Exodus 27:1-2 NKJV

“You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its height shall be three cubits. You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.

The first thing that one would see when they passed through the gate into the Tabernacle of Moses was the bronze altar.

This altar was the place where the people brought their animals to be sacrificed. Each individual would place their hands on the animal, signifying the transference of their sin to the animal. This was to bring to the awareness of the individual the seriousness of their sin because that animal would have to die.

Jesus was pronounced by John as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Every so often we take sin lightly because we do not fully understand what it cost Christ because we were not there to witness what he went through when they crucified him.

This altar is a representation of the cross and was placed outside the holy place because it was the place of cleansing that gave you access to the holy place.

The Lavar was between the altar and the entrance to the holy place, and it was a place of washing. You can imagine all the blood and animal waste the priest had to handle in the process of making the animal sacrifices. They needed to wash and be clean before they entered the holy place.

As believers, though we are born again, we need to constantly be washed by the water of the word and as we walk in obedience to it then Jesus not only is saviour because of the altar but Lord because we have allowed his word to cleanse us and renew our minds.

Sadly a good number of believers are content being in the outer coat; they are not willing to approach the holy place of intimacy because it requires the responsibility of reading the word and walking in obedience to it. Walking from the altar to the laver into the holy place takes commitment, something many are not willing to pay.

Reflections.

• Have you ever slaughtered and animal? What emotions did you feel?
• What does the bronze altar mean to you, have you embraced Christ as your saviour?
• Is Jesus Lord over your life, do you read his word and walk in obedience to it?