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._ Altar of shittim wood. The dimensions of this altar, which was placed at the entrance of the sanctuary, were nearly three yards square, and a yard and a half in height. Under the brass-overlaid wooden frame of this chest-like altar there must have been a center of earth or stone sufficiently large enough to support the body of the sacrificial victim; and thus the precept which required the art of man to be enlisted in the construction of the altar of the tabernacle appears in perfect harmony with the prohibition against the use of the hammer or the chisel. The enclosing copper case served merely to keep the earth together (see Kurtz, 'History of the Old Covenant,' vol. 3:, p. 142). Each corner was to be terminated by "horns...

1._And thou shalt make an altar. _The altar of whole burnt-offerings (_holocaustorum_) is here described, which, however, it was called by _synecdoche, _for not only entire victims were burnt there, but also parts of them only, as we shall see in Leviticus. The burnt-offerings received their name from their _ascending, _(147) whereby the Israelites were reminded that they had need to be purified, that they might ascend to God; and at the same time were instructed that whatever corruption there might be in the flesh did not prevent the sacrifices from being acceptable and of a sweet savor to God. It is clear that from the first beginning of the human race there were burnt-sacrifices, suggested by the secret inspiration of God’s Spirit, since there was no written Law; nor can we doubt but that by this symbol they were taught that the flesh must be burnt by the Spirit, in order that men may...

1-8 In the court before the tabernacle, where the people attended, was an altar, to which they must bring their sacrifices, and on which their priests must offer them to God. It was of wood overlaid with brass. A grate of brass was let into the hollow of the altar, about the middle of which the fire was kept, and the sacrifice burnt. It was made of net-work like a sieve, and hung hollow, that the ashes might fall through. This brazen altar was a type of Christ dying to make atonement for our sins. The wood had been consumed by the fire from heaven, if it had not been secured by the brass: nor could the human nature of Christ have borne the wrath of God, if it had not been supported by Divine power....

CHAPTER XXVII _The altar of_ burnt-offerings, _and its dimensions_, 1; _its_ horns, 2; pans, shovels, _c._, 3 _its_ grate _and_ net work, 4, 5; _its_ staves, 6, 7. Court _of the tabernacle, with its_ pillars _and_ hangings, 9-15. Gate _of the court, its pillars, hangings, length, breadth, and_ _height_, 16-18. _All the vessels used in the court of the tabernacle to be of_ brass, 19. _The Israelites to provide_ pure olive oil _for the light_, 20....

(Compare Exodus 38:1.) The great altar which stood in the court immediately in front of the tabernacle was commonly called the altar of burnt-offering, because on it were burnt the whole burnt-offerings, and all those parts of the other animal sacrifices which were offered to the Lord. It was also called the brazen altar, because it was covered with bronze, in distinction from the golden altar or altar of incense Exodus 39:38; Exodus 40:5. Exodus 27:2 HIS HORNS SHALL BE OF THE SAME - These horns were projections pointing upward in the form either of a small obelisk, or of

EXPOSITION THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING. From the description of the tabernacle, or sacred tent in which worship was to be offered by the priests, it followed in natural sequence, that directions should be given concerning the court, or precinct, within which the tabernacle was to stand Ancient temples were almost universally surrounded by precincts, which the Greeks called τεμένη, whereto a sacred character attached; and this was particularly the case in Egypt, where the _temenos_ seems to have been a regular adjunct to the temple. Among the chief uses of such an open space, was the offering of victims on altars, as these could not be conveniently consumed elsewhere than in the open air, on account of the clouds of smoke and the fumes of the sacrifices. As in the description of the tabernacle, the furniture was first described, then the structure, so now the altar take

AND THOU SHALL MAKE AN ALTAR OF SHITTIM WOOD,.... This is a different altar from that made of earth before the tabernacle was built, Exodus 20:24 and from the altar of incense, Exodus 30:1 this was to offer burnt offerings on, and was placed at the door of the tabernacle, in the court of the people, where they brought their sacrifices to the priests to offer for them: it stood in the open air, as it was proper it should, that the smoke or the sacrifices might ascend up and scatter. This altar was not typical of the altar of the heart; though indeed all the saints are priests, and every sacrifice of theirs should come from the heart, and particularly love, which is more than all burnt offerings; but the heart is not this altar of brass to bear the fire of divine wrath, which none can endure; nor does

ALTAR Brazen altar, type of the Cross upon which Christ, our whole burnt-offering offered Himself without spot to God (Hebrews 9:14). HEIGHT (Cf) (Exodus 25:10). The altar of burnt offering is double the height of the mercy-seat. The atonement more than saves us -- it glorifies God (John 17:14). SHITTIM That is, acacia. WOOD The wood (Christ's humanity), completely inclosed in brass, must have become completely charred by sacrificial fires. Compare (Hebrews 10:5)....

CHAPTER 27 THE TABERNACLE CONCLUDED _ 1. The altar of brass (Exodus 27:1)_ 2. The court of the tabernacle (Exodus 27:9) 3. The oil for the lamp (Exodus 27:20) The brazen altar stood at the door of the tabernacle. Later we find in this book the golden altar of incense mentioned. It stood between the golden candlestick and the brazen altar. This altar was likewise of shittim wood. Instead of gold, here was brass, because the altar is the type of the cross where Christ met the burning heat of divine justice. Upon this altar the burnt offering was brought and wholly consumed, speaking of Him who knew no sin and was made sin for us. The altar was hollow, the sacrificial fires burned mostly within.

EXODUS 27. P. ALTAR AND OUTER COURT (_cf. Exodus 38:1_, Exodus 38:9). In strongest contrast to Exodus 20:24, with its sanction of many altars, rudely made of earth or rough stone blocks, we find instructions for the altar to be made of wood plated with bronze, 7½ feet square and 4½ feet high, with horn-like projections at the corners, according to a widespread custom of uncertain meaning (Exodus 27:1 f.). Its vessels were to be of bronze (Exodus 27:3); and the (usual) ledge for the priests to stand on, half way up the altar, was to be supported by a bronz