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Understanding the Tabernacle’s bronze altar: Sacrifice and spiritual transformation (Exodus 26–27)
Saturday, 17 January, 2026
7 takeaways from this study The symbolism of the altar: The bronze altar, especially its four horns and the placement of blood during sacrifices, serves as a powerful symbol of atonement, public accountability, and the importance of sin offerings in both Jewish and Christian traditions. Public atonement and personal responsibility: The visible act of placing blood on the altar’s corners makes sin and its remedy a communal experience, reinforcing the concept that repentance and responsibility are not meant to be hidden. Diversity of biblical perspectives: Both Jewish and Christian interpretations provide meaningful insights: Christianity often associates the altar with Christ’s sacrifice, while Judaism emphasizes public acknowledgment and the transformative power of shame to motivate change. Mercy is central: The consistent biblical message is that mercy — expressed as saving lives and offering forgiveness — is at the core of God’s relationship with humanity, and that atonement rituals were designed to restore rather than destroy. Partnership, not automation: God’s ideal relationship with people is as partners, not robots; debate, questioning, and human initiative (when oriented toward saving or improving lives) are welcomed and exemplified by figures like Moses, Abraham, and the prophets. Spiritual offerings for today: Although the physical altar is not available at this moment, spiritual offerings like gratitude, praise, doing good, and sharing remain essential gifts to God and central to Christian living, as emphasized in Hebrews, Romans, and 1Peter. Practical application: The lessons about sacrifice, obedience, and responsibility are not confined to ritual; they apply to everyday life — encouraging humility, community accountability, and the pursuit of good works in partnership with God. This is a journey through Exodus 26–27 explores the deep wisdom about the altar, the sacrifices and what they actually mean for believers in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah (Christ). Let’s unpack the layers of picture language, symbolism and spiritual reality placed by God in the center of Israel’s worship. The Tabernacle and Its Altar: Design, Meaning and Symbolism Much of Exodus, especially from chapters 25 onward, is given over to describing the מִשְׁכָּן Mishkan (“dwelling place,” the Tabernacle) and its furnishings. The colors — red, purple, blue, and white linen — cover everything (Exodus 26:1), creating a tapestry that’s both beautiful and meaningful. But the focus of our session was the outer altar, the מִזְבֵּחַ mizbe’ach (“altar”) — also called the bronze or copper altar, placed outside the sanctuary itself. This altar (מִזְבֵּחַ נְחֹשֶׁת mizbe’ach nechoshet) is distinctly described in Exodus 27:1–8. It was square, covered in bronze, and had a wire mesh about halfway up. The altar had rings for carrying poles and—most notably—prominent “horns” (קַרְנוֹת qarnot) at its four corners. In the Torah, God’s instructions for the altar are detailed; but it’s not just about construction, it’s about purpose. As the Torah says: “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.” Exodus 27:1 NASB95 Why is the altar so central, and what are the horns about? While these horns might appear decorative or nonfunctional, Scripture specifically instructs the priests to place blood on them. If the nation of Israel or the priests committed certain serious sins, some of the blood of the sin offering was also placed on the four horns of the incense altar. Each detail foreshadows something essential about how sin, atonement, and relationship with God works. Sin Offerings: The Purpose of Blood on the Altar The Torah is clear: when it comes to sin offerings, life is in the blood, and atonement is made by blood (Leviticus 17:11). No sin offering (חַטָּאת khatat) was acceptable unless its blood was applied at this altar. Daniel, our teacher, stressed how offering blood at the four corners of the altar was uniquely related to sin — especially unintentional sin (Numbers 15:27–28). It’s also important to recognize that there were two key altars in the Tabernacle — the bronze altar (מִזְבֵּחַ הַחוּצוֹן mizbe’ach hachitzon, “outer altar”) for animals and grain, and the inner golden altar (מִזְבֵּחַ הַזָּהָב mizbe’ach hazahav, “altar of incense”) in the קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים Qodesh haQadashim (Holy of Holies). With most offerings, blood was poured out at the base of the altar. But with the sin offering, the priest took the blood and touched it upon each of the four horns. Why? It wasn’t for utility — it was symbolic. “So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and it will be forgiven him.” Leviticus 4:35b NASB95 Symbolism of the Four Horns: Shame and Transformation The horns (קַרְנוֹת qarnot) weren’t just decorative. No one needs horns on a barbecue! In ancient Israel, the blood applied to the horns of the altar made the sin visible—to the priest, the worshiper, and the community. Jewish tradition sees this as purposeful. Public application of blood signifies the seriousness of sin and its remedy, even serving as a potential deterrent — shame (בּוּשָׁה boshet)—as an agent for repentance and change. In