How does the altar's construction connect to Christ's sacrifice in the New Testament? Verse under View “Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns are of one piece with the altar, and overlay it with bronze.” (Exodus 27:2) Key Features to Notice • Four horns • The horns are “of one piece with the altar” • Entire altar overlaid with bronze Why These Details Matter • Every part was designed by God, not by human imagination (Exodus 25:40). • Each element paints a living picture that reaches its full meaning in Jesus Christ. Horns: Refuge and Power • Throughout Scripture, horns symbolize strength and salvation: – “The LORD… the horn of my salvation” (Psalm 18:2). – “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us” (Luke 1:69). • In Israel, someone in danger could “take hold of the horns of the altar” (1 Kings 1:50) and plead for mercy. • At the cross, Christ offers an even greater refuge; we “have fled to take hold of the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18). Four Corners: Salvation for the Whole World • Four corners hint at the four points of the compass—Revelation 7:1 pictures “four angels… at the four corners of the earth.” • The altar’s blood was available to all who approached; the cross extends grace “to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6; see John 3:16). One Piece Construction: Unity of Person and Work • The horns weren’t attached later; they were forged “of one piece with the altar.” • Christ’s power to save is inseparable from His sacrifice—His person and His atonement are a single, flawless whole (John 10:30; Hebrews 10:14). Bronze Overlay: Judgment Endured • Bronze endures fire and speaks of judgment withstanding heat (cf. Ezekiel 22:20–22). • Numbers 21:8–9 tells of the bronze serpent lifted up; Jesus applied that picture to Himself: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake… so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14). • At Calvary, He bore the fiery judgment we deserved: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Blood on the Horns: Atonement Applied • “The priest… put it on the horns of the altar” (Leviticus 4:30). • The life-giving blood touched the very points symbolizing strength and mercy, previewing Christ’s blood applied to believing hearts (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7). The Altar and the Cross Brought Together • “We have an altar…” (Hebrews 13:10); that altar is fulfilled in Jesus, who “suffered outside the gate” (Hebrews 13:12). • Every specification in Exodus 27:2—horns, unity, bronze—finds its higher counterpart in the crucified and risen Lord. Living in the Light of the Finished Work • Run to the true Horn of salvation; His strength never fails. • Rest in a sacrifice sturdy enough to carry all judgment. • Rejoice that the four-cornered reach of His mercy includes you—and everyone you’ll ever meet. |
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