Exodus 38:1-7 – The Cross, the Brazen Altar

In the courtyard where the Tabernacle stood, there were two more sacred objects One was the Brazen Altar of Sacrifice and the other the bronze Laver or basin. Exodus 38:1-7 describe the portable Brazen Altar. This eight-feet square altar was about five feet tall.  It was like a giant barbeque pit complete with grill. Utensils to remove the ashes, tend to the fire and cook the meat were also made. On this altar, the Israelites’ many sacrifices to God were made. According to Leviticus 6:13. the fire of this altar was kept burning and was not to go out. The Book of Leviticus tells us that the various sacrifices would be made here: the whole burnt offering in Leviticus 1; the fellowship offering in Leviticus 3; the sin offering in Leviticus 4-5; the guilt offering in Leviticus 5-6; and the sacrifices offerings on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. All the sacrifices were made on this altar.

It was here that the priest would offer the sacrifice a worshipper brought, as a substitute for his sin. The animal was put to death as a substitute for the sin of the worshipper. As the animal was laid on the altar, the worshipper who brought the animal for the sacrifice would lay his hand on its head. In so doing he was identifying with the sacrifice and the guilt of his sin would be imputed on the animal, which would then die in his place. Through the sacrifice of the animal’s blood, the sin of the worshipper would be atoned.   

Atonement for sin must be made before the worshipper could come before God. So that’s the reason why the Brazen Altar would be the first piece of furniture a worshipper would have to cross if he wanted to come before God. This reminds us that to be reconciled to God we need to come through the atonement Christ had made on the cross of Calvary. It’s by His shed blood that we are cleansed from all sin and granted access to God. Just as blood was what opened the way to God for the Israelites, so it is the blood of Christ’s sacrifice that gives us access to our Lord God. Remember without the shedding of blood there would be no remission of sin.   

So, the Brazen Altar points to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.  He is the perfect sacrifice that God Himself has provided. When Jesus bled and died on the cross, His final utterance was, “It is finished!”. The wages required for the forgiveness of our guilt and sin had been made once and for all. He has opened the way for us to be reconciled to God. What a sacrifice! Hallelujah, what a Saviour!