Lesson 72 - Senior
Memory Verse
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
Cross References
I The Brazen Altar in the Tabernacle Court
1. Moses was given detailed instructions for the construction of the brazen altar, [EXO:27:1-8]; [HEB:8:5]; [1CH:28:11-12], [1CH:28:19]; [ACT:7:44].
2. The work was done strictly according to God's directions, [EXO:38:1-7]; [JHN:14:23]; [1SM:15:22]; [JAM:1:25].
3. The altar was so placed that all who entered the Tabernacle passed it, [EXO:40:28-29]; [JHN:10:9]; [ACT:4:12].
4. The laver was placed between the altar and the Tabernacle proper, [EXO:40:30-32].
II The Brazen Altar a Type of Justification
1. Transgressions by man against man are also against God, [LEV:6:1-2]; [LEV:5:19].
2. The guilty person must bring a trespass offering to gain God's favour, [LEV:6:2-6]; [LEV:5:5-6], [LEV:5:16]; [EZR:10:19]; [COL:1:14]; [ROM:5:6]; [1PE:3:18]; [GAL:3:13]; [HEB:2:9].
3. A penitent also had to make restitution to reimburse the person whom he had wronged, [LEV:6:5]; [EZE:33:15].
4. To be acceptable, an offering must be without blemish, [LEV:6:6]; [ISA:53:3-7]; [2CO:5:21]; [1PE:1:18-19].
5. The blood was sprinkled upon the brazen altar and certain parts burned thereon, [LEV:7:1-5].
6. The balance of the animal was eaten by the priests in the Holy Place, [LEV:7:6].
7. Through the presentation of the sacrifice, faith, repentance, and restitution on the part of the transgressor, together with the sprinkling of blood by the priest, the transgressor's guilt was pardoned, [LEV:6:7]; [ROM:5:9]; [1JN:3:5].
Notes
Where God Met Man
In our previous lesson we saw the wonderful plan and orderliness of design in which the Tabernacle was built.-We observed, in a general way, the truths typified there; that it pictured the three great Christian experiences: Justification by Faith, Sanctification, and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. It is our purpose now to study these great types in detail.
Since the Tabernacle represents man's approach to God and God's presence with man, we se that the court is a type of conviction for sin. No one came to the Tabernacle unless he first came to seek God for pardon. God's presence dwelt in those holy precincts and no one could enter but those whom God appointed to the ministering duties in the Tabernacle worship. Israel camped in designated places with the Tabernacle in the centre. This made it accessible to all, but because of God's presence it was held in the highest reverence. Only the sincere worshiper or sin-burdened penitent could approach it, because of the fear of the sudden judgment certain to come upon any others who trespassed.
The Hebrews of Moses' day were not ready for such a clear statement about the nature and worship of God as Jesus gave to the woman at the well of Sychar ([JHN:4:21-24]). God had to lead mankind step by step to make him comprehend His plan. The giving of the Law with the establishment of the Tabernacle worship was a step to lead men to God, and Israel was God's instrument whereby His will was to be made known to the world at large.
The Fulfilment of the Types
The Tabernacle, we can then see, was designed to symbolise many great Gospel truths, some of which the Israelites could grasp in their early day, but others were reserved for later times and places. How thankful we should be that we are privileged to live in the dispensation when God has given so great a measure of His blessings to men! No longer need we stand outside the court while another goes into the Holy of Holies to intercede for us! We can now enter for ourselves and enjoy the communion of direct association with God. The Holy Spirit can now make our hearts His temple and dwell in us, instead of only dwelling with us ([JHN:14:16-18]).
The sinner, feeling his guilt of sin, approached God by coming to the entrance of the Tabernacle court. He brought an offering for his sin, because no matter how eager he might be to receive all that God had for him he could not obtain the blessings provided through the Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, until he had first come to the outer court and to the altar of burnt offering. Its position in the court shows that man has no access to God except as a sinner justified by the Blood of Christ.
God gave instructions for many different types of sacrifices, each one designed to meet a particular need and fill a definite place; but Jesus, as the Perfect Sacrifice, fulfilled them all. The old worship was a step to this perfect and complete Sacrifice; and the worshiper looked forward in faith to the time when the sacrifice should be made, but we look back in faith to its having been already made.
How the Altar Was Built
The altar was hollow, being made with boards covered with brass. It was about 7½ feet square and 4½ feet high. The fire upon it was miraculously kindled and never went out, being kept burning by the priests who placed fresh wood on it as needed ([LEV:6:9]; [LEV:9:24]). At each of the four corners was a horn about which some have given various opinions. The Psalmist alludes to them as being for the purpose of securing the sacrifice (PS:11:27). They perhaps added to the ornamentation of the altar also. In Scripture we read of some who "caught hold" of these horns as they pled with God when in great distress of soul. The altar was, by practice, a place of refuge when vengeance overtook a person who had unintentionally injured another. But the wilful murderer sought refuge there in vain, for by God's express command he might be dragged to justice.
The Purpose of the Trespass Offering
Offerings had been made from the beginning. Abel's offering was pleasing to God; and we can therefore assume that he had been instructed as to the correct offering. The only change ever made was when the Tabernacle worship was inaugurated. Noah, Abraham, and Job offered sacrifices to God. And by their faith in God they received answers, their lives testifying that they pleased God.
The trespass offering demonstrated the great and solemn fact of God's perfect holiness and was an acknowledgment that man was destitute of it. It revealed the fact that the offerer deserved the penalty of death and that a substitute must die for him to satisfy justice or he would be lost. The careful selection of the sacrifice showed that there was an exacting plan and that the offering must be acceptable to God to fulfil His demands. And as we carefully examine God's Word and se His will for us we realise that we can come with no less " even though we are no longer required to bring sacrifices of the Old Testament, since the Lamb of God has poured out His life's Blood for our pardon and redemption.
Restitution " Then and Now
One additional condition has to be met by the person who had committed a trespass. He had to make restitution for the wrong he had done to God or man. He also must add a percentage of the value of the object to compensate for losses sustained during the time between his sinful act and his restitution. Restitution is still another Biblical truth that people try to avoid today.
In Our Stead
This trespass offering serves as a solemn proclamation to Jew and Gentile that every man is deeply guilty before God and never can approach Him or secure His favour except by the Blood. "Blood!" is the perpetual and exacting cry of the Law against every violator of its precepts; and until that cry is hushed and that demand satisfied no one can see the face of God and live.
In bringing the sacrifice, the person acknowledged it as his own; that he brought it for his sins; that he was worthy of death; and that he entreated God to accept the life of the innocent animal instead of his own. Again we point out that all this must have had respect in one way or another, (through the instrumentality of faith) to Him whose life would eventually be sacrificed for sin.
The blood was sprinkled upon the altar, atonement being made in that act. The Law demanded that a life be given to redeem another life; therefore it was necessary that someone be found to die for man. One sinner could not die for another, because he was already under the penalty of death for his own sins. Consequently, there was only One who could fulfil all God's requirements. That One was Jesus, because He alone was free from sin. The sacrifice of a dumb animal could have had no virtue whatsoever but for the fact that it symbolised the coming Lamb of God who gave His life as a ransom for many.
This is known as the doctrine of substitution, against which many people revolt. Some dispute its possibility and some quibble at the justice of it. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts. There are many fields of contemplation into which man has not yet looked and many principles of justice which he has not yet fathomed; and why should we set up the poor deductions of our weak reason against the revelations of an economy as deep and broad as the mind of God?
"Whosoever Will"
There is another fact to be noticed with regard to this offering, and that is the perfect freedom with which the "whosoever will" could avail himself of its benefits. It was confined to no special time: "Now is the day of salvation." It was as free at one season as at another and could be resorted to whenever anyone felt the need of it.
If the penitent could not bring the lamb when specified, doves or pigeons would be just as acceptable. And since the birds were wild, the lack of means did not excuse anyone from bringing the offering. All that a man needed was the consent and determination of his own heart " the motion of his own voluntary will. This was not accidental. It was meant to set forth a great Gospel truth, the universal call to repentance.
If a Previously Justified Person Disobeyed God
If one of the people transgressed against the laws of God after becoming subject to those laws, it was necessary for him to bring another trespass offering and seek forgiveness for those sins. Here is another Scriptural denunciation of the popular doctrine of "eternal security" for the believer. If a person trespassed against God or man he had to bring another offering and seek again forgiveness before he was allowed to have any part with God's people or to worship God in His Tabernacle.
The Morning and Evening Sacrifices
For the benefit of the Israelites God also ordained a law of burnt offerings. This law included two offerings to be burned each day, morning and evening, as well as special offerings for the Sabbath days and other days of holy convocation, such as the Day of Atonement. They were also to serve their purpose in times of special crises when the Israelites felt their need of drawing nearer to God, as a nation or as individuals.
Israel forsook the true worship many times and at least once turned so far from the true spirit of faith and penitence that God pronounced the sacrifices an abomination to Him. But as long as they continued in the true worship they were to offer these burnt offerings as a continual memorial of the coming Seed that Satan would bruise ([GEN:3:15]), and the offerings would be acceptable to God.
These offerings did not atone for the transgressions of the individual, but typified the blessings of the over-all provisions of the atonement: needs of constant cleansing, and immediate help at times of stress or danger. But for the forgiveness of his transgressions a sinner or a backslider must bring his own trespass offering.
It is wonderful to see how significantly every detail of the sacrificial law was fulfilled in Christ. He died on Calvary to fulfil all these offerings, being nailed to the cross at the time of the morning sacrifice and finally giving up His life at the time the evening sacrifice was being killed. The Israelites assembled outside the court to worship when each of these burnt offerings was killed and in fulfilment of that we assemble together in the house of God to worship the God of Heaven who sent the perfect Lamb to die for us.
Through all this we can se a little bit of God's love and concern for a fallen race. How marvellous are His ways!-How thorough are His plans! How all-inclusive are His ordinances, especially when they are directed toward the needs of the never-dying soul of man! "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17).
Questions
1. Where, in relation to the Tabernacle, was the brazen altar placed?
2. What was its size and how was it constructed?
3. What other object was in close relation to it?
4. Why were the trespass offerings important?
5. To what did all the offerings point?
6. What did the court typify?
7. What Christian experience did the penitent receive when he came to the brazen altar with his sacrifice?
8. What was necessary in the heart of the penitent when he came?
9. How was atonement made?
10. Read [ISA:1:2-20] and decide why the offerings mentioned were not acceptable.