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 takes precedence of the court which was to contain it.
Thou shalt make an altar. Rather, "the altar." God had already declared that he would have an altar made to him in the place where he should "record his name" (Exodus 20:24). And, even apart from this, an altar would be regarded as so essential an element in Divine worship, that no place of worship could be without one. Of shittim wood. God had required (1. s. c.) that his altar should be "of earth," or else of unhewn stones (Exodus 20:25). The command now given was to make, not so much an altar, as an altar-case (see Exodus 27:8). There can be no doubt that Jarchi is right in supposing that, whenever the tabernacle for a time became stationary, the hollow case of the altar was rifled up with earth, and that the victims were burnt upon this. Four-square. Altars were commonly either square or round. An Assyrian triangular one was found by Mr. Layard at Nineveh; but even this had a round top. The square shape is the most usual, and was preserved, probably in all the Temple altars, certainly in those of Solomon (2 Chronicles 4:1) and Herod (Joseph. Bell. Jude 1:5Jude 1:5.5, § 6).
The horns of it. Literally, "its horns." Horns were not usual adjuncts of altars; indeed they seem to have been peculiar to those of the Israelites. They were projections at the four top comers, probably not unlike the horns of bulls, whence their name. Criminals clung to them when they took sanctuary (1 Kings 1:50; 1 Kings 2:28); and the blood of sin-offerings was smeared upon them (Exodus 29:12; Le Exodus 8:15; Exodus 9:9; Exodus 16:18, etc.). Victims also were sometimes, when about to be sacrificed, bound to them (Psalms 118:27). According to Kalisch, "The horns were symbolical of power, of protection and help; and at the same time of glory and salvation." His horns shall be of the same. Part and parcel of the altar, that is, not extraneous additions. Thou shalt overlay it with brass. A solid plating of bronze is no doubt intended, such as would protect the shittim wood and prevent it from being burnt.
His pans to receive his ashes. Literally, "to cleanse it from fat'—i.e; to receive what remained after burning the victims, which would be ashes mixed with a good deal of fat. His shovels. Those would be used in removing the ashes from the altar, and depositing them in the pans. His basins. Vessels for receiving the blood of the victims and from which it was poured on the altar. Compare Exodus 24:6. His flesh hooks. So the Septuagint, and our translators again in 1 Samuel 2:13. They would seem by the latter passage to have been three-pronged forks, the proper use of which was, no doubt, to arrange the various pieces, into which the victim was cut, upon the altar. His fire-pans. The word used is generally translated "censers" (Leviticus 10:1.; Leviticus 16:12; Numbers 4:14 : Numbers 16:6, Numbers 16:17, etc.), but sometimes "snuff-dishes" (Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23). It here perhaps designates the vessels used for carrying burning embers from the altar of burnt-offering, to the altar of incense on certain occasions (Le 1 Samuel 16:12). Etymologically, it means simply "a receptacle.'' All the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. Rather, "of bronze." Bronze was the usual material of utensils and implements in Egypt. Copper was scarcely used without the alloy of tin which converts it into bronze; and brass was wholly unknown. A trace of iron is sometimes found in Egyptian bronze
Thou shalt make for it a grate. Rather, "a grating." This was probably a protection for the lower part of the altar, and prevented it from being touched by the feet of the ministrant priests. It was outside the altar, and had the rings attached to it, by which the altar was carried when the Israelites journeyed.
Thou shalt put it under the compass. The "compass" (karkob) is spoken of as if it were something well-known; yet it had not been previously mentioned. Etymologically the word should mean "a cincture" or "band" round the altar; and thus far critics are generally agreed. But its position, size, and object, are greatly disputed. Some hold that it was a broad bench, or step, on which the officiating priests stood at the time of a sacrifice, and that its position was about the middle of the altar. Others think that it was a mere border round the top, from which the net-work depended, and that the object of both was to catch anything that might fall from the altar. Others again, while placing it mid-way in the altar, regard it as a mere ornament, only projecting slightly, and forming a sort of finish to the net-work. This, which is the view of Knobel, seems to be, on the whole, the most probable one. That the net may be even to the midst of the altar. If the" compass" was at the top, the net must have extended thence to the middle. If it was mid-way in the altar, the net must have covered the lower half. To us this latter seems the more probable view. But the point is uncertain.
