Exodus 27:6

Exodus 27:6 details a specific instruction for the construction of the Altar of Burnt Offering, a central piece of furniture in the Tabernacle. It highlights the materials and design elements crucial for its function and symbolic meaning within the Israelite worship system.

Context

Exodus 27 provides detailed blueprints for the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where God would dwell among the Israelites. Verses 1-8 describe the Altar of Burnt Offering, also known as the brazen altar, situated in the outer court. This altar was the primary place for animal sacrifices, essential for atonement and communion with God. The staves mentioned in verse 6 were integral to the altar's design, emphasizing its nature as a movable structure for a people on the move in the wilderness.

Key Elements and Symbolism

• The Staves: These poles were designed to be inserted into rings on the altar, allowing the Levites to carry it during Israel's wilderness journeys. This feature underscored the Tabernacle's (and thus God's presence) portability, accompanying the people wherever they went. It signifies that God's worship and the means of atonement were not confined to a fixed location but were accessible throughout their travels. This principle of portability is also seen with other Tabernacle furnishings, such as the Ark of the Covenant.
• Shittim Wood: This is acacia wood, a remarkably durable, decay-resistant hardwood common in the Sinai wilderness. Its strength made it suitable for the Tabernacle's furnishings that would endure harsh conditions and frequent transport. Spiritually, shittim wood, being a natural, earthly material, often represents humanity, while the overlaying metals signify divine attributes or purposes. It was also used for the Ark of the Covenant and other sacred items.
• Brass Overlay: In the KJV, "brass" often refers to bronze (an alloy of copper and tin), which was a common and significant metal in the ancient Near East. In the Tabernacle, bronze (brass) is consistently associated with judgment, fire, and purification. The Altar of Burnt Offering, where sacrifices were consumed by fire, perfectly embodied this symbolism. The brass overlay indicated that this was the place where sin met divine judgment, and where the penalty for sin was paid through substitutionary sacrifice.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew term for "shittim wood" is ‘atzei shittim (עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים), specifically referring to acacia wood, known for its resilience and abundance in the desert regions. The word translated "brass" is nechosheth (נְחֹשֶׁת), which more accurately means "bronze" or "copper." This distinction is important for understanding the symbolic associations of the metal in the ancient world and its theological significance within the Tabernacle's design, particularly its connection to divine judgment and purification by fire.

Theological Significance and Application

Exodus 27:6, though seemingly a technical detail, reveals profound theological truths. The Altar's staves symbolize God's desire for His presence and the means of salvation to be accessible to His people wherever they are. The materials point to the nature of atonement: shittim wood (humanity) covered by brass (divine judgment against sin). This foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who, being fully human (represented by the wood) and fully divine, bore the judgment for humanity's sins on the cross. His sacrifice was the perfect and final atonement, making God's forgiveness and presence available to all believers, no longer confined to a physical structure but offered through a "once for all" sacrifice. Just as the altar was portable, so too is God's grace accessible to all who believe, regardless of location or circumstance.