“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.” Exodus 27:1
May 5, 2023
The Tabernacle was a means of grace for the priest-nation of Israel. Acceptance by God was not based on keeping the law but by providing a substitutionary sacrifice in the Tabernacle as contained in the Law. The altar of burnt offering stood in the courtyard a short distance from the entrance into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. It was made of acacia wood covered with plates of brass. Standing 5’ high and 8’ across it was there that sacrifices were made as the priest laid his hands on the animal. Blood was sprinkled on the four horns at the corners of the altar. This was the place where the death of the animal and the shedding of its blood made fellowship with God possible. The sacrifices on the altar were a sign that God had forgiven the Israelites’ sin. The altar of burnt offering pointed toward the ultimate sacrifice: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross (Heb. 9:11-22). We can rejoice that the sacrifice of Christ was once for all time. It does not need to be repeated. Like the sacrifice in baseball, giving up something for something better, so is the Savior’s sacrifice for us the something better : “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” It doesn’t get any better than that.
H
There is no approach to God except by the cross of Christ.