Moses was instructed to build an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide and three cubits high. It was to have horns on the four corners, all one piece, all overlaid with bronze (v1-2). The altar was the place for the sacrifice of the burnt offerings and blood was to be smeared on its horns as an atonement. The horns were to tie the beasts to for the sacrifice. It was all overlaid with bronze to withstand high temperatures from the sacrifices.
They were also told to make ash pans, shovels, basins, forks and fire pans all out of bronze. There would also be a bronze grate with a network for the ashes to fall through. There would be four bronze rings at the corners to carry it all by means of poles of acacia wood covered with bronze. Again, as we saw in the previous chapters, it must all be made in the pattern as it was shown to Moses on the mountain (v3-8).
We come to the outer courtyard (v9-15) and they were to make twenty pillars and sockets of bronze. The hooks and their bands were to be silver to hang fine woven linen one hundred cubits long for both the north side and the south side. The width of the court on the western side was to be hangings of fifty cubits with ten pillars and ten sockets. The width of the court on the eastern side was to be fifty cubits. There would be a gate on the east side with three pillars and sockets on each side fifteen cubits long on each side of the gate (v9-19). The height throughout was five cubits (7ft 5in).
The gate had a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple and scarlet thread and fine woven linen. It had four pillars and four sockets (v16). The gate was on the same side as the entrance to the tabernacle and was 30ft (10 meters) wide.
All the pillars around the courtyard had bands of silver, hooks of silver and sockets of bronze and all the utensils and pegs to anchor it down were of bronze.
As we said before, silver was representing redemption and was the foundation of the tent of meeting (tabernacle) was also the top of the pillars so that it could be seen, but bronze was to be used for the foundation sockets for the courtyard, this was associated with judgment. Bronze was forged in the fire and illustrated Jesus dying for our sins. Only the priests could enter the tent itself, but all were able to enter the courtyard to worship God.
Many times, in the Bible and especially in the Psalms we are encouraged to enter His courts – e.g. Psalm 100:4 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” However, now, through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, we are able to enter the courts, but not only that, we are able to go right into His presence (The Holy of Holies).
Remember that this was a movable structure, they were to take it with them wherever they went until they came to the Promised Land and had a temple.
We are not restricted to one place; God is with us continually.
Remember there was only the lamp stand to give light, so God prepared for that by instructing them to bring pure oil of pressed olives to enable the lamp to burn continually (v20,21). Aaron and his sons were to tend the lamps, and they were never to go out.
Oil is a picture of The Holy Spirit, and we are urged to be constantly filled with The Holy Spirit, to be a light in this dark world, and isn’t it really dark? We need to allow His light to shine through us to lighten a dark world. “For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) “For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
