1
“You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height three cubits.
2
You shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.
3
You shall make its pots for removing its ashes, and its shovels, its basins, its forks, and its firepans; all its utensils you shall make of bronze.
4
You shall make for it a grating, a network of bronze; and on the network you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.
5
You shall put the grating under the ledge of the altar, so that the grating reaches halfway up the altar.
6
You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
7
Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on both sides of the altar when it is carried.
8
You shall make it hollow, with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.
9
“You shall make the court of the tabernacle; for the south side of the court there shall be hangings of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits long for the one side.
10
Its pillars shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; but the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver.
11
Likewise for the north side, in length, there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, with its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze; but the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver.
12
For the width of the court on the west side there shall be hangings of fifty cubits, with ten pillars and their ten sockets.
13
The width of the court on the east side, toward the front, shall be fifty cubits.
14
The hangings for one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets;
15
and for the other side of the gate, fifteen cubits of hangings, with their three pillars and their three sockets.
16
For the gate of the court there shall be a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four pillars and their four sockets.”
17
All the pillars around the court shall be joined with silver bands; their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.
18
The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height five cubits, made of fine twisted linen, with bases of bronze.
19
All the utensils for all the service of the tabernacle, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.”
20
“You shall command the children of Israel to bring you pure beaten olive oil for the light, so that lamps may be set up to burn continually.
21
In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is before the ark of the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall arrange it from evening to morning before the LORD. This shall be a lasting statute for the children of Israel throughout their generations.”
🔥🏕️🕯️ Summary of Exodus 27 – The Altar of Burnt Offering, the Court of the Tabernacle, and Oil for the Light
This chapter continues the LORD’s instructions to Moses about the furnishings for worship in the Tabernacle, especially the altar of burnt offering, the court curtain, and the oil lamps.
1. The Altar of Burnt Offering (verses 1–8)
- Made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze.
- Its size was 5 cubits by 5 cubits (about 2.25 m square), and 3 cubits high (about 1.35 m).
- At its four corners were horns of the altar—symbolizing strength and a place of refuge.
- It was furnished with bronze utensils: pots, shovels, forks, and firepans.
- It had bronze poles and rings for carrying it (since the Tabernacle was movable).
2. The Court of the Tabernacle (verses 9–19)
- It was surrounded by white linen curtains five cubits high (about 2.25 m).
- The length of the south and north sides: 100 cubits (about 45 m).
- The width of the west and east sides: 50 cubits (about 22.5 m).
- The gate was on the east side, and its curtain was decorated with blue, purple, and scarlet.
- The supporting pillars were overlaid with silver, and their bases were bronze.
3. Oil for the Lamps (verses 20–21)
- The Lord commanded Israel to bring pure olive oil for lighting the lamps.
- Aaron and his sons were assigned to keep the lamps burning continually in the Holy Place, throughout the night—symbolizing an unceasing spiritual light.
- This was a lasting ordinance for Israel.
📖 Main Teaching
- Worship of the Lord must be done in the way the Lord has appointed.
- The altar of sacrifice is the center of worship, emphasizing forgiveness of sin through blood.
- The curtain and the courtyard fence show the boundary of holiness and nearness to God—not everyone may enter casually.
- The light of the lamp that does not go out symbolizes faith and the continual presence of God.
- The ministry of the priests is a holy responsibility, and a continual one.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- The burnt offering altar symbolizes the cross of Christ, the place where the true sacrifice was offered.
- The horns of the altar became a place of refuge (see 1 Kings 1:50), pointing to salvation in Christ.
- The courtyard curtain shows that although God is near, access to Him must still be in holiness and proper order.
- The lamp that keeps burning symbolizes God’s presence, the prayers of His people, and the light of His word (Psalm 119:105).
- In the New Testament, we are all the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the light of Christ now dwells in His people (Matthew 5:14–16).
