Topical Bible: Altar in the Tabernacle: Location of

Bible > Topical > Altar in the Tabernacle

◄ Altar in the Tabernacle: Location of ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The altar in the Tabernacle, specifically the Altar of Burnt Offering, holds a significant place in the worship practices of ancient Israel as described in the Old Testament. This altar was central to the sacrificial system instituted by God through Moses and was located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings.

Biblical Description and Placement

The instructions for the construction and placement of the altar are detailed in the book of Exodus. According to Exodus 27:1-8, the altar was to be made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze. It was square, measuring five cubits long and five cubits wide, and three cubits high. The altar featured horns on its four corners and was equipped with bronze utensils for handling the offerings.

The location of the altar is specified in Exodus 40:6: "Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting." This positioning was significant as it was the first object encountered by the priests and the people as they approached the Tabernacle, symbolizing the necessity of atonement and purification before entering into the presence of God.

Function and Symbolism

The Altar of Burnt Offering was used for various sacrifices, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, as outlined in Leviticus chapters 1-7. These sacrifices were essential for maintaining the covenant relationship between God and His people, serving as a means of atonement for sin and a way to express devotion and thanksgiving.

The altar's location in the courtyard, accessible to the priests and visible to the people, underscored the communal aspect of worship and the centrality of sacrifice in the life of Israel. It was a constant reminder of the holiness of God and the need for repentance and reconciliation.

Theological Significance

From a theological perspective, the altar in the Tabernacle prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as described in the New Testament. Hebrews 9:11-14 speaks of Christ as the high priest who entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, offering His own blood to secure eternal redemption. The altar, therefore, is seen as a foreshadowing of the cross, where the final and perfect sacrifice was made.

In summary, the location of the altar in the Tabernacle was not merely a matter of practical arrangement but was deeply symbolic, reflecting the foundational role of sacrifice in the worship and spiritual life of Israel. It pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, fulfilling the sacrificial system and opening the way for believers to enter into the presence of God.

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 40:6,29
And you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
Nave's Topical Index

Ezekiel 8:16
And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 23:35
That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

What is the Sanctuary?
... subject of the sanctuary, its nature, location, and services ... the outer court, which
contained the altar of burnt-offering, the tabernacle itself consisted ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /23 what is the sanctuary.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... subject of the sanctuary, its nature, location, and services ... the outer court, which
contained the altar of burnt offering, the tabernacle itself consisted ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 23 what is the.htm

Chapter viii
... is satisfactory about the nature, size, and location of this ... kasah, "to cover." The
fact that the tabernacle had a ... And Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and he ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter viii.htm

At the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple.
... it was designated as the Dedication of the Altar.' [4382] Josephus ... legend, according
to which the making of the Tabernacle had been ... [4395] The location of this ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiv at the feast.htm

Christian Churches.
... The structure was composed of a square tabernacle supported by ... had to observe: first,
that the tomb-altar of the ... of pillage, on account of its location on the ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter iii christian churches.htm

The Census and the Journey of the Holy Family
... Gen.15.) He then built an altar under the ... 35.4.) Under this tree Joshua built the
tabernacle for the ... 4. Fireplace.5. Southern side-entrance.6. Location of the ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/x the census and the.htm

The Bible
... of the Christian dead either as to their location or condition ... Put Christ into the
Tabernacle, and it will cast its ... You will see the brazen altar to be the cross ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/haldeman/christ christianity and the bible/the bible.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... by each tribe in a place selected for that purpose, where an altar, something in ...
of this conference, and therefore ought to be the place for the location of an ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm