The Copper Altar

by G. Prasher | Category: The Tabernacle | Oct 1958

The copper altar which stood at the door of the tent of meeting was made of acacia wood, overlaid with copper. Particulars as to its structure are found in Exodus 27. 1-8, 38.1-7. It was five cubits long, five cubits broad, and three cubits high, with horns at the four corners. Its grating of network was of copper, and this grating had four copper rings for the staves by which it was carried.

In commencing our consideration of the altar, which, together with its victim, presents precious shadows of the Lord Jesus, we draw attention to the fact that the first object to be encountered after entering the gate was not notable for magnificence of material or structure such as would speak of the glories of Christ. It tells us rather of His sufferings, to endure which He laid aside His glory; He, "being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself." The sovereign Lord stooped from the glory and majesty of His position in heaven to become a bondservant on earth, thus not only bridging the chasm which yawned between Deity and humanity, but also becoming Jehovah's bond servant. Marvellous was His lowliness as thus He was found among men; all His life revealed that He was girded with humility. The story of John 13 is an illustration, and His death on Golgotha's tree where He "was numbered with the transgressors," the very vilest of earth, displays the reality of this emptying of Himself.

HIS DIVINE NATURE

Let us carefully guard against the theory which asserts that the Lord in emptying Himself left His Deity behind. He who when asked by the high priest, "Art Thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed?" could reply, "I am," was not bereft of His divine nature. His divine glory was repeatedly manifested, and we read, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1.18). "Born of the seed of David according to the flesh" He "was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness" (Romans 1.8, 4). "I and the Father are one" (John 10.80) are words that fell from His lips, and caused the Jews to take up stones to stone Him, and say, "Thou ... makest Thyself God." They understood the signification of His words, but they refused to acknowledge His claims.

THE ACACIA WOOD

The acacia wood of the altar would remind us of the humanity of the Lord. The altar could have been made of metal, but instead we have wood, the product of life. The acacia wood is said to be without a peer as regards durability. It speaks of the peerless humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. "He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth" (Isaiah 53.9). Sinless and immaculate at His birth, He grew up well pleasing to God, and the Holy Spirit testifies that "In Him is no sin" (1 John 3.5). This reveals to us what He is as to His being. Then He tells of One who suffered and left us an example, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2.22). Thus as to His being and doing He was perfect.

As we consider Him as the Victim which was to be offered on the altar we remember that He must be without blemish as all the sacrifices had to be. They had to be perfect to be accepted, and they were but the shadows of Him who was without sin, who knew no sin, and who was holy, guileless, undefiled and separated from sinners.

THE COPPER COVERING

The acacia wood of the altar was covered with copper, and this, we think, speaks of endurance and of judgement. Had there been no copper covering for the altar, the fire that burned constantly would have made inroads on the wood, despite the shielding by the earthen altar or hearth within it, but the copper afforded the needful resistance. It is interesting to recall that the Holy Spirit uses the word endured when speaking of the Lord Jesus on the cross: "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12.2).Then we remember how He was strengthened in the garden of Gethsemane. "Greatly amazed, and sore troubled," His "soul exceedingly sorrowful even unto death," His beloved disciples sleeping because their eyes were heavy, "there appeared unto Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him" (Luke 22.48). It is at Golgotha that we see the fulfilment of the prophetic words through the Psalmist:

"Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand,

Upon the Son of Man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself" (Psalm 80.17).

At the north side of the altar the victims fell beneath the stroke of judgement. As the knife plunged into the vitals of the sacrifice it bespoke the requirements of the righteous throne of God. Judgement must fall where sin was laid, and this was daily seen at the side of the copper altar. On Golgotha the Saviour bore the stroke which was due to us, "and the LORD made to light on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53.6).

"Whatever curse was ours He bore,

The wormwood and the gall;

There in that lone, mysterious hour,

Our cup He drained it all"

THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR

The horns which were on the four corners of the altar suggest to us the authority and kingly power of the Lord Jesus Christ. The symbolism of horns is frequently employed both in Old and New Testaments, as in Daniel 8.20; and Revelation 17.12. When down here in lowly form the world had no throne for the Lord Jesus, there was absolutely no niche into which He could be fitted in the arrangement or cosmos of man's day. He was" The Stone which the builders rejected" (Psalm 118.22), but, thanks be to God, He "is become the Head of the corner." When He returns to earth He will take unto Him His great power and reign, "for He must reign, till He hath put all His enemies under His feet" (1 Corinthians 15.25). The four horns pointing as they did to the four corners of the earth might remind us of the universality of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"He shall have dominion also from ses to sea,

And from the River unto the ends of the earth.

They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before Him;

And His enemies shall lick the dust.

Yea, all kings shall fail down before Him:

All nations shall serve Him" (Psalm 72.8-11).

Again in Daniel 2.44 we read: "And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another nation and it shall stand for ever." As we think of these things, and the glory of the coming age, we do well to "give the more diligence" to make our calling and election sure, so that there may be richly supplied unto us the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

A PLACE OF REFUGE

When Adonijah, one of David's sons, usurped the throne about the time of David's death, be was afraid when he realized that Solomon, the chosen one of David for his throne, was anointed and in the place of power. We read, "And Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar" (1 Kings 1.50). If there was a safe place on earth for the man who was in danger of death it was at the horns of the altar. Solomon extended mercy to him, but alas! later he made it manifest that he lacked repentance, and he was put to death. In the case of Joab, also, who died beside the altar, it was shown that there is no sanctuary for the unrepentant sinner. Solemn reminder this that Calvary's cross is no place for the unrepentant, but those who come in repentance towards God and place faith in Christ will obtain mercy.