Staves, or polos, were needed for the carriage of the altar from place to place, as for the ark (Exodus 25:13) and the table of shew-bread (Exodus 25:28). They were to be inserted into the rings mentioned in Exodus 27:4. As the altar was of bronze, so the rings were to be of bronze, and the staves overlaid with bronze. There is a gradual descent in the preciousness of the materials from the holy of holies to the holy place, and from that to the court.
Hollow with boards shalt thou make it. See the comment on Exodus 27:1. The term here used for" boards," (which is different from that in Exodus 26:15-2) implies strength and solidity. As it was showed thee in the mount, Compare Exodus 26:30, with the comment ad loc.
HOMILETICS
The symbolism of the brazen altar.
The noticeable points of this altar are its position, material, ornaments, and purpose or use.
I. ITS POSITION.
(1) It was without the sanctuary, in the open court beyond;
(2) under the canopy of heaven;
(3) directly in front of the sanctuary, and so of the ark and the mercy-seat.
(1) It was without the sanctuary, that none might venture inside the holy structure, and so draw nigh to God without passing it, and obtaining from it the purification which it could confer. Even if the priests on the way to the tabernacle did not always stop at the altar to offer a victim as a sacrifice, they would have the thought of the need of expiation brought home to them by the sight of it, and might as they passed propitiate the Most High by the offering of a prayer. The position of the altar taught that man's first need is to have his sins and impurities purged away; and that until this is done, he must not presume to worship God, or enter into his presence, or offer the sacrifice of praise, or mingle in the company of those who form "the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven."
(2) It was under the open canopy of heaven, visible to all, accessible to all, for all Israel might enter the court; thereby teaching, that the necessary purification was intended by God to be open to all, and that his eye looked down from heaven with favour upon all who desired to be purged from their impurities, and were willing to accept the appointed mode of purging.
(3) It was directly in front of the sanctuary, and so of the ark and the mercy-seat. By this position it pointed to them, led the eye towards them, reminded men of them. With God, in the holy of holies, was at once justice, and also mercy—the law and the mercy-seat. Here, at the altar, was the place where the two could be reconciled, where "mercy and truth might meet together, righteousness and peace kiss each other." Here was to be begun that purging, both of the nation and of individuals, which was only complete when once in the year the high priest entered into the holiest, with the blood of the sin-offerings, and sprinkled it on the horns of the altar that was within the veil (Exodus 30:10), and "on the mercy-seat eastward" (Le Exodus 16:14), so atoning both for himself and for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9:7).
II. ITS MATERIAL. The material was
(1) shittim or acacia wood;
(2) bronze; and
(3) earth;
the earth alone constituting the true altar (Exodus 20:24), and the wood and metal a casing, by means of which the earth was kept together.
(1) Shittim, or acacia, the most incorruptible of woods, typified the purity required in all that is set apart for God.
(2) Bronze, the metal most common in the use of the time, indicated that the altar was for every-day employment by the mass of the people (Leviticus 1-7.).
(3) Earth, pure fragrant mould, that of which man was formed at the first (Genesis 2:7), and into which he is resolved at the last (Genesis 3:19), may well have represented Humanity; so that in the altar, which God had required to be made of earth (Exodus 20:24), he saw Humanity making its offerings to him,—peace-offerings in thankfulness for his mercies, sin-offerings in deprecation of his anger, burnt-offerings in complete dedication of the whole being to his service. Or the mould may primarily have represented this earth, on which we live, whereof it is the essence as being the life-sustaining portion, and only secondarily man, for whom the earth was brought into existence, and of which he is the master.
III. ITS ORNAMENTS. These were,
(1) perhaps, its cincture;
(2) certainly, its horns.
(1) The cincture, or "compass" (Exodus 27:5), if it was wholly for ornament, may simply have indicated the propriety of adorning and beautifying everything which is brought into the service of the sanctuary. Without some wreath, or moulding, where the grating began, the altar would have had a bare and unfinished look. It would have been wanting in elegance and beauty. The pattern shown to Moses in the mount did not allow of this. It left nothing bare, unsightly, inelegant, out of taste. God chose to be worshipped "in the beauty of holiness." It is easy to disparage beauty; and certainly beauty alone, not accompanied by purity and goodness, is worthless, vain, trivial. But, as men desire beauty in their own houses, furniture, utensils, vessels, implements, so natural piety leads them to desire even greater beauty for the houses, vessels, etc; used in the service of God. "The house," said David, "that is to be builded for the Lord, must be exceedingly magnifical" (1 Chronicles 22:5). And congruity requires that, if a house be magnifical, all its contents, down to the meanest vessel, should possess some beauty; otherwise, the law of harmony is broken—a discord manifests itself.
