Now let us look at the building of the tabernacle. After the children of Israel held the Passover, applied the blood of the lamb, ate the flesh of the lamb, left Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, were instructed by God at the foot of Mount Sinai, and received the pattern on the mountain, they rose up to build the tabernacle to be the dwelling place of God.
Most Bible readers acknowledge that it is not easy to study the type of the tabernacle. I would like to tell you that if we want to understand the tabernacle, we must read the Bible with the matter of building in view, because the tabernacle is essentially a story of building. On the perimeter of the tabernacle were the hangings, which were like an enclosing wall, and within these hangings was the outer court. In the midst of the outer court was the tent, the dwelling place of God. This was altogether a building. Whenever a person entered the tabernacle, the first item he met in the outer court was the bronze altar, upon which all the sacrifices to God were offered. Proceeding a little farther, he came to the bronze laver, where everyone who came to minister before God first washed his hands and feet, purging away all the defilement of the earth. Then a little farther on was the tent, within which were four items. The innermost item was the Ark, which was also called the Ark of the Testimony because it contained the two tablets of the testimony (Exo. 25:16, 21). Outside the Ark on the north side of the tent was the showbread table upon which the bread was continually set. On the south side opposite the table was the golden lampstand whose lamps shone continually. In front of the Ark and between the showbread table and the lampstand was the golden incense altar upon which the priest burned fragrant incense to God. These four items and all the boards inside the tabernacle were either overlaid with gold or were completely made of pure gold. The tabernacle was entirely a matter of gold. Therefore, whenever a person entered the tabernacle, all he saw was pure gold. This picture altogether depicts the building.
Now let us look at the tabernacle and its furniture according to the order shown in the Bible. The record of the tabernacle in Exodus first mentions the altar and the laver and then speaks about the hangings of the outer court. The spiritual meaning of this is that in God’s building there is first the altar, and then from the altar the hangings are produced. In the same principle, the four pieces of furniture within the tent are mentioned first, and then out of these four items the tent is produced. This is very clear from the record of Exodus. The spiritual meaning of this is quite rich. Hence, we need to look at these items one by one according to their order of spiritual significance.
In this message we will examine only the first item in this picture of the building. In this building the first item according to our experience is the bronze altar. The altar is the only way that man can come near to God. Man can fellowship with God only through the offerings on the bronze altar. The meanings hidden in this picture are too numerous. We will look briefly only at three aspects of the altar.
The first meaning of the altar is judgment. Since man has been damaged by Satan and has the poison of sin, sin must first be dealt with in order for man to draw near to God. There is no other way to deal with sin but to pass through judgment. Therefore, at the altar there is a fire to burn all the offerings. Furthermore, the altar is overlaid with bronze, and this bronze came from the censers that were held in the hands of the two hundred fifty rebellious people. They were judged by fire, and God commanded that their censers be taken out of the fire and be beaten into plates for a covering for the altar (Num. 16:37-40). Therefore, bronze signifies God’s judgment.
The second meaning of the altar is redemption. Whenever God judged the sacrifice offered on the altar and burned it with fire, redemption was accomplished. Thus, anyone who passes through God’s judgment at the altar is also redeemed by God.
The third meaning of the altar is consecration. Everyone who has been redeemed by God must ultimately be put on the altar and offered to God as a burnt offering.
This is the way the building of God begins in us who were sinners poisoned by Satan. If we want to be built by God to be His dwelling place, then we must begin by being judged. This is why the Lord said that when the Holy Spirit comes, “He will convict the world concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment” (John 16:8). God has already judged our sins on the cross, so we must also judge ourselves in the light of this judgment. Our living must be judged, our clothing must be judged, our family must be judged, and our career must be judged. Everything that is ours must pass through the judgment. This is in contrast to the praise and flattery in human society. The first sentence that the church of God must tell someone who comes to listen to the gospel is, “Dear friend, you are a sinner!” Many people cannot take this, for they consider this as a rebuke. However, if you and I are not sinners, then what are we? Therefore, if we want to be built, the first thing that we must do is that we must condemn ourselves. What we are, what we have, and what we do, whether they are good or bad, all have to be put on the cross, pass through the burning, and be put to death.
All those who have not passed through this kind of judgment and have not been judged at the bronze altar cannot be redeemed. All those who have passed through the judgment have been cleansed by the blood and have been redeemed. All those who have been redeemed are required by God to consecrate themselves to be offered as burnt offerings. Therefore, the altar of redemption becomes the altar of burnt offering. Everything that is placed on the altar is completely gained by God. If you are not completely gained by God, you cannot be built by God. To be gained by God, you must first judge yourself, second, you must be redeemed, and third, you must offer yourself completely to God, allowing God to gain you as material for the building. Remember that the building of God starts at the altar; blessed is he who starts here!