October 18, 2025 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Exodus - The Bronze Altar

Exodus 27:1  And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. 2  And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. 3  And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. 4  And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof. 5  And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar. 6  And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. 7  And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. 8  Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

This bronze altar is the first thing one would see when they entered into the courtyard of the tabernacle. It was the place where the sinner met with God. The brazen altar was the place where sacrifice was made for sin. It was the place where blood was shed and the sacrificial animal was burnt. It was a place of judgment and death.

You will notice it was the first place man met with God when he entered to courtyard of the tabernacle. Without this brazen altar no man could approach God represented by the Ark of the covenant. The brazen altar is representative of Jesus Christ shedding His blood on the cross and being our sacrifice. That must take place before anyone could ever approach God.

Hebrews 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

You will notice the altar was made of shittem wood (I believe it is what we call acacia wood today.) covered with brass. The wood represents a picture of man. Jesus took upon Himself the form of man. The altar was also covered with brass which is a picture of judgment. Jesus was judged for us; He took upon himself our sin that we might live.

Let me say this as ardently as I know how; you cannot approach the grace and mercy of God without judgement. There must be judgment first. No judgement, no salvation.

Isaiah 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Isaiah 53:6  All 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.

The brazen altar was the place where the sacrifice was made to atone for sin.

Leviticus 1:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 3  If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. 4  And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5  And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 6  And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. 7  And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8  And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

Notice in verse four of Leviticus chapter one; the man shall lay his hands on the sacrifice. This process was to identify his sin with the animal to be sacrificed on the altar.

My friend if you do not realize you are a sinner and place your faith in Christ Jesus (the one and true sacrifice) you will never be saved. There must be judgement before there can be salvation. Judgment must always take place before salvation.

Hebrews 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The brazen altar was the Old Testament picture of Christ being sacrificed for our sins. He was judged for your sin.

Would you trust Him as your perfect sacrifice? Would you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to save your soul?

The choice is still yours,

Pastor Cook