The Brazen Altar.

 
THE tabernacle in the wilderness is said, by the Holy Ghost, to have been “the pattern of things in the heavens” (Heb. 8:55Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. (Hebrews 8:5); Ex. 25:40; 39:4340And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25:40)
43And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them. (Exodus 39:43)). And Psalms 29:99The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. (Psalm 29:9) bears witness to the fact that everything in it spoke of glory. The structure itself, the vessels of service, the loops and taches, the pins and cords, each and all proclaimed the same wondrous truth—the glory of God, especially as displayed in the man Christ Jesus. Hence in the New Testament the mercy-seat and veil are presented by the Holy Ghost as prefiguring Him, in the one case as the propitiation for sin, in the other as the believer’s way into God’s presence (Rom. 3:2525Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25); Heb. 10:19, 2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20)). Having such examples we may safely conclude that the brazen altar, in its structure, situation and service, is an adumbration of the same glorious person.
Its structure. The altar was made of boards of shittim wood, which were covered with plates of brass.
It was foursquare, and had a brass grate within which held the fire, and at the same time gave strength to the whole structure to which it was joined.
Shittim wood is called by the Septuagint translators “the incorruptible wood.” It seems to typify the great truth that He “partook of flesh and blood,” He was “the seed of the woman,” “the second man,” “the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:4747The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47)); the Son of David and the Son of the Highest at the same time (Luke 1:3232He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: (Luke 1:32)). Born of the virgin, the man Christ Jesus, “He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh;” “though unlike any other man that ever lived upon the earth, incorrupt and incorruptible; having a body prepared for Him by God in in order that He might die; but without taint of mortality or death in it.” It follows therefore that the manhood of the Lord did not detract from His deity (as some dare to affirm) nor His deity from His manhood. He was perfect God and perfect man in one person.
Its situation. The altar was placed at the “door of the tabernacle,” i.e, the entrance to the court. To it every Israelite had the right of approach, and this was the only vessel to which the same liberty attached. Of course none but priests could officiate, but the worshipper was privileged to bring his offering to the brazen altar. It was therefore in a position that could be reached by all. So we read of the Lord Jesus that He became flesh and dwelt among us. And “among us” He gave Himself to death, in order that we might have life. To obtain it man need not ascend into heaven to bring Christ down, nor descend into the deep to bring Him up from the dead. As it saith, “The word is nigh thee,” etc. (Rom. 10:6-86But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; (Romans 10:6‑8)). He, God’s Son, came down from the glory into the dust of death; and now He is risen again, having brought salvation to man where he is.
Its service. It was not only that the victim was brought to the altar. It was there that its blood was shed. The life is in the blood, and it must be given upon the altar to make atonement for the soul (Lev. 17:1111For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)). The fire of the altar must feed upon the victim. It must be subjected to judgement in order that God’s righteous character might be fully vindicated and He go out in mercy to the offerer. There must be in fact the judgement of sin according to man’s responsibility. Such seems to be the import of the plates of brass.
And was it not upon the cross that God judged sin? It was He Who laid upon His Son the iniquities of His people (Isa. 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)). It was by God’s counsel He was delivered to death (Acts 2:2323Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)). God’s hand was bruising Him (Isa. 53). He endured God’s wrath (Psa. 102:1010Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. (Psalm 102:10)). Under the curse of God’s violated law He bowed His head and died (Deut. 21:2323His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 21:23); Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)). The sword of the Lord of hosts smote the man that was Jehovah’s fellow (Zech. 13:77Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7)). God’s holiness ordered the stroke, and His justice inflicted the blow. Therefore the word of the Lord Jesus is the result of His bearing sin’s judgment. “He that believeth.... shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
Again, in the Mosaic ritual the altar and the sacrifice were closely connected. The word used for the former is derived from a root meaning “to slay” and “to offer sacrifice.” And the Lord Jesus is the sacrifice as well as the altar. “He hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:22And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:2)). And we are accepted in Him (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6); Lev. 1:44And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4)). God sees us now in Christ. He values us according to the value of that offering. If He is pleased with Christ, so is He pleased with us; for we are in Him, members of His body, and loved as He is loved (John 17:2323I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)). Thus we are the objects of God’s love and of Christ’s, Who loved us unto death. And His love to us is to be the measure and standard of our love to one another (John 13:3434A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)). W.T.H.