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Brazen Altar
I want to share with you regarding book one of “The Tabernacle Series”, which is subtitled “The Brazen Altar.” You might be wondering “What exactly is the Brazen Altar?” If you watched the video presentation about the series, you know that the Brazen Altar was the first of six items of furniture found in the Tabernacle of Moses from the Old Testament (brazen refers to the fact that it was overlaid with brass). And you know that, just like everything else about the Tabernacle of Moses, the Brazen Altar is actually a metaphor, or a parable, or physical example of Spiritual concepts which find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Physical examples of the Old Testament were given to us to be uses as a means of teaching us spiritual concepts about Christ (and the church).
The Tabernacle served a very important function for God’s people. It was the place of worship used by the children of Israel during their 40-year stay in the wilderness, and for some time afterward. It was used as a way of reconciling them to God. This was necessary because of the fall of Adam (see Genesis chapter 3). Prior to the construction of the Tabernacle, Old Testament saints offered up animal sacrifices unto God for the same purpose, but in a much simpler fashion. However, God required a much more detailed system of sacrifice, to the intent that we might learn His ways. Everything that is written in the word of God is for our learning.
* For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4).
It was all done for our learning. This is true of the Brazen Altar and the Tabernacle as a whole. In book one, the aim is to use God’s detailed instructions concerning the construction of the Brazen Altar of sacrifice as a key to understanding spiritual truths about Christ and His Body (the church). It is the very reason for which He lived and died in the manner that he did. Christ made this point very clear in His own words.
* And as they (the disciples) thus spake (concerning the news of the resurrection of Christ), Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures … (Luke 24:36, 44 – 45).
I could go on and on with Scriptural examples to support this premise. So, with all of this understood, what is the purpose and spiritual significance of the Brazen Altar? In a nutshell, it was the instrument of sacrifice by the Israelites and it serves as a demonstration of the necessity of a substitutionary sacrifice for covering the sins of man and making man acceptable to God, for without the shedding of innocent blood there can be no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). The sacrifice actually justified the guilty, which we all are because we are born into sin as a result of the fall of Adam. The process was carried out as follows:
(1) An animal offering without blemish was brought to the door of the Tabernacle where a priest was waiting to receive it.
(2) The offerer would then lay his hand upon the head of his offering, thereby, identifying with it as a substitute for his sins. In this way, the sins of the offerer were transferred to the animal, while the innocence of the animal was transferred to the offerer.
(3) With this transfer being complete, the offerer sacrificed the sin-polluted animal as a substitution for his sins.
(4) As the offerer pierced the neck of the sacrifice, its blood was collected by the priest and used as atonement, or as payment for the sins of the offerer.
(5) The body of the sacrificed animal was then cut apart, washed, and placed upon the Altar to be consumed by fire (Leviticus 3:1 — 3).
Thus, the sinless animal bore the judgment of sin, which is death, in place of the offerer, and the priest presented the blood to God upon the Altar as payment for the sins of the offerer. In this way the Brazen Altar and the sacrifice placed upon it served as a means of justifying the guilty. This is the overall message of the Brazen Altar of Sacrifice – justification. And it is a well known fact that its function was fulfilled once and for all in Jesus Christ.
But, there is so much more to it than just that. This thing is absolutely loaded with spiritual insights. The Altars construction materials, its various parts and the way they were made to fit together, its dimensions, its ministry and the way that the sacrificed animals were processed, and even the various vessels or utensils used in its ministry are important.
All of these various aspects and components of the Altar were given to Moses for a very important reason – so that we might both learn His ways and identify His Son the Messiah when he comes. And although many did not recognize Him,this actually adds to the beauty of it all, since these things were much too cleverly done to have originated with man. In order to see it, the information must be searched out. And it is in this that God is assured the glory.
You are going to learn a lot about Christ, about yourself, and about the rest of humanity. Hard questions will be answered, and you will be strengthened and enlightened (tremendously). So, prepare to be amazed at what God has done.