QT 4/20/2026 Exo 27:1-21, God is Holy, we must not forget

Exodus 27:1–21 (ESV) —

1 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. … 8 You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