Judaism, the act of putting the blood on the four corners, it’s an embarrassing flag. Hey, this person sinned, did something wrong. It’s motivation. We often shy away from shame, but Torah sometimes brings things into the open so we learn as a community and encourage תשובה teshuvah (“repentance/return”). The Messianic Perspective: Atonement and Fulfillment in Yeshua From a Messianic Jewish stance, everything in the Tabernacle, especially the sacrifices, points us to the deeper work of Yeshua (Jesus). There’s a common Christian interpretation which sees the four corners as pointing to Messiah — some even connect the “horns” to the crown of thorns (see Matthew 27:29), but strictly speaking, Yeshua is described not as the altar, but as both the כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל kohen gadol (“high priest”), and the ultimate קָרְבָּן korban (“offering”) (see Hebrews 8:1–6, 9:11–14). For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hebrews 13:11–12 NASB95 Yeshua fulfills both the priestly and sacrificial roles — His offering was “visible,” public, and covered the consequence of sin. Ariel: The Lion of God and Consuming Fire The altar’s bottom half is called in Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל Ariel (“Lion of God”), a name that appears in Ezekiel 43:15–16 and Isaiah 29:1–2. The Hebrew word “Ariel” does not literally mean “Light of God,” but it is best understood as “altar hearth” or “fireplace of God,” meaning the place where God’s fire consumes the sacrifice. In the context of the altar, Ariel refers to the hearth of the altar where the fire burns, which aligns directly with the concept of God’s consuming and sanctifying presence. This isn’t merely a technicality — it’s a symbol of God as a אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה esh okhlah (consuming fire, Deuteronomy 4:24), purifying sin and transforming lives. This usage is made explicit in Ezekiel 43:13–16, where Ariel is used as a technical term for the altar hearth. Ezekiel writes that the altar hearth, the Ariel, is four cubits high and that from it extend the four horns. Ezekiel’s altar measurements are much larger than the measurements in Exodus 27 and also much larger than the dimensions of the altar in Solomon’s Temple. Ezekiel describes this altar as: “And the altar hearth shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth shall extend upwards four horns.” Ezekiel 43:15 NASB95 Here, Ariel clearly names the place of burning where sacrifices are consumed. This is the functional heart of the bronze altar—the place where divine fire meets the offering. The idea is not “light” in a poetic sense, but God’s consuming fire, which in Scripture represents His holiness, presence, and judgment. Jerusalem as Ariel: The Altar Hearth of Judgment Isaiah uses the term Ariel symbolically for Jerusalem in Isaiah 29. He calls Jerusalem “Ariel,” meaning the altar hearth of God—the place where judgment and sacrifice occur. God warns that Jerusalem will become like an altar hearth, a place of burning, judgment, and purification. Isaiah, speaking for God’s judgment and cleansing, uses Ariel as a code for Jerusalem — “woe to Ariel, Ariel, the city where David once camped!… Yet I will bring distress to Ariel, and she will be a city of lamenting and mourning…” (Isaiah 29:1–2 NASB95). In other words, God is saying He will consume Jerusalem in judgment just as the sin offerings are consumed on the altar. This reinforces that Ariel is a sacrificial and consuming-fire concept, not merely a name. Although Ariel does not linguistically mean “Light of God,” it does represent the place of God’s fire, the visible manifestation of His holiness, and His consuming presence. Scripture reminds us, “The LORD your God is a consuming fire.” Thus, the altar hearth is the earthly meeting point of sacrifice and divine fire and functions as the visible fire of God within Israel’s worship system. Many Altars, One Purpose A key insight from our study is that there were many altars in the Tanakh — built by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, David, and Elijah. Each had a unique function, but only this one — the altar in the Tabernacle and later the Temple — was for sin offerings (קָרְבַּן חַטָּאת korban chatat). The bronze altar is no longer in service, but our High Priest is always on duty. The bronze, being an excellent conductor of heat, helped ensure that the sacrifices were fully consumed, and the blood placed upon it would be quickly burned away. Other altars, made of unhewn stone (Deuteronomy 27:5–6), were for praise, thanksgiving, or celebration — not for covering sin. This distinction emphasizes that there’s only one appointed way for forgiveness — a foreshadowing of Messiah’s unique and once-for-all offering (Hebrews 10:10–14). God was not offended by these other altars, as we see when Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and God sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah’s offering, demonstrating His acceptance of Elijah and confirming his mission. True Worship: From Sacrifice to Service If, in the days of the Temple, worship was focused on bringing the right korban in the right way, how does that apply without a Temple today? Here the Apostolic Writings give essential instruction: “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15–16 NASB95) “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 