THURSDAY
Next, as we move out from the Most Holy Place, we come to the outer court. The outer court housed the altar of burnt offering.
Exodus 27:1–8 (NIV) The Altar of Burnt Offering 1 “Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. 2 Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 3 Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. 5 Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. 6 Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. 7 The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8 Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.
The outer courtyard contained the altar and the wash basin. The altar corresponded to the earth, as it was to be built with uncut stone (Ex. 20:24-25; Ez. 43:14). The wash basin corresponded to the sea (1 Kg. 7:23-26).
The altar is where the sacrifices would be made to atone for the sins of the people (Lev. 17:11). In this practice an animal is substituted for the person who sinned. The person deserved death because of his sin, but the animal takes his place (Lev. 6:25-27; Heb. 6:19-20). The blood from the sacrificed animal would then be sprinkled seven times on the mercy seat atop the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement.
The wash basin was where the priests could wash after the messy sacrifice. This was of course a very practical need, but it also symbolized the consecration of the priests for the sacred duty of mediating between God and the people.
Exodus 29 describes the process to consecrate the priests through the sacrifice of a bull and two rams without defect. Aaron and his sons are to be washed and dressed in their priestly garments. Then they are to have oil poured on their heads to anoint them for this sacred duty. Then they are to sacrifice a bull and two rams. God gives them specific instructions on what to do with the blood and the organs to consecrate Aaron and his sons and atone for their sins. This process is to continue for seven days to consecrate the priests and the altar. It’s a detailed and messy process that would reveal the sacrifice required to consecrate sinful people and objects to be in the presence of the Holy God.
Therefore, it is in the outer courtyard where the priests were consecrated to represent the people before God in the tabernacle. This made it abundantly clear that there was no approaching God without sacrifice. Substitutionary atonement must be made on behalf of sinners for them to be in the presence of God.
Imagine seeing this on a regular basis. We are so far removed from our food production that this would shock many of us. This practice would serve as a vivid reminder of the costliness of sin. Sin required a detailed obedience and the blood of animals to atone for it. This was all a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice thousands of years later. The blood of bulls and lambs never took away sin. It was all pointing ahead to Jesus. Reading through this process now, this side of Jesus, should give us a vivid image of the heinous nature of our sin and the great cost for us to be made holy to enter the presence of the Holy God.
Additional Content
Reflection
The feeling of the outer court was very earthy and was accessibly by anyone in the Israelite community. The first step to being in the presence of God, then, requires sacrifice, consecration, and atonement to cover our sin. To enter into sacred space we need to be washed, made holy, and our sins to be covered. This is the first step.
If you’ve never put your faith in Jesus, this is the first step toward entering into sacred space. He is the once and for all sacrifice that takes away our sin so we can enter into the presence of God. His blood shed for us atones for (covers) our sin. His sacrifice is applied to us only by faith and trust in him.
Spend some time today worshipping and thanking Jesus for his sacrifice that covers our sin and allows us access to the sacred space of God’s presence.