Morning Repost: Exodus 27: The Altar of Burnt Offering
1 You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its height shall be three cubits. 2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.
You shall 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.” (Pulpit Commentary)
Of acacia wood with brass.—"This direction seems at first sight to conflict with those given in Exodus 20:24-25, where altars were required to be either of earth or of unhewn stone. But the explanation of the Jewish commentators is probably correct, that what was here directed to be made was rather an 'altar-case' than an altar, and that the true altar was the earth with which, at each halt in the wilderness, the ‘case' of shittim wood covered with bronze was filled. (So Jarchi, Kalisch, and others.)” (Ellicott)
There had to be a way to easily gather the residue and manage the burnt offerings, if this was going to be the sole place of sacrifice. And this alter casing was the answer.
"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." (Matthew Henry) “It stood in the open air, as it was proper it should, that the smoke or the sacrifices might ascend up…” (Gill’s Exposition) to Heaven.
"On sixteen different occasions in the book of Leviticus, an ‘aroma' is mentioned as something pleasing to the Lord. Specifically, the aroma of a sacrifice is important to God.
The importance of a sacrifice’s aroma is not the smell but what the smell represents—the substitutionary atonement for sin. The very first mention of God smelling the aroma of a burnt offering is found in Genesis 8:21. Noah offered a burnt offering of clean animals and birds after leaving the ark. We are told it was a ‘pleasing' aroma to God. The idea is that Noah’s sacrifice was a propitiation, or satisfaction, of God’s righteous requirement. God was pleased with the sacrifice and then gave the promise to never again destroy every living creature with a flood...
Offerings made to false gods were also described as having a 'pleasing aroma'—to the idols, at least (Ezekiel 6:13, ESV). The smell of the incense may have been appealing to the idolaters who offered it, but such false worship displeased the Lord, who demanded worship only of Him and sacrifice only to Him.
The New Testament reveals Christ as the final sacrifice for sin, the ultimate propitiation: 'Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God' (Ephesians 5:2). Jesus, the Son of God, was the only One who could provide the eternally pleasing sacrifice. He alone is the One of whom the Father says, 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased' (Mark 1:11).”
http://www.gotquestions.org/aroma-sacrifice.html
You shall make its horns on its four corners... "Which were... for keeping what was laid upon the altar from falling off, or for the fastening of the sacrifice to them,..." (Gill's Exposition)
You shall overlay it with brass... "All the woodwork of the tabernacle was overlaid with one metal or another. Here a metallic coating was especially necessary, to prevent the wood from being burnt.” (Ellicott's Commentary)-- "that it may endure the fire, and preserve the wood from being burnt with it; this may denote not only the brightness, lustre, and glory of Christ, like the shining brass, but his great strength in bearing the sins of his people, and all the punishment due unto them, even the fire of divine wrath, without being consumed by it..." (Gill's Exposition)
Its horns shall be of one piece with it... "These horns were projections pointing upward in the form either of a small obelisk, or of the horn of an ox. They were to be actually parts of the altar, not merely superadded to it. On them the blood of the sin-offering was smeared Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; Leviticus 8:15; Leviticus 9:9; Leviticus 16:18. To take hold of them appears to have been regarded as an emphatic mode of laying claim to the supposed right of sanctuary (Exodus 21:14 note; 1 Kings 1:50).” (Barnes Notes)
"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.” (Matthew Henry)
Nor can yours except you have a Sin Bearer. Blessed is Jesus!
"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh; We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh. Yahweh is God, and He has given us light; bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You."(Ps 118: 26-28)
3 Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall make a grate for it, a network of bronze; and on the network you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 You shall put it under the rim of the altar beneath, that the network may be midway up the altar. 6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7 The poles shall be put in the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar to bear it. 8 You shall make it hollow with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.
"Pans - Rather pots as in Exodus 38:3; 1 Kings 7:45. On the use to which these pots were put in disposing of the ashes of the altar, see Leviticus 1:16. Basons - Vessels used for receiving the blood of the victims and casting it upon the altar (see Exodus 24:6; Leviticus 1:5; etc.). Fleshhooks - These were for adjusting the pieces of the victims upon the altar (compare 1 Samuel 2:13). Firepans - The same word is rendered snuffdishes, Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23 : censers, Leviticus 10:1; Leviticus 16:12; Numbers 4:14; Numbers 16:6, etc. These utensils appear to have been shallow metal vessels which were employed merely to carry burning embers from the brazen altar to the altar of incense." (Barnes' Notes on the Bible)
"Of the same material were the vessels necessary for the treatment of the fire and blood (Exodus 27:3). A network of brass protected the lower part of the altar; and at half the height a ledge projected, supported by this network, and probably wide enough to allow the priests to stand upon it when they ministered (Exodus 27:4-5). Hence we read that Aaron 'came down from offering' (Leviticus 9:22). Lastly, there was the same arrangement of rings and staves to carry it as for the ark and the table (Exodus 27:6-7).” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)
Exodus 27: The Court of the Tabernacle
9 You shall also make the court of the tabernacle. For the south side there shall be hangings for the court made of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long for one side. 10 And its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets shall be bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be silver. 11 Likewise along the length of the north side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, with its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze, and the hooks of the pillars and their bands of silver.
12 And along the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits, with their ten pillars and their ten sockets. 13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings on one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. 15 And on the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.
“This was a large court yard to the house of God, or tabernacle, which stood in it at the upper end of it; it was enclosed, but open to the air; and in it, between the entrance into it and the holy place, stood the altar of burnt offering before described, and on one side of that the laver for the priests to wash in; into this the people of Israel were admitted, and where they brought their sacrifices and worshipped: it was typical of the visible church of God on earth, which, though an enclosure, and is separated from the world, yet consists of professors, good and bad, of real saints and hypocrites; as into this court Israelites of every character, sex, and state entered…
… These hangings, vails, or curtains, for so in the versions they are differently called, were the enclosure of the court; they were made of fine linen, six times twisted, but not of various colours, and curiously wrought with cunning work, as the curtains of the tabernacle were; and according to the signification of the word, they were wrought full of holes, like eyelet holes, or in the manner of network; so that though they kept persons from entering in, they might be seen through, and through them might be seen what was doing in the court: and all this may signify that the visible church of God on earth is separated from the world, and should consist of men called out of it, and of such who are clothed with that fine linen, clean and white, the righteousness of the saints, and which is the righteousness of Christ, and who have both inward and outward holiness; and though none but those who are admitted members of it may partake of its ordinances, yet others may be spectators of what is done in it.” (Gill’s Exposition)
"The whole arrangement of the outer court, and in particular the placement of the altar of sacrifice and the laver, speak pointedly of man's approach to God." (John Davis)
"This court, according to the common computation of cubits, was fifty yards long, and twenty-five broad." (Matthew Henry)
"The curtains of this enclosure were supported on sixty brazen pillars which stood on pedestals of the same metal, but their capitals and fillets were of silver, and the hooks on which they were suspended were of silver also.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)
Silver- redemption- Heaven
Brass – judgment- earth
"The fillets and hooks upholding the linen hangings are of silver… for it is in virtue of His redemptive work that Christ is our way of access, and not by virtue of His righteous life (symbolized by the fine linen); but the pillars of the court rest upon brass sockets, not silver as in the case of the boards See Scofield 'Exodus 26:19' and brass symbolizes divine righteousness in judgment See Scofield 'Numbers 21:9'...” (Scofield's Reference Notes)
16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets. 17 All the pillars around the court shall have bands of silver; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze. 18 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen, and its sockets of bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for all its service, all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
"It appears that the hangings of this gate were of the same materials and workmanship with that of the inner covering of the tabernacle, and the outer and inner veil. See Exodus 26:36." (Adam Clark)- AND "... this was a figure of Christ, and of the graces of the Spirit in him, and of his bloodshed, sufferings, and death; who is the door into the church, and to the ordinances of it, and leads on to the holy place, and even to the holy of holies, see John 10:9.” (Gill’s Exposition)
"All its vessels were of copper-brass, which, being allied to the earth in both colour and material, was a symbolic representation of the earthy side of the kingdom of God; whereas the silver of the capitals of the pillars, and of the hooks and rods which sustained the hangings, as well as the white colour of the byssus-hangings, might point to the holiness of this site for the kingdom of God." (Keil and Delitzsch)
The hoped end of this journey through the courtyard was the tabernacle containing the Holy Place and Most Holy, representing communion of believers and the presence of Yahweh, God of Israel. So in type, the visible nominal church was found in the court, but the true spiritual church in the tabernacle.
Exodus 27: Care of the the Lamp- A Part for All of the Children of Israel
20 And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.
"Here begins a new section of the law; an account being given of the tabernacle, and its parts, and the furniture thereof, next the several parts of service done in it are observed; and the account begins with that of the candlestick in the holy place, in order to which Moses is directed to command the people of Israel, whose business it was to provide for it: that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light; for the light of the candlestick, to light up the several lamps in the several branches of it; and the oil to be brought and used there was not any sort of oil, as what is got out of fishes, as train oil, or out of nuts, as oil of almonds, but what comes from the olive tree… ” (Gill’s Exposition)
You shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives—"This instruction had been already given (Exodus 25:2; Exodus 25:6), only not with such particularity. ‘Oil' had been required, but not 'pure olive oil beaten.'” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
Pure oil of pressed (beaten) olives- The oil was to be of the best kind. It is called beaten, because it was obtained by merely bruising the olives in a mortar or mill, without the application of heat. The finest oil is now thus obtained from young fruit freshly gathered. The inferior kind is pressed from unselected fruit under stronger pressure, and with the application of heat.” (Barnes)... And contains pulp. "Now the pure oil signifies the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which are communicated to all believers from Christ the Good Olive, 'of whose fulness we receive,’ Zechariah 4:11-12. The priests were to light the lamps, and to tend them; to cause the lamp to burn always, night and day. Thus it is the work of ministers to preach and expound the Scriptures, which are as a lamp to enlighten, the church.” (Benson Commentary)
"Beaten out of the olives with a pestle, which is freer from dregs than that which is squeezed out with a press.” (Matthew Poole's Commentary)
"Oil olive beaten.— Signifying, saith one, how with much labour and affliction the light of God’s word is to be prepared, and with patience preached and made to shine in his Church. [2 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 11:21; 2 Corinthians 11:23-25 1 Thessalonians 2:9]” (Trapp)
To cause the lamp of the golden candlestick to burn continually— "Always - i. e. every night 'from evening until morning.' Compare Exodus 30:8.” (Barnes), as the next verse implies. "To burn always, i.e. at all the times. appointed; daily, though not continually; as the lamb offered only every morning and every evening is called a continual burnt-offering, Exodus 29:42. For that these were lighted only at the evening, may seem probable from the next verse, and from Exodus 27:21 30:8 Leviticus 24:3 1 Samuel 3:3 2 Chronicles 13:11.” (Matthew Poole)
But according to the Antiquity of the Jews written around 93-94 AD, it was the tradition of the Jews to burn the lamp continually. Josephus- a priest and historian -says that three lights were kept burning both night and day (Ant. Jud., iii. 7, § 7 ); "but there is nothing in Scripture to confirm this” (Ellicott)— as the requirement or command of Yahweh. "The tabernacle would have received sufficient light during the daytime through the entrance curtain, which was of linen (Exodus 26:36), not to mention that the curtain may, when necessary, have been looped up. The lighting of the lamps every evening is distinctly asserted in Exodus 30:8; their extinction in the morning appears from 1Samuel 3:3.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
21 In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.
In the tabernacle of meeting— “the tent where God would meet the earthly ruler of the people (Exodus 25:22), and give him commands and directions - not the place of meeting for the people themselves, who might in no case go beyond the entrance to the structure.” (Pulpit Commentary)
Outside the veil which is before the Testimony— in the Holy Place, not the Most Holy, wherein the Ark of the Testimony dwelled. "The testimony - i,e., the ark which contained the ‘testimony,' or two tables of stone written with the finger of God.” (Pulpit Commentary)
Aaron and his sons shall tend it— the lamp- "The intention to confer the priesthood on the descendants of Aaron, first openly revealed in the next chapter (vers. 1-43), is tacitly assumed from time to time in the earlier narrative. Shall order it from evening to morning… It is difficult to assign these words any distinct meaning unless we accept the view, that the lamp burnt during the night only. ” (Pulpit Commentary)
At night only to dispel darkness of which the was no need when Jesus was in the world in the flesh. "A statute for ever" - "This expression is not at all common. In Exodus it occurs only here and in four other places. In Leviticus it is met with some six or seven times. The portions of the law thus characterised must be regarded as of special importance." (Pulpit Commentary) "This ordering of the lamps night and morning, and attendance on the service of the tabernacle, was a statute that was to be in full force while the tabernacle and temple stood, and should have its spiritual accomplishment in the Christian Church to the end of time. Reader, the tabernacle and temple are both destroyed; the Church of Christ is established in their place. The seven golden candlesticks were typical of this Church and the glorious light it possesses, Revelation 1:12-20; and Jesus Christ, the Fountain and Dispenser of this true light, walks in the midst of them. Reader, hast thou that celestial flame to enlighten and animate thy heart in all those acts of devotion which thou professest to pay to him as thy Maker, Redeemer, and Preserver? What is thy profession, and what thy religious acts and services, without this? A sounding brass, a tinkling cymbal.” (Adam Clarke)
Jesus said: "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matthew 25:1-13)