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Exodus 27: The Altar and the Court

God details the bronze altar of sacrifice, the surrounding courtyard, and the lamp that is to burn continually before the LORD.

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Exodus 27 (WEB)

1 “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.

2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it; and you shall overlay it with brass.

3 You shall make its pots to take away its ashes, its shovels, its basins, its flesh hooks, and its fire pans: all its vessels you shall make of brass.

4 You shall make a grating for it of network of brass: and on the net you shall make four bronze rings in its four corners.

5 You shall put it under the ledge around the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar.

6 You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with brass.

7 Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar, when carrying it.

8 You shall make it with hollow planks. They shall make it as it has been shown you on the mountain.

9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long for one side:

10 and its pillars shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

11 Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.

12 For the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

13 The breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

15 For the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

16 For the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four.

17 All the pillars of the court around shall be filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass.

18 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

19 All the instruments of the tabernacle in all its service, and all its pins, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

20 “You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

21 In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh: it shall be a statute forever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Summary

God turns to the courtyard and its furnishings. First is the altar of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, five cubits square with horns on its four corners, fitted with bronze utensils and a bronze grating, and carried by poles—the place where sacrifices for sin would be offered. Then comes the court of the tabernacle, enclosed by hangings of fine twined linen on bronze pillars with silver hooks, one hundred cubits long on the north and south sides and fifty cubits wide, with a screen of blue, purple, and scarlet for the gate. This enclosed space sets apart the sacred area where Israel meets God, with the altar standing in the way of approach—no one comes to God without sacrifice. Finally, God commands the people to supply pure beaten olive oil so that a lamp may burn continually. In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamp from evening to morning before the LORD, a lasting statute throughout their generations. The continual light pictures God's abiding presence and the people's ongoing access to him, maintained by the ministry of the priests.

Key Themes

  • The bronze altar — The square altar of acacia overlaid with bronze, with horns at its corners, where sacrifices are offered—the place of approach to God through atonement.
  • The courtyard — The enclosed space of linen hangings and bronze pillars that sets apart the sacred area where Israel meets God.
  • The continual lamp — The light fed by pure beaten olive oil, tended by Aaron and his sons from evening to morning, burning continually before the LORD.
  • Aaron and his sons — The priests charged with keeping the lamp in order before the LORD as a perpetual statute on behalf of the people of Israel.

Key Verse

Exodus 27:20 (WEB)

“You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

Lessons Learned

  • Approach to God begins at the altar; there is no fellowship with him apart from sacrifice.
  • God sets apart a holy space, marking the difference between the sacred and the common.
  • A continually burning lamp pictures God's abiding presence among his people.
  • Worship requires faithful, ongoing ministry, not occasional attention.
  • The altar of sacrifice points ahead to Christ, the once-for-all sacrifice for sin.
  • Sacrifice stands at the entrance. The bronze altar is the first thing in the court (Exodus 27:1-2, WEB), so that approach to God always passes through atonement for sin.
  • God sets apart sacred space. The court is enclosed with hangings and a gated screen (Exodus 27:9-16, WEB), distinguishing the holy place of meeting from the ordinary world around it.
  • God's presence is continual. The oil is brought “to cause a lamp to burn continually” (Exodus 27:20, WEB). The unceasing light reflects the abiding nearness of God with his people.
  • Worship requires faithful ministry. Aaron and his sons “shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh” (Exodus 27:21, WEB). God's house is served by ongoing, faithful care.
  1. Why is the bronze altar of sacrifice placed at the entrance to the courtyard?
  2. What is the purpose of enclosing the tabernacle within a court of hangings?
  3. What does the command for a continually burning lamp teach about God's presence?
  4. Why is the ongoing tending of the lamp entrusted to the priests as a perpetual statute?
  5. How does the altar's pointing to Christ's sacrifice shape the way you approach God?
  1. The altar where sacrifices are offered stands first in the court (27:1-8), so that anyone approaching God must pass the place of atonement. The arrangement preaches the gospel in furniture: we cannot come to a holy God except through sacrifice for sin.
  2. The linen hangings and gated screen mark off a holy enclosure (27:9-19), separating the sacred meeting place from the common world. The boundary teaches reverence and the distinction between holy and ordinary, while the single gate shows there is an appointed way in.
  3. The lamp is to burn continually (27:20), a steady light in the sanctuary. It pictures God's unbroken presence among his people and the constancy of worship before him—a light never meant to go out, sustained by the people's offering of oil.
  4. Aaron and his sons keep the lamp from evening to morning as a lasting statute (27:21). Worship is not sporadic but requires faithful, ongoing ministry. God provides for the continual care of his house through those he sets apart to serve him.
  5. This is a personal-application question. The altar foreshadows Christ, who offered himself once for all (Hebrews 10:10). Because the true sacrifice has been made, we approach God with confidence. Invite members to rest in Christ's finished work as the basis for drawing near.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.