Chapter 27
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1And 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.
6And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.
7And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.
8Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
9And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
10And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
11And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
12And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
13And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
14The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
15And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
17All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.
18The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.
19All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
20And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
21In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
“And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.”
Overview
God gives instructions for the brazen altar of burnt offering, made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, positioned in the outer court where sacrifices are offered. The court of the tabernacle is defined by linen hangings on pillars with bronze sockets, creating an enclosed space one hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide. The gate of the court is a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet fine linen. God commands Israel to bring pure beaten olive oil for the lamps of the golden lampstand, which Aaron and his sons are to keep burning continually from evening to morning before the LORD.
Key Themes
The Brazen Altar: The Place of Sacrifice
The altar of burnt offering is the first thing encountered upon entering the tabernacle court — no one approaches God without first passing through the place of sacrifice.
The Court: Open Yet Bounded
The court provides access to God's dwelling but establishes clear boundaries — there is a way in, but it is defined by God's terms, not human preferences.
The Continual Light
The command to keep the lamps burning perpetually signifies that God's presence and light must never be extinguished — faithful maintenance of worship is an ongoing responsibility.
Study Questions
Why is the brazen altar the first item encountered upon entering the tabernacle court, and what does this teach about the necessity of sacrifice before approaching God?
What does the single gate into the court (v. 16) suggest about how many ways there are to approach God?
How does the command to keep the lamps burning 'from evening to morning' (v. 21) speak to the faithfulness and consistency required in our walk with God?
What is the significance of bronze as the primary material for the outer court versus gold for the inner sanctuary?
How does the layout of the tabernacle — from the outer gate to the altar to the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place — illustrate the progressive approach to God?
Connection to Christ
The brazen altar points directly to the cross, where Christ offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin. The single gate into the court foreshadows Jesus' declaration 'I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved' (John 10:9). The perpetual light of the lampstand anticipates Christ, the light that 'shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not' (John 1:5).
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Exodus 27. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?