Topical Bible: The Altar of Burnt-Offering: Covered With Brass

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Altar of Burnt-Offering, also known as the Brazen Altar, holds significant importance in the worship practices of ancient Israel as described in the Old Testament. This altar was a central fixture in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple, serving as the primary location for sacrifices and offerings to Yahweh. Its construction and use are detailed in the Pentateuch, particularly in the books of Exodus and Leviticus.

Construction and Design

The instructions for building the Altar of Burnt-Offering are found in Exodus 27:1-8. The altar was to be made of acacia wood, measuring five cubits long and five cubits wide, forming a square, and three cubits high. The altar was overlaid with bronze, a metal often associated with judgment and endurance in biblical symbolism. The use of bronze, or brass, as a covering material was significant, as it could withstand the intense heat of the sacrifices.

The altar featured horns on its four corners, also covered with bronze. These horns were integral to the altar's design and had ritual significance, often associated with the power and presence of God. The altar also included a grating, a network of bronze, placed halfway down the altar, allowing for the ashes to fall through and be collected.

Function and Ritual Use

The primary function of the Altar of Burnt-Offering was to facilitate the sacrificial system ordained by God for the atonement of sins and the expression of worship. Leviticus 1:9 describes the burnt offering as a "pleasing aroma to the LORD," signifying the acceptance of the offering by God. The altar was the site where various types of sacrifices were made, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.

The priests, descendants of Aaron, were responsible for performing the sacrifices. They would lay the offering on the altar, and the fire, which was to be kept burning continually (Leviticus 6:13), would consume the sacrifice. The perpetual fire symbolized God's unending presence and the continuous need for atonement and reconciliation with Him.

Symbolism and Theological Significance

The Altar of Burnt-Offering is rich in symbolism, reflecting key theological themes in the Old Testament. The use of bronze signifies strength and judgment, reminding the Israelites of the seriousness of sin and the need for atonement. The altar itself represents the means by which God's people could approach Him, highlighting the necessity of sacrifice for reconciliation.

The sacrificial system foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who, according to Christian theology, fulfilled the law and the prophets by offering Himself as the perfect and final atonement for sin. Hebrews 10:10 states, "And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Thus, the Altar of Burnt-Offering serves as a precursor to the redemptive work of Christ, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan for salvation throughout the Scriptures.

Historical Context and Legacy

The Altar of Burnt-Offering was initially constructed for the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings. Later, a more permanent version was built for Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, as described in 2 Chronicles 4:1. This altar continued to be a focal point of Israelite worship until the destruction of the Temple.

The legacy of the Altar of Burnt-Offering endures in its typological significance, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system. It remains a powerful symbol of God's holiness, justice, and mercy, as well as the profound need for atonement and reconciliation with the Creator.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 27:2
And you shall make the horns of it on the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and you shall overlay it with brass.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

One Worker Preparing for Another
... dear man, go home, and dig it up, before it gets altogether covered with rust ... LORD;
and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/one worker preparing for another.htm

Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of ...
... occasionally showed favour to the Jews, Palestine was now covered with a ... a small
heathen altar was reared on the great altar of burnt-offering - in short ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix iv an abstract of.htm

In the House of his Heavenly, and in the Home of his Earthly ...
... Shewbread (north), and the Golden Altar of Incense ... Stone, which, according to tradition,
covered the mouth ... that the hitherto customary burnt-offering for the ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter x in the house.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; brass, and
iron ... This altar was called 'the altar of burnt-offering,' and therefore it ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

A Discourse
... 'And it was covered with cedar ... In the first sense was the altar of burnt-offering,
the altar of ... Now must the Lord's brazen altar be removed from its place, the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

They Shall be Called the Children of God
... lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering; and Samuel ... shall be accepted upon mine
altar' (Isaiah 56 ... He with his wings sometimes covered, sometimes carried them. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/19 they shall be called.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... understand that which is visible, that being open when all else is covered, and
that ... be seen; the heaven, for sin, is, as it were, turned into brass; and the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
... also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash in; and thou shalt
put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the saints privilege and profit.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... of scale mail and the helmet of brass; their weapons ... and he built there an altar
unto the Lord." To ... lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering unto the ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm