Exodus Chapter 27
A. The altar of burnt offering.
There may seem to be a bit of repetition, but the way that the Book of Exodus is laid out describes the Tabernacle twice, once for instruction and again as they build the structure.
The structure of the setup of the Camp surrounding the Tabernacle is also an interesting study.
The Camp of Israel
The Tabernacle was always set up at the center of the Camp of Israel. The tribe of Levi was assigned to care for it, and encamped around it. Moses, Aaron, and the priests camped on the east side next to the entrance. The three families of the tribe of Levi (Merari, Kohath, and Gershon), camped on the north, south, and west side, respectively. The remaining twelve tribes were grouped into four camps around the Levites.
A Baker’s Dozen
It is helpful to realize that there were really 13 tribes, not just “twelve.” This can be confusing to the uninitiated reader.
Jacob had twelve sons, each becoming the founder of one of the twelve tribes. However, Joseph was sold into slavery and subsequently emerged as the prime minister of Egypt.1 In Egypt, Joseph married Asenath and had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. When Jacob and the rest of the family ultimately came to Egypt, Jacob adopted his two grandsons as his own.2 With the tribe of Joseph in two parts, we have an “alphabet” of 13 to chose from.
The Twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob) are listed twenty times in the Old Testament. 3 They are listed by mother (Leah, Rachel, Zilhah, and Bilhah), their numeration, their encampment, order of march, their geographical relations, etc. Each time they are listed in a different order.
The Levites were exempt from military duties. When the order of military march is given, there are still 12 listed, excluding Levi. By dividing Joseph into two: Ephraim and Manasseh.
(Levi is thus omitted on four occasions. In a similar manner, Dan is omitted on three occasions, the most notable one in Revelation 7.)
(See our expositional commentary on The Twelve Tribes, a companion volume to our Expositional Commentary on Joshua.)
The Four “Camps”
The twelve remaining tribes, excluding the Levites, were clustered into four “camps.”4 Each of these groups, of three tribes each, were to rally around the tribal standard of the lead tribe.
Judah’s tribal standard was, of course, the lion. Reuben’s ensign was a man; Ephraim’s the ox; Dan’s, ultimately, the eagle. (These are detailed in the diagram on the next page.)
The Mazzeroth
It may come as a surprise to many to learn that each of the 12 tribes were associated with one of the constellations of the Mazzeroth (the Hebrew zodiac). We know these by their postBabel names after being corrupted by pagan traditions. By learning the Hebrew names, and the names of the principal stars in the order of their magnitude, we discover they portray the entire redemptive plan of God - from the virgin birth (Virgo) to the triumph of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Leo). (A full discussion of this has been included in our briefing package, Signs in the Heavens)
The Four Faces
It is interesting to note that these four primary tribal standards the lion, the man, the ox, and the eagle - are the same as the four faces of the cherubim. Each time we encounter a view of the throne of God,5 we notice these strange living creatures, somehow associated with the protection of His throne, His holiness, etc. It would seem that the camp of Israel - with the tabernacle in the middle - seems to be a model of the throne of God: His presence in the center, represented by the tabernacle, encircled by the four faces, all surrounded by His people.
Goat’s hair tents would make them appear very black (Song Sol 1:5) surrounding the Tabernacle with its white linen fence which would stand out rather brightly. Black representing sin, and white represents righteousness. The Tabernacle with its white fence sitting on brass sockets, brass speaking of judgement in the Levitical sense. From the outside looking in, one would only see righteousness and judgement of God.
By there’s even more. Why the specific numbers?
The Numbering
The numbering of the tribes is detailed in Numbers chapter 1. The actual population represented is obviously somewhat larger than these enumerations, since only men over twenty, able to go to war, were counted. Most analysts assume that women, children, and the elderly, would multiply the count factor: 3 or whatever. The total camp would thus appear to approximate two million.
While the numbers of each tribe may not seem very revealing, the totals for each of the four camps are.
Cardinal Compass Points
Each of the camps, of three tribes each, were to encamp on one of the cardinal compass directions (N, S, E, or W) with respect to the camp of the Levites enclosing the tabernacle. 6
We can only guess at how much space was required by the Levites, whether it was 100 ft. on a side, 100 yards, or whatever. But whatever it was, we’ll view that length as a basic unit.
To fully appreciate all of the implications, you must try to think like a rabbi: you need to maintain an extremely high respect for the precise details of the instructions.
The Tribe of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon — collectively called the Camp of Judah — had to encamp east of the Levites. This poses a technical problem. Notice that if the breadth of their camp was larger than that of the Levites, the excess would be southeast or northeast, not east. Therefore, their camp could only be as wide as the Levites, and they then had to extend eastward to obtain whatever space they required.
The camps of Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan had the same constraint on the south, west, and north respectively. The length of each leg would be proportional to the total in each camp.
Aerial View
If we assemble what we can infer from the Torah account, we can imagine what the camp of Israel looked like from above: the tabernacle and the Levites in the center, surrounded by the four faces of the tribal standards, and each of the four camps of Judah, Ephraim, Reuben, and Dan, stretching out in the four cardinal directions.
We can also tally the size of each tribe to total the relative length of each camp as they stretched out in each of the four directions. The plan view, on a relative scale, is shown on the next page.
It would appear to us that it is a cross! Isn’t that remarkable? And this is from the Torah, not the New Testament!
The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. Isn’t the Word of God fabulous?
Redeemed People
Gentile saved?: Ps 65:4; 100:4; Lev 17:8; 22:18; Nu 15:14-16; Rom 10:11-13.
The Outer Court
When this court is replaced by the permanent court for the Temple; this becomes the outer court, sometimes called the “Court of the Gentiles.”
The First Temple (Solomon’s Temple), the Second Temple (Herod’s Temple, originally built by Nehemiah’s Temple and remodeled by Herod), is the one which our Lord visited, the Third Temple is the one to be rebuilt, and then a Fourth Temple which Ezekiel describes (the so-called Millennial Temple).
[For an update on the events leading the rebuilding of the Third Temple do see our book or Briefing Package called, The Coming Temple.]
Length of Hangings for the Court are the same length of hanging over the Tabernacle (280 cubits).
The door which is the only entrance and is on the East; John 10:9, Jesus is the Door.
Priestly Garments and the Priesthood
The Priestly garments are described as part of the Tabernacle, they also point to Jesus Christ.24 Elders described in Revelation. David organized 24 “courses” in Priesthood.(All 24 courses are present at the Feast of Tabernacles.)“Aaron and his sons” are mentioned 24x in the Book of Exodus.Interesting!Priesthood refers to fellowship.
1. (1-2) The basic structure of the bronze altar.
“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.”
a. You shall make an altar: The idea behind the Hebrew word for altar is essentially, “killing-place.” It was a place of death and sacrifice, where atonement for sin was made and consecration unto God was marked.
i. “This was the only altar of sacrifice in Israel’s sanctuary in early days: blood would be smeared on its ‘horns’ in ceremonial atonement, and on it ‘holocausts’ or ‘whole burnt offerings’ would be laid. Libations were poured at its side, and blood dashed over it.” (Cole)
ii. Under the new covenant, we also have an altar: We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat (Hebrews 13:10). Our altar – our “killing-place” – is the cross, where Jesus died for our sins and we follow by dying unto self and living for Jesus.
iii. We lay down our lives on that same altar: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me… .But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 2:20 and 6:14)
b. Make an altar of acacia wood… overlay it with bronze: The altar was a box-like structure and because of its overlay of bronze it could survive high temperatures. The altar was 7 feet 6 inches (2.5 meters) square, and 4 feet 6 inches (1.5 meters) high.
i. For years, the sides of this altar were smooth and shiny bronze. But Numbers 16 describes the rebellion of Korah, who challenged the leadership of Moses: You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy . . . Why then do you exalt yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? (Numbers 16:3). In confirming the leadership of Moses, God judged Korah and his followers, and caused the ground to split and swallow up all the rebels of Korah. The LORD then commanded the priests to take the bronze incense-censers held by Korah and his followers, to hammer them flat, and to cover the altar of burnt offering with them, to be a memorial to the children of Israel (Numbers 16:40).
ii. From then on, every time someone came to the altar of burnt offering, they noticed the rough, hammered finish of the bronze – and were reminded of Korah’s rebellion and God’s judgment against him and those who followed him.
c. Make its horns on its four corners: There were to be horns on the altar, so the altar would “reach out” to all directions. Horns were also thought of a display of strength and power. In sacrifice, atoning blood was applied to each horn.
i. The horns were “To bind the beasts unto, that were to be slain in sacrifice (Psalm 118:27). And to signify the power of Christ’s priesthood (Habakkuk 3:4).” (Trapp)
2. (3-8) Accessories for the altar.
“Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. You shall make a grate for it, a network of bronze; and on the network you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. You shall put it under the rim of the altar beneath, that the network may be midway up the altar. And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. The poles shall be put in the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar to bear it. You shall make it hollow with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.”
a. Make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans: These utensils were used in the preparation of the offerings and the maintenance of the altar. Each was specially made for the tabernacle out of bronze and each was set-aside for the work of the tabernacle.
i. Pans: “To hold the fat-soaked ashes when they were removed from the hearth by the shovels.” (Kaiser)
ii. Basins: “To catch the blood of the animals slain beside the altar to be sprinkled on the altar’s base.” (Kaiser)
iii. Forks: “Three-pronged forks for arranging the sacrifice or retracting the priest’s portion (1 Samuel 2:13).” (Kaiser)
iv. Firepans: “For carrying fire from the altar of incense inside the Holy Place (Leviticus 10:1; 16:12; 1 Kings 7:50).” (Kaiser)
b. Make a grate for it, a network of bronze: The grate provided a floor for the altar so the ashes and burnt remains fell down through the network of bronze. The grate also had the rings and the poles with which the altar was carried.
B. The courtyard and the gate.
1. (9-15) The hangings for the perimeter of the courtyard.
“You shall also make the court of the tabernacle. For the south side there shall be hangings for the court made of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long for one side. And its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets shall be bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be silver. Likewise along the length of the north side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, with its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze, and the hooks of the pillars and their bands of silver. And along the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits, with their ten pillars and their ten sockets. The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. The hangings on one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. And on the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.”
a. Also make the court of the tabernacle: A fine linen fence marked off the courtyard, white in color. It provided an area of 150 feet (50 meters) by 75 feet (25 meters).
i. “As the Tent itself took up only about one-fifteenth [about 7%] of the area of the courtyard, there was plenty of room.” (Cole)
ii. “Its purposes were fourfold: (1) it was a barrier in that it prevented unlawful approach; (2) it was a protection, keeping out all wild animals; (3) it was a positive line of demarcation between the world and the holy presence of God; and (4) with its single gate, it was a way of approach to God.” (Kaiser)
b. Its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets shall be bronze: The short linen fence surrounding the courtyard was held up by a system of bronze pillars, twenty on the long sides and ten pillars on the short side of the rectangular-shaped court, with three pillars on the side with the entrance to the tabernacle.
i. Exodus 27:18 tells us that the pillars were 7.5 feet (2.5 meters) high. Each had a bronze base and silver top piece, and a silver hook for hanging the linen upon.
2. (16) The gate to the courtyard.
“For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets.”
a. For the gate of the court: The gate was on the east side, the same side as the gate to the tent of the tabernacle. It was woven from the four colors used for the weavings of the tabernacle: blue and purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen thread.
b. A screen twenty cubits long: Though there was only one gate to the courtyard, it was large – 30 feet (10 meters) wide. This was the only entrance to the court of the tent of meeting.
3. (17-19) Other details regarding the courtyard.
“All the pillars around the court shall have bands of silver; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze. The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen, and its sockets of bronze. All the utensils of the tabernacle for all its service, all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.”
a. All the pillars around the court shall have bands of silver: Each pillar had a top of silver, making it shiny and visible from afar in the bright desert. Each pillar also had a socket of bronze, or a base of bronze. Refining through the fire makes bronze.
i. Silver (a metal illustrating redemption) was the foundation for the tent of meeting. It was also the top – the most visible part – of the pillars surrounding the courtyard. But the courtyard fence hung on a foundation of refined bronze, a metal associated with judgment because it is forged in the fire. One could say that the tabernacle court was based on, founded upon the judgment Jesus took in our place.
b. The pegs of the court: These helped anchor down the flaps of the tabernacle and the gates and were made of bronze.
c. All the pillars around the court: The court of the tabernacle or the temple is an important theme throughout the rest of the Old Testament. This is mainly because the temple itself was inaccessible except to a few priests. All others in Israel met God in the court. We can say by application that God also invites us to come into His courts to praise Him.
· Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple. (Psalm 65:4)
· My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:2)
· For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10)
· Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:13)
· Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. (Psalm 96:8)
· Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4)
· I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 116:17-19)
· Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; praise Him, O you servants of the LORD! You who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. (Psalm 135:1-2)
i. Under the New Covenant we appreciate this longing for the court of God’s house, but we don’t need to stop there. Because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus and His finished work on our behalf, we can come – not only to the courts, but also right on into the holy presence of God. We thank God for the right to come into his courts, but we don’t have to stop there.
d. All the pillars around the court: In overview, in coming to the tabernacle, one saw a white linen fence, with shiny spots of silver on the posts holding up the fence, surrounded by thousands of black tents, with the pillar of cloud over a unassuming tent in the midst of the courtyard covered with badger’s skin.
i. The entire tabernacle was a tent – a moveable structure. God wanted Israel to know He was with them wherever they went. It wasn’t a case of “You come to Me,” but the idea was “I have come to You”.
ii. “The Hebrews were meant to feel that the God of their fathers was a fellow-pilgrim, that where they pitched He pitched, that their enemies, difficulties, and long toilsome marches were His.” (Meyer)
4. (20-21) The oil for the lamps on the lampstand.
“And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.”
a. That they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light: The oil for the lamps on the lampstand – the only light in the tabernacle – came from pressed olives, not beaten olives.
i. “Beaten olive oil, so the Mishnah tells us, refers to the method of production of the very best oil.” (Cole)
ii. God uses a pressing work in the life of His people. We, like Paul, may be hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8) – and God uses our times of pressing for His glory.
iii. “The saintly McCheyne used to say, when urging his brother ministers to diligent preparation for the pulpit: ‘Beaten oil for the sanctuary.’ And he strove to never present to his people truth which had not been beaten out by careful devout meditation.” (Meyer)
iv. “Oil is uniformly the symbol of the Holy Spirit of God. Here, then, is the true value and meaning of this sacred oil. The elect light-bearers of the world are only able to fulfill their function by the Holy Spirit.” (Morgan)
b. Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning: The priests were to tend the lamps, making sure that the lamps had oil to burn and that their wicks were trimmed, so that the lamps would never go out – especially during the night.
i. God never wanted the lamps to lose their fire. Only by a continual supply of oil and trimming of the wicks could keep them burning. We can only continue to be on fire for God if we are continually supplied with the oil of the Holy Spirit and are “trimmed” by God to bear even more light.
ii. In dark days there is all the more reason to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to be “trimmed wicks” for the LORD. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).