12:1 NASB95) “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 2:5 NASB95) From Hebrews, we see that our gifts include praise, thanksgiving, doing good, walking in obedience, sharing what we have, and living under proper spiritual authority. The Apostle Paul tells us that our offering includes our service, our refusal to conform to the world, and the continual transformation of our thinking. We cannot merely speak in religious language; we must also think and act in a way that reflects genuine obedience. The Apostle Peter reminds us that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession, called to proclaim His excellencies through holy conduct, good deeds, submission to rightful authority, and lives that honor God before the world. In other words, every act of praise (תְּהִלָּה tehillah), gratitude (תּוֹדָה todah), doing good (מִצְוָה mitzvah), and sharing (κοινωνία koinonia) —these are our daily offerings. In Messianic faith, this is not just a New Testament idea; it is the living out of Torah’s call to faithfulness, made possible through Yeshua our High Priest (כֹּהֵן kohen) and Mediator (μεσίτης mesites). Honesty, Shame, and Communal Growth The Torah’s way of dealing with sin was public enough to encourage honesty, humility, and change. No one is exempt. Whether it was the blood on the altar’s horns or a confession brought before the assembly, God’s method is not for shaming’s sake alone, but to motivate return (teshuvah). Messianic Jewish faith maintains this — a community accountable to one another, honoring both the call to purity and the power of forgiveness (1John 1:9). God’s Partnership with Humanity: Debate, Obedience, and Mercy A fascinating theme in our discussion was the Jewish tradition of arguing, or dialoguing, with God (Genesis 18:23–33; Exodus 32:11–14). Prophets like Moses and Abraham engage God not as robots, but as responsible partners. In fact, the Hebrew root פ-ל-ל palal (“to intercede/pray”) suggests mediation or even negotiation. Our walk with God, according to the Torah and Messianic vision, involves both obedience (שְׁמַע shema’) and initiative—especially when the goal is to bring more people to God. Mercy (רַחֲמִים rachamim) and transformation take precedence, just as Yeshua’s ministry prioritized healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation (Matthew 9:13, quoting Hosea 6:6). Lesson: You Are a Living Altar So, what does all this mean for us today? The altar teaches: There is a high, public value in accountability, confession, and making wrongs right. God is not shaming us, but inviting us into teshuvah. Our sacrifices now include praise, service, and sharing — fulfilled in Messiah. Partnership with God welcomes honest struggle; our questioning, when it leads to more salvation or reconciliation, is blessed (Romans 9:1–3). Mercy is a priority: “For I delight in mercy rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 NASB95) God’s Fire: Not Only Judgment, but Refinement When we offer praise, thanksgiving, obedience, good works, generosity, faithful submission, our bodies in service, freedom from conformity to the world, and transformed minds, God receives these offerings and blesses us for them. He burns away our sins, transgressions, and iniquities. God’s holy fire is not merely punitive; it is also refining. It purifies us, shapes us, and moves us toward greater holiness, just as the fire on the altar consumed the sacrifice and made it acceptable before Him. The altar hearth, the Ariel, reminds us that God is not distant from His people. He is not a silent observer of our worship, nor a passive recipient of our words. He is a consuming fire—holy, purifying, and present. In the days of the tabernacle, that fire fell upon sacrifices of flesh and blood. Today, it falls upon lives that are willingly laid before Him. We no longer bring animals or grain, but we do bring something far more personal: ourselves. Our time, our obedience, our gratitude, our conduct, our resources, our very bodies and minds—all of these are now placed on the altar before our faithful High Priest. And just as surely as God once received the offerings placed upon the bronze altar, He still receives what is offered to Him in sincerity and faith. God’s fire has not changed. It still burns, not to destroy those who belong to Him, but to cleanse, refine, and make holy. It consumes what is sinful, weak, and impure, and it strengthens what is true and pleasing in His sight. When we yield ourselves to Him, we are not diminished—we are transformed. Let’s offer up ourselves — our praise, our acts of love, our repentance, our willingness to partner with God — as a קָרְבַּן חָי korban chai (“living sacrifice”), through Yeshua our Messiah. So let us come willingly to the altar, not in fear, but in trust. Let us offer lives of praise, obedience, generosity, and holiness. And let us remember that the same God who receives the offering is the God who sends the fire—and His fire is for our good, our purification, and our perfection in Him. May we remember: the fire of God, the Ariel, is not only a consuming fire but a refining one, transforming us into vessels of honor, mercy, and love — serving Him and each other, now and always. The post Understanding the Tabernacle’s bronze altar: Sacrifice and spiritual transformation (Exodus 26–27) appeared first on Hallel Fellowship.
