#2 The Ark - Plans for the Altar
Exodus 27:1-5
Plans
for the altar
And you shall make an
altar using shittim wood, construct a square altar 7 1⁄2 feet wide, 7 1⁄2 feet
long, and 4 1⁄2 feet high. Make horns for each of its four corners so that the
horns and altar are all one piece. Overlay the altar with brass. Make ash
buckets, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans, all of brass. Make a brass
grating for it, and attach four brass rings at its four corners. Install the
grating halfway down the side of the altar, under the ledge.
For carrying the
altar, make poles from shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. Insert the poles
through the rings on the two sides of the altar. The altar must be hollow, made
from planks. Build it just as you were shown on the mountain.
The altar was the place for
burning animal sacrifices. It showed the Israelites that the first step for
sinful man to approach a holy God was to be cleansed by the blood of an
innocent creature. For a sin offering, a person had to bring an animal — a male
one without blemish or defect from the flock or herd — to the priest at the
tabernacle gate.
“He is to lay his hand on the
head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make
atonement for him.” (Leviticus 1:4)
By laying his hand upon the
head of the offering, the person was identifying with the sacrifice. His sin
and guilt was being moved from himself to the animal. The priest would then
slaughter the animal, sprinkle its blood in front of the veil of the Holy
Place, burn the sacrifice, and pour the rest of it at the bottom of the altar.
Blood is a significant agent of atonement (covering for sin) and cleansing in
the Old Testament.
“For the life of a creature is
in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on
the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.” (Leviticus
17:11)
“The law requires that nearly
everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is
no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)
Comments