The Altar of Burnt Offering, also known as the Bronze Altar, is a significant fixture in the religious practices of ancient Israel, as described in the Old Testament. It served as the primary location for sacrifices and offerings to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and was central to the worship and atonement rituals prescribed in the Mosaic Law.

Biblical Description and Construction

The instructions for constructing the Altar of Burnt Offering are detailed in the Book of Exodus. According to Exodus 27:1-8 , the altar was to be made of acacia wood, measuring five cubits long and five cubits wide, making it square, and three cubits high. It was overlaid with bronze, a metal symbolizing strength and endurance. The altar featured horns on its four corners, which were also overlaid with bronze. These horns were significant in the sacrificial rituals, as they were often touched with the blood of the sacrifice (Exodus 29:12).

The altar was equipped with various utensils, including pots for removing ashes, shovels, basins, forks, and firepans, all made of bronze. A grating, a network of bronze, was placed under the ledge of the altar, halfway up from the base. The altar was designed with rings and poles, also made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze, for transportation purposes, allowing the Israelites to carry it as they journeyed through the wilderness.

Function and Significance

The Altar of Burnt Offering was located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, serving as the site where the Israelites presented their burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. These sacrifices were integral to the covenant relationship between God and His people, symbolizing atonement, thanksgiving, and dedication.

Leviticus 1:3-9 outlines the procedure for a burnt offering, where a male animal without blemish was to be offered voluntarily at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The individual offering the sacrifice would lay their hand on the head of the animal, symbolically transferring their sins, before it was slaughtered. The priests would then sprinkle the blood on the altar and burn the animal, creating a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

The altar's role in atonement is further emphasized in Leviticus 17:11 , which states, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." This underscores the theological significance of the altar as a place where reconciliation between God and humanity was enacted through the sacrificial system.

Symbolism and Typology

The Altar of Burnt Offering holds deep symbolic meaning within the broader narrative of Scripture. It prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who, according to Christian theology, fulfilled the sacrificial system through His death on the cross. Hebrews 10:10 states, "And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." The altar, therefore, serves as a typological foreshadowing of Christ's atoning work, highlighting the continuity between the Old and New Covenants.

Historical Context and Legacy

The Altar of Burnt Offering was a central element in the religious life of Israel from the time of the Tabernacle's construction in the wilderness to the establishment of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Its presence underscored the importance of sacrifice and obedience in the worship of Yahweh. The altar's legacy continues to be a subject of study and reflection in Christian theology, symbolizing the profound truths of atonement, redemption, and divine grace.