THE GRATING OF COPPER

The grating reached half way up the altar from the ground to a ledge, and in this grating were the rings of copper in which were placed the staves for Carrying the altar when journeying through the desert. If we realize this it will remove the wrong idea that the grating was inside the altar. The fire burned on the hearth (Leviticus 6.9), which may have been of earth or stone (Exodus 20.25), built up inside the copper framework. This hearth would not conduct the heat in the same way that copper would, and so we can the better understand the continual fire of the altar as to its effects upon the altar.

THE STAVES

These were made of acacia wood, and overlaid with copper. Whatever else the staves may speak of, the lesson of fellowship in the service of bearing the altar is plainly taught. The heavy burden of the altar was shared by a number of men, and the staves would distribute the weight between them. Thinking of men bearing a burden thus together reminds us that in assembly life there are joint responsibilities, and it is of the utmost importance that we learn to keep step and work together. Often the unity of the assembly is marred by failure in this respect. Working heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; and striving together for the faith of the gospel, are among the lovely things we are exhorted to think upon.

The burden carried for the LORD over the desert road by the Levites of old takes our thoughts to Habakkuk 1.1, which says, "The burden (or oracle) which Habakkuk the prophet did see." Also to Nahum 1.1, "The burden of Nineveh." The Holy Spirit speaks of the message or oracle which these prophets bore as the burden. Certainly the prophets felt the weight of the oracle, and we are assured that it is only as we feel the burden of our message that those who hear will feel its weight. Let us learn this lesson, those who speak forth the word of the Lord.

THE SACRIFICE

On the altar were placed the fire and the wood, and thereon was placed the whole of the burnt offering, its head, fat, inwards, legs, and the remainder of the body of the victim of the burnt offering. Added to this were the fat that covered the inwards, the kidneys, and the caul upon the liver from the other sacrifices, besides parts of the meal offering, and all were burned with fire that burned as incense, and which went up to God as a sweet savour. It was as a sweet savour of Christ which delighted the heart of God in heaven, an ascending offering. By day and by night this sweet fragrant cloud ascended, and God was continua4ly reminded of the fragrance of the Coming Sacrifice of Golgotha, when His Son would give Himself "an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell" (Ephesians 5.2).

POTS TO TAKE AWAY ITS ASHES

The pots, shovels, basons, fleshhooks and firepans were made of copper. Pots were used when removing the ashes from the altar. The burnt offering was upon the altar all night until the morning; and the fire was kept burning thereon. The priest, clothed with his linen garment and linen breeches, came in the morning and took up the ashes whereto the fire had consumed the burnt offering, and put them beside the altar. He then changed his garments, and carried forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place (see Leviticus 6. 9-11).

The shadow cast by the carrying forth of the ashes to a clean place will be readily traced by all who love the story of the death of the Lord Jesus. On that middle cross, with head bowed in death, we see the Antitype of the ashes to which the fire had reduced the burnt offering. Joseph, a councillor, a good and righteous man of Arimathea, who was looking for the kingdom of God, went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. He took it down, wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury, and laid it in a new tomb, hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain. That clean tomb retained the body of the Saviour of men until the morning of the third day, when He arose from among the dead in triumph over Satan, sin and death. Like the place of the cross the tomb was outside the city. Thus morning by morning the type was

pointing onward to that which was witnessed not alone by the apostles, but also by certain of the women - "And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where He was laid" (Mark 15.47).

ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER

The copper altar received fresh applications of blood daily from the innumerable victims slain by its side; the hearth was loaded day by day with bodies of the burnt offerings, and the fat and inwards of other sacrifices: the smoke ascended by day and by night, and the sweet savour reached the God of heaven, yet all was merely typical. No real satisfaction resulted from the continuous priestly work at an earthly altar. Those priests "offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect" (Hebrews 9. 9). These were "only carnal ordinances imposed until a time of reformation." "Every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but He, when He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10. 11, 12). "The blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God," can "cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." We can triumph in the assurance that " Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

WE HAVE AN ALTAR

We glory in the once-for-all sacrifice, and rejoice in Him who offered Himself through the eternal Spirit, but let us not fail to exult in the sacred altar which has been provided for us. Christ is the Offering, the Offerer, and He is the Altar. To acknowledge a material altar today involves a mixing of the old with the new, of the material with the spiritual, and is quite foreign to the services of a spiritual house and a holy priesthood. As it is obviously wrong to regard the material building wherein people render religious service as the house of God, so it is equally wrong to regard a material structure, no matter how splendidly adorned, as the altar of God. No such material altar in the will of God exists today. But "we have an Altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle" (Hebrews 18.10). This altar is Christ Himself. How true it is that

"Christ is ALL, and in all" (Colossians 3. 11)!

The remembrance of the Lord, with the showing forth of His death, as set forth in the copper altar, is one of the most precious functions of the holy priesthood, and is proper to the house of God. Men today would take the altar away from the house, but we are called upon to remember where God has placed it. In the past the altar had its relation to the door of God's house, and we should be ready to recognize that He has only one house, and therefore the Antitype of the altar and its services should be found there.

G. Prasher | Oct 1958
The Tabernacle