(2) The horns at the four corners, uprearing themselves to heaven, and showing conspicuously, as symbols of power and strength, spoke of the God to whom the altar was reared, and indicated his ability to help, protect, and succour his worshippers. But there was also a human side to their symbolism. They further indicated the victory which man gains over death and Satan by means of expiation, the height to which he is exalted when the atonement made for him cleanses him from all sin. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
IV. ITS PURPOSE. We have assumed throughout that the purpose of the altar—its main purpose—was expiation. Its proper title was "the altar of burnt-offering." All offerings, except those which the high priest offered at the altar of incense in the holy of holies, were to be made at this brazen altar before the door of the tabernacle. Hither were the Israelites to bring alike their peace or thank-offerings, their burnt-offerings, and their sin-offerings. Expiation was the sole idea of the last of these, and a main idea of the second; it was absent only from the first. Thus it was the predominant idea of sacrifice. The altar witnessed to the guilt of man in God's sight, and the need of an atonement being made for him before he could be reconciled to "the High and Holy One." It witnessed also to God's eternal purpose, that a way of reconciliation should be devised, and made known to man, and that thus it should be put into his power to make his peace with God. The true victim was not indeed as yet offered. Bulls and goats, lambs and rams, could never of themselves, or of their own proper force, sanctify the unclean or take away sin. It was only by virtue of the death which their sacrifice prefigured, that they had any atoning force, or could be accepted by God as expiatory. Each victim represented Christ—the one and only sacrifice for sin which could propitiate the Father. And the altar therefore represented and typified the cross on which Christ died, offering himself thereon to the Father as both priest and victim. Shape and material were different, and the mode of death was different; but each was the material substance on which the atoning victim died, each was stained with the atoning blood; and each was unspeakably precious to the trembling penitent who felt his need of pardon, and, if possible, even more precious to him who knew that atonement had thereon been made for him, and felt his pardon sealed. No true Israelite would sacrifice on any altar but that of the sanctuary. No true Christian will look for pardon and atonement anywhere but to the cross of Christ, and to him who on that altar gave his life for man.
HOMILIES BY J. URQUHART
The tabernacle and its teachings.
I. THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE.
1. The situation of the altar.
(1) It faced the worshipper as he entered. The cross of Christ must be held up before men, if they are to be brought nigh to God.
(2) It stood before the holy place, and had to be passed by all who entered there. The realisation of Christ's atonement for sin is the only path to God's presence.
2. The altar, on which the sacrifice for sin is laid, is the place of power. The horns, the symbol of Divine power. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation.
3. In Christ God gives us a place for accepted offerings. The altar was Israel's as well as God's: upon it were laid their offerings as well as those prescribed for the daily service and the great day of atonement. In Christ we are able to offer sacrifices that are well pleasing to God.
II. THE COURT OF THE TABERNACLE.
1. Its limits were appointed by God himself. The Church must be made no broader than his commandment makes it. In his own time he will make it conterminous with the world; but meanwhile we must obey his commandment and fulfil his purpose by making it conterminous with living faith.
2. It was for all Israel. Living faith in Christ should be a passport to all his churches.
3. How the court was formed—
(1) Its walls were made of fine linen. The distinction between the world and the Church is righteousness.
(2) The gate was formed of blue and purple and scarlet. Entrance is had not by man's righteousness, but by bowing beneath the manifested grace of God in Christ.
III. THE OIL FOR THE LAMPS.
1. It was the free-will offering of the people. The light of the world springs from the consecration of believers.
2. It was to be pure. Believers must keep themselves unspotted from the world.
3. It was to be beaten, not pressed, and thus be the finest which the olive could yield. The highest outcome of humanity is the Christ-like life.
4. The lamps were to burn always. Our light, the flame of love, must burn constantly before God, and its radiance be shed always before men.
5. The lamps were to be tended by the ministers of God. The aim of those who labour in weird and doctrine should be the development of Christ-like life, love to God and man.—U.