What was the brazen altar?
The brazen altar, also known as the bronze altar or altar of burnt offering, was an important part of the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament. It was a raised structure made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze that was used for animal sacrifices and offerings to God.
Description and Dimensions
The brazen altar was located in the outer court of the tabernacle and temple, in front of the entrance to the holy place (Exodus 40:6). God gave Moses detailed instructions for constructing the altar when the tabernacle was built in the wilderness. It was to be made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high (about 7.5 feet long and wide, and 4.5 feet high) with horns on each of the four corners (Exodus 27:1-2).
The altar was built as a hollow structure with a bronze grating inside, midway between the top and bottom, on which the animal sacrifices were placed (Exodus 27:4-5). There was also a bronze grate attached under the ledge of the altar, midway down, with rings and poles for carrying (Exodus 27:6-7). The grating allowed the animal’s blood to drain down into the hollow interior of the altar structure.
The dimensions and design of Solomon’s temple altar were twice as large as the tabernacle’s altar – ten cubits long, ten cubits wide, and five cubits high (2 Chronicles 4:1). The larger size accommodated the increased number of sacrifices with the establishment of the temple.
Purpose and Usage
The primary purpose of the brazen altar was to offer animal sacrifices to God, especially for atonement of sins. It was here that some of the most significant sacrifices of the Old Testament were carried out, pointing forward to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. God instructed that every morning and evening a lamb was to be sacrificed as a regular burnt offering (Exodus 29:38-42). The altar was also used for individual sin offerings, vow offerings, freewill offerings, and offerings during appointed feasts (Leviticus 1-7).
The sacrificial system was complex, with each type of offering involving specific rituals. But in general, the one bringing the offering would lay hands on the animal to identify with it, then kill it on the north side of the altar. The priests would then sprinkle some of the animal’s blood on the altar using bowls. For some offerings, certain parts of the animal were burned atop the grating of the altar as a gift to God. The offerings were said to be a “pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9).
In addition to animal sacrifices, the altar was also used to burn incense (Exodus 30:1-10), to light lamps (Exodus 27:20-21), and for ceremonial cleansing rituals (Leviticus 16:18-19). It was kept burning continuously, tended by the priests day and night (Leviticus 6:8-13).
Theological Significance
The bronze altar was centrally significant in Israel’s worship system. It was the primary means of atonement for sins before Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The animal sacrifices pointed forward to Christ’s substitutionary death, which fully atoned for sins once and for all (Hebrews 9:11-14). The fire on the altar also symbolized God’s holiness in judgment against sin (Genesis 22:6-8), while the priests mediated between God and man.
Sprinkling the blood of sacrifices on the horns of the altar graphically demonstrated the atoning, cleansing power of blood (Leviticus 4:7). The animals had to be spotless, symbolizing their innocence and acceptability to God (Leviticus 22:21-25). Ultimately, the sacrificial system could not fully cleanse people from sin (Hebrews 10:1-4). It served as a temporary covering until Christ, the perfect sacrifice, offered his own blood to make believers holy before God (Hebrews 9:11-15).
The altar’s bronze overlay perhaps signified the judgment borne by the sacrifice in the place of the sinner. Bronze was also resistant to fire, enabling it to withstand the constant burning. The acacia wood signified Jesus’ humanity, while the bronze overlay represented his sinless deity. Jesus bore God’s wrath on the cross so believers could be reconciled to God.
Key Events
Some pivotal biblical events took place at the bronze altar, giving insight into its significance:
– The first sacrifices were made on the newly built altar when the tabernacle was dedicated (Exodus 40:29). This initiated regular sacrifices.
– Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas sinfully took meat from the altar offering for their own consumption, leading to judgment (1 Samuel 2:12-17).
– When the temple was dedicated, Solomon sacrificed 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep on the bronze altar, demonstrating its large capacity (1 Kings 8:5,62-64).
– Ahaz removed the bronze altar from the temple and moved it aside to make room for a new pagan altar, desecrating temple worship (2 Kings 16:10-16).
– Hezekiah restored proper use of the bronze altar when he reinstituted temple worship after idolatrous years under Ahaz (2 Chronicles 29:18-24).
– The returned Jewish exiles rebuilt the altar after 70 years of Babylonian captivity to reestablish sacrifices (Ezra 3:2-3).
– The bronze altar was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes in the intertestamental period when he offered a pig on it, sparking the Maccabean revolt (1 Maccabees 1:59).
– The morning and evening sacrifices on the altar continued until the destruction of the temple in 70 AD by the Romans.
The altar played a central part in Israel’s worship through every period, from the tabernacle to Solomon’s temple and the second temple. The sacrifices pointed to spiritual truths fulfilled ultimately in Jesus Christ.
Construction Materials
As described in Exodus 27, God commanded Moses to build the brazen altar using acacia wood and bronze:
Acacia Wood – A durable hardwood found in the wilderness, acacia wood symbolized Jesus’ humanity. The incorruptible wood picturing Christ’s sinlessness as fully human.
Bronze – A copper alloy, bronze was highly resistant to fire and signified judgment against sin. It also represented Christ’s strength as deity and his incorruptibility.
Overlaid Bronze – Covering the altar in bronze symbolized divine judgment against sin borne by the sacrifice. Bronze was also visually distinct from the golden holy of holies.
Grating – The bronze grating held the animal for sacrifice while allowing blood to drain down. It pictured God’s righteous judgment.
Horns – The projected horns on the altar’s corners represent the authority and power of the sacrifice made there.
Rings and Poles – For portability in the wilderness, attached rings and poles enabled the Kohathites to carry the altar (Numbers 4:14-15).
The materials for the brazen altar were simple but spoke powerfully of truths fulfilled in Christ’s person and work. He was lifted up on the cross as God’s perfect sacrifice for sin.
Furniture of the Tabernacle
The brazen altar was one important part of the tabernacle furniture and fittings specified by God for worship and sacrifices:
– Ark of the Covenant – Containing the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, the ark resided in the most holy place and represented God’s covenant presence.
– Table of Showbread – With twelve loaves of bread representing the twelve tribes of Israel, the table was placed in the holy place.
– Golden Lampstand – The seven-branched lampstand provided light in the holy place and symbolized God’s spirit.
– Bronze Altar – Located in the courtyard, this altar was used for burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin offerings.
– Bronze Laver – Also in the courtyard, the laver provided water for priestly washing and cleansing.
– Tabernacle Structure – With precise dimensions and multi-layer coverings, the structure housed the holy places.
– Veil and Screen – The veil separated the holy place from the most holy place. The screen separated the courtyard from the holy place.
Each part of the tabernacle pointed to spiritual meaning fulfilled in Christ. He embodies God’s presence, light, provision, sacrifice for sins, and cleansing.
Contrast with the Golden Altar
Whereas sacrifices were made on the brazen altar in the outer court, incense was offered on the golden altar which stood in front of the veil screening the ark of the covenant (Exodus 30:1-10).
Some key differences between the altars:
– The brazen altar was bigger than the golden altar. Sacrifices were offered continually, while incense was offered daily but not continuously.
– Animal sacrifices occurred on the brazen altar, but incense on the golden altar. Blood sacrifice contrasted with incense offering.
– The brazen altar was made of bronze, symbolizing judgment for sin. The golden altar represented righteous prayer and intercession.
– The brazen altar stood in the courtyard while the golden altar was located in the holy place, closer to God’s presence. Sacrifice preceded prayerful intercession.
– The fire on the brazen altar was natural but holy fire burned on the golden altar, representing God’s presence.
Both altars were essential to Israel’s worship – the blood sacrifice enabling atonement and access to God’s presence, followed by prayer and intercession. This foreshadowed Christ’s finished work on the cross granting access to God’s throne in prayer.
Forbidden Practices
Because the tabernacle sacrifices typified Jesus Christ’s future sacrifice for sins, God commanded that worship at the bronze altar be done according to specific guidelines. Prohibited practices included:
– Offering sacrifices anywhere other than the tabernacle/temple courts (Leviticus 17:1-9; Deuteronomy 12:13-14).
– Offering sacrifices on makeshift altars or high places (Leviticus 26:30-31; 2 Kings 21:3-5).
– Offering defiled animals or those with defect (Leviticus 22:17-25; Deuteronomy 15:19-21).
– Offering strange fire, as Nadab and Abihu did (Leviticus 10:1-3).
– Eating meat with the blood rather than pouring it out (Leviticus 19:26; 1 Samuel 14:31-35).
– Offering sacrifices to false gods like Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10).
– Priests taking offerings for themselves or failing to follow procedures (Leviticus 10:8-20).
– Kings like Ahaz and Manasseh removing or defiling the altar (2 Kings 16:10-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-6).
God judged those who disobeyed His specific commands for sacrifices because they treated lightly the foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice.
Destruction by Invaders
Because of the brazen altar’s centrality in Israel’s worship and identity as God’s chosen nation, pagan invaders often desecrated it in an effort to demoralize the people:
– The wicked king Ahaz removed it from the temple himself to set up a pagan altar (2 Kings 16:14).
– Ahaz’s grandson Manasseh built idolatrous altars in the temple courts and sacrificed his own son to a foreign god (2 Chronicles 33:1-6).
– The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar’s forces looted the altar and carried temple furnishings to Babylon (2 Kings 25:13-17).
– Antiochus Epiphanes, the Seleucid ruler, sacrificed a pig, an unclean animal, on the altar around 168 B.C., sparking the Maccabean revolt (1 Maccabees 1:59).
– In 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed the temple along with the altar when quelling a Jewish uprising.
Despite these periodic desecrations, the altar was always rebuilt and restored by righteous kings like Hezekiah and Josiah who led revived worship. But ultimately only Christ’s sacrifice could provide lasting atonement for sins.
The Last Sacrifice
When Jesus Christ died on the cross as God’s perfect sacrifice for sins, he eliminated the need for further animal sacrifices. The various sacrifices of the old covenant were types and shadows pointing forward to the redemptive work achieved fully by Jesus (Hebrews 10:1-4).
At the moment of Christ’s death, the veil in the Jerusalem temple was torn in two, symbolizing the access believers now had to God’s throne of grace through Christ’s shed blood (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:19-22). The brazen altar’s purpose had been fulfilled.
Although sacrifices resumed for a time after Christ’s resurrection, the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. by the Romans definitively ended the sacrificial system. Jesus’ words “It is finished!” testified that the atonement for sins that the altar foreshadowed had been accomplished once for all.
Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the purpose and symbolism of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Trusting in Christ’s complete sacrifice grants forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believe.
