage: Exodus 27:1-8

Characters:  God, Moses

Summary:    God gives Moses instructions for the bronze altar. 

  

Notes:  The altar was to be made of acacia wood.  It was not to be overlaid with gold however.  It was to be overlaid with bronze.  This was for practical reasons as well as aesthetic reasons I believe.  Bronze would not be affected by fire and thus it was a good choice to use on the altar.  We also see that bronze was already used for the curtain rings outside of the Holy of Holies.  Bronze seems to be the metal of choice in the Holy Place of the tabernacle.  The altar was to have four horns, one at each corner.  These horns would point all directions and symbolized what the blood of the sacrifice covered.  The atoning blood would be applied to all four horns.  The utensils for the altar were also made of bronze.  There was a bronze screen placed in the altar as well to allow the offerings to fall through the altar.  Basically, it was a hollow box with a screen, completely covered in bronze.  The Hebrew word for altar is derived from the word used to describe the slaughtering of animals for sacrifices or eating.  It was basically a killing place.  In Hebrews 13:10, we are told we have an altar from which those in the tabernacle have no right to eat.  The cross was the killing place where the perfect Lamb was sacrificed. 

Questions:  Why is bronze used outside of the Holy of Holies?

Lessons:  Christ is our sacrifice.  The cross was the altar He was sacrificed on.  Just as the horns of the altar reached out in all directions and showed how the atoning blood of the sacrifice covers us all, the cross also covers us all with the atoning blood of Christ!