The altar in the Tabernacle, as described in the Old Testament, holds significant importance in the worship and sacrificial system of ancient Israel. It was a central element in the Tabernacle, serving as the primary site for offerings and sacrifices to Yahweh. The sanctification of the altar was a critical process, ensuring that it was set apart for holy purposes and acceptable for use in the worship of God.

Construction and Purpose

The altar of burnt offering, also known as the brazen altar, was constructed according to divine specifications given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It was made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze, measuring five cubits square and three cubits high (Exodus 27:1-2). The altar was equipped with horns on its four corners, which were integral to its design and function (Exodus 27:2). The primary purpose of the altar was to facilitate the offering of sacrifices, which were a means of atonement and worship, symbolizing the people's devotion and obedience to God.

Sanctification Process

The sanctification of the altar was a detailed process, as outlined in the book of Exodus. The altar, along with the entire Tabernacle and its furnishings, was consecrated through a series of rituals performed by Moses under God's command. This process involved anointing and the application of sacrificial blood, signifying purification and dedication to the Lord.

1. Anointing with Oil: The altar was anointed with holy anointing oil, a special blend of spices and olive oil, which was used exclusively for consecrating sacred objects and the priesthood (Exodus 30:25-29). This anointing set the altar apart as holy, dedicated to the service of God.

2. Application of Blood: The blood of sacrificial animals played a crucial role in the sanctification process. Moses was instructed to apply the blood of a bull to the horns of the altar with his finger, purifying it and making atonement for it (Exodus 29:12). This act symbolized the cleansing of the altar from any impurity and its readiness to receive offerings.

3. Seven-Day Consecration: The altar's sanctification was part of a broader seven-day consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons, the priests. During this period, daily sacrifices were made, and the altar was continually anointed and purified (Exodus 29:35-37). This extended period of consecration underscored the seriousness and holiness of the altar's role in Israel's worship.

Significance in Worship

The sanctification of the altar was essential for maintaining the purity and holiness required for the Israelites' worship. It ensured that the sacrifices offered were acceptable to God, facilitating atonement and communion between God and His people. The altar, once sanctified, became a focal point of the sacrificial system, symbolizing God's presence and the means by which the Israelites could approach Him.

The sanctification process also foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who, as the perfect Lamb of God, fulfilled the sacrificial system and provided eternal atonement for sin. The altar in the Tabernacle, therefore, not only served a practical purpose in ancient Israel but also pointed to the greater redemptive work accomplished through Christ.Exodus 29:36,37,44
And you shall offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and you shall cleanse the altar, when you have made an atonement for it, and you shall anoint it, to sanctify it.
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Exodus 30:26-28
And you shall anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
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Exodus 40:10
And you shall anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.
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Leviticus 8:10,11
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.
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Numbers 7:1
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
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The Mystic Meaning of the Tabernacle and Its Furniture.
... Chapter VI."The Mystic Meaning of the Tabernacle and Its ... North of the altar of incense
was placed a table ... to the highest pitch, being quite sanctified both in ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter vi the mystic meaning of.htm

Princely Service.
... The altar sanctified the gift; the fire on the ... The importance of the brazen altar
can scarcely be ... The Tabernacle contained many precious things, each typifying ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part iii princely service.htm

Eighth Day. Holiness and Indwelling.
... peace, they come ever again to the altar of atonement ... to be, as distinctly as was
the tabernacle or the ... desires: 'The tent, the heart, shall be sanctified by my ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/eighth day holiness and indwelling.htm

On the Management of the Resources Collected for the Support of ...
... holy Catholic Church; who stand at the altar of the ... and glory, if you duly minister
to the holy tabernacle. ... first-fruits, from all that are sanctified to me by ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iv on the management of.htm

Sundry Exhortations.
... altar of which we who serve the ideal tabernacle have no ... "Our Christian altar supplies
no ... of the people, the latter that the people themselves were sanctified. ...
/.../chapter xvi sundry exhortations.htm

The Relation of the Will of God to Sanctification
... A field could be sanctified, a house could be sanctified, an altar, a tabernacle,
gold and silver vessels, the garments of the priest, the cities of refuge. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/the relation of the will.htm

Strange Fire
... the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them ... with thee, when ye go into the
tabernacle of the ... supposition that it means fire not taken from the altar. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/strange fire.htm

What is Sanctification?
... also, the state of being thus purified or sanctified.2. The ... as in the example of
the sanctification of the tabernacle and its contents"the altar and laver ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter i what is sanctification.htm

Consecration and Dedication
... was complete, the glory of the Lord came into the tabernacle. ... all the priests that
were present were sanctified, and did ... at the east end of the altar, and with ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter iii consecration and dedication.htm

The Levites Ought to be Utterly Free from all Earthly Desires. ...
... he who sees the minister of the altar adorned with ... are chosen out of all, and are
sanctified like the ... shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter l the levites ought.htm

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