Exodus 27:1-21 – “Into His Courts”
Outline:
- Intro.
- Vs. 1-8 Sacrifice & Offering
- Vs. 9-19 Coming to the Lord
- Vs. 20-21 Led by the Spirit
Intro.
As we have seen, God views the tabernacle from the inside out, just as He does us as well. It never ceases to amaze me that we always try to put our best foot forward. God is not impressed with what impresses us. In this chapter, we move from the tabernacle to the courtyard and the items that are there. You will notice a change in the materials of construction from gold and silver to bronze. There is a phenomenon that is suggested by the change in material. Gold speaks of the deity of Christ, whereas silver and bronze speak of redemption and judgment. Yeh, so? Well, the further you move from inside the tabernacle, which is gold, the materials change to silver, then bronze. In other words, the Holy Place, which was that 15 feet by 45 feet structure, emphasizes the person of Christ, whereas the court speaks of the work of Christ. This is the natural progression, as we shall see.
This week, we look at three specific things, again from God’s perspective, starting with the things closest to Him and moving outward. Between the tabernacle and the entrance to the Holy Place was the Bronze Altar. Then, the next thing we see is the court itself, and lastly, you are outside looking for the oil to light the lamp. The more I thought about it, the more I saw the work of the Holy Spirit. What? Well, if you look at this from man’s perspective in reverse order, you will see what I mean. Oil for the lamp speaks of the Holy Spirit, in this case, leading us into a relationship with the Lord. As we bring the oil, the Holy Spirit is guiding us into the court of the tabernacle. There is only one entrance, and all that is seen as we approach is a pure white fence. Upon entering the gate, the first thing that we see is the bronze altar of sacrifice, and before we can draw near to the Lord, we realize that without the shedding of innocent blood, we cannot come any closer.
II.) Vs. 1-8 Sacrifice & Offering
Vs. 1-2: In Hebrew, the word “altar” has at its root the word that means “killing place.” Amazing how we have sanitized words like altar. To us, an altar is a beautifully decorated table in a church. To the Jews, it was a brass box that was covered with blood where an animal sacrifice was bound for their sins. This was the largest of the seven pieces of furniture in the tabernacle. It was almost large enough to hold all the other pieces. According to the measurement, which puts a cubit at around 18 inches (from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow), the brazen altar would have been 7 feet 6 inches square by 4 feet 6 inches high and sort of looked like a big box.
Again, it was made out of acacia wood, which again speaks of Jesus, as we have seen before. On top were four prongs or horns that reached out in each direction. The purpose of these, we are told in Psalm 118:27, was to “Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.” Back in 1968, they excavated a stone altar in the southern area of Israel near Arad with these same dimensions.
Vs. 3-5: To get a picture, imagine a hollow box 7 feet 6 inches square with a height of 4 feet 6 inches. Inside, about halfway down, was a grate so that the ashes could fall through. This box would be sitting up on a dirt mound with steps leading to it. All the utensils were made out of bronze and were used to make sure that the sacrifice was thoroughly burned and to pick up the ashes afterward.
Vs. 6-8: The last feature of this brazen altar was that, like everything else in the tabernacle, it was portable. So? Well, that meant that what took place on that altar was to be done no matter where the location was. So, 2 ½ feet down on the inside was a bronze grate under which the priests were to keep a continual fire burning. The ashes of the burnt offering fell through the grate, and both the ashes of the animal with that of the wood were collected and carried outside the camp.
So, what does all this picture? Think of it for a moment! It’s early in the day, and you start out from your tent. As you leave the dark tents, you see in the distance this beautiful white fence. It stands in stark contrast to all that is around it, this sea of humanity dwelling in the hopelessly drab black tents. You can see the rectangular structure above the fence line, covered in a gray waterproof skin. As you move around this white fence, which is about half a football field in length, you notice that there is only one entrance. It is a beautifully decorated curtain, and as you go in, the first thing that you notice is this brazen altar. That’s right—a “killing place” with smoke rising above. You have come to get close with God; you have come to behold His beauty in the Holy Place. You have come to hang around the mercy seat, if you will, but before you can go there, you must stop at this “killing place,” where an innocent animal is going to have its blood shed for you. Then it is going to have its entire flesh turned into ashes. You could not get any closer to God unless you stopped here first.
Do you get the picture yet? The way into the presence of God always starts where an innocent victim has died for a guilty sinner. In fact, the Jew would not ever attempt their journey into the tabernacle apart from bringing an animal. The priest would be waiting at the gate to make sure that the animal was without spot or blemish. And seeing that he was, the priest each day would wash the sacrifice, then lay his hands upon its head, thus transferring his guilt and sin to the sacrifice. Think now of Jesus at His baptism by John the Baptist. John had been baptizing all day, the baptism of repentance. One by one, men and women came into that water. As they did, they came confessing their sin, and John would place his hands on their heads as they went under the water. It was symbolic, as their confessed sins stayed in the water. Then, at the end of the day, came Jesus. He came up to John, but there were no sins to confess, and John hesitated, “I have need to be baptized by You!” he said. But Jesus reassured him, saying, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” John was acting as the priest, and Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, and all of man’s sins were transferred to Jesus. This same picture was repeated three years later at the cross. What is the cross? Is it not a killing place? Today we see folks wearing crosses, but how many of us understand that they are wearing a “killing place” around their neck?
Look again at the position of the brazen altar. It was not outside the gate, no—it was the first thing you saw as you came inside. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” You see? We must be coming to God believing that He is (inside the fence) before we see the brazen altar (the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him). How about it? Do you look at your cross this way? Do you look at your cross and remind yourself that this morning you started out on a journey to meet with the Lord? According to Romans 12:1-2, “That you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Are you coming to that cross that you wear, whereby faith you appropriated the perfect sacrifice, where His blood was shed for you and His flesh consumed in the fire of God’s wrath against our sin? Look at that cross again, for by it is the only access to the presence of the Lord.
Folk’s, at the entrance of every one of our relationships with God the Father stands a doorway that is a cross. Innocent blood was poured out there so that you could enter in. Will you not stay a while at the door daily? So, please, wear your jewelry and such, but just remember what it is you’re doing! Last year, as we were in Israel, we went to the garden tomb where they laid Jesus after His death. I never realized how close it was to where he was crucified. Today, just to the right of it is a Muslim bus station, where three times a day they blare the chants to Islam. Right above this bus station is where Jesus was crucified, and you can clearly see the natural cave in the hillside that still to this day looks like a skull. That is why they called it Golgotha (the place of the skull). Every day, these folks have a skull looking over them, yet they do not see that it is a door to God! I pray we never lose the sense of awe at the “killing place.”
III.) Vs. 9-19 Coming to the Lord
Vs. 9-15, 17-19: God instructs Moses to put up a courtyard of fine white linen. The area was 150 feet by 75 feet and 7 feet high. The pillars, which would hold up the white linen fence, were to be interspaced about every 7 feet 5 inches. The bases of them were of bronze, with a silver top and silver hooks to hang the white linen.
Vs. 16: There was only one gate, as I said earlier, but it was rather large, being 30 feet wide. It was made up of the same blue, purple, and scarlet yarn as we have seen throughout.
Now, what does this have to do with you and I? Well, the fact that this fence was white reminds us of the holiness of God. Today, people have trivialized a relationship with God. I hear folks speak of God in terms that have nothing to do with who He is. Everybody claims a relationship with God, and all roads, they say, empty into the same pond. Yet Jesus did not say this. Instead, He said in John 10:1, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” Yes, Christianity sits at the center of humanity like the tabernacle did amongst the Israelite camp. Yes, it was beautiful and inviting, yet it stood in stark contrast to the world and the tents that were around it. Folks, make no mistake—this courtyard served two purposes:
- It kept people out. It was, by its very nature, designed to keep folks who were just seeking out of curiosity out. If a person wanted to come in some other way, other than the one way of the 30-foot gate, then they were not going to get in. Well, that is exclusive and not fair of God! No, not really—they could come by way of the gate, and the gate was made more attractive than the rest of the courtyard so as to draw them. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 7:22-23, where He says that, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” You see, to let people in another way is to give them a false sense of security. The courtyard was to make sure that they could not fool themselves into thinking that they could know God by some other way.
- Second, it made sure that they came in through the gate. Jesus said, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” God wanted them to realize that they had to come by way of the death of an innocent because of their sin and rebellion. It was because of the structure of these courts and the gate that the Psalmist wrote Psalms like Psalm 84:2, “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” Psalm 84:10: “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 96:8: “Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts.”
So, you can see the longing of the courts of God, and they knew that the only way in was by way of the gate and into the brazen altar to offer a sacrifice. But that was the end of it—they could come no further. Isn’t it amazing? They sang songs of joy, yet all they could ever do was come into the courts. Yet now, because of Jesus, we can come all the way into His presence through a living way. When I read these Psalms, I realize that for these Jews, the highest activity was worshiping God. Oh, how they appreciated being able to come into His courts! Then I realize that, for the most part, I don’t ever think of the access that I now have to God. Where is my song of joy about being able to enter into the Most Holy Place and sit at the right by the mercy seat every day? I must say that I am saddened by my attitude. Boy, am I ever spoiled and so unappreciative.
Furthermore, as we have discussed, this tabernacle moved with them. God was showing them that we only come to Him because He first came to us. Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
IV.) Vs. 20-21 Led by the Spirit
Vs. 20-21: Here we are told where the oil for the golden lampstand was to come from. The priests were to attend to the lamps from morning to night, as the light was never to go out. The oil was to be gathered from pressed olive oil, not beaten. If you go to a store today, you will see on the shelves different types of olive oil. There are the bottles that just say “olive oil” on them. This is still pure olive oil, but it still has water in it, so the flavor is watered down, and it won’t burn as well. Then there is virgin olive oil, and it, too, has been pressed from green olives, and they have gotten more of the water out of it. Lastly, there are the bottles that say “pure virgin olive oil,” and these are the most expensive because the water has been removed. The best oil is made from fruit gathered about November or December, when it has begun to change color but before it has become black. The berry in the more advanced state yields more oil, but it is of inferior quality.
Now, the olive oil for the lampstand speaks of the Holy Spirit, and of course, the work of the Holy Spirit is to draw us to the cross of Christ. Furthermore, in the life of every believer, we are reminded of Zechariah’s words, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD.” Hey folks, God never wants us to run out either. He has supplied us with a continual flow of the Holy Spirit so that Christ’s flame will burn brightly in our lives. In fact, He even trims our wicks so that we can be on fire. Paul reminds us that we now are, “light in the Lord, so we ought to walk as children of light.”
So, as we conclude this chapter, we see that it is the Holy Spirit that draws us into His court but only through the gate, which when we enter in, we see our need for a sacrifice. I pray today that you will be thankful to Jesus for what He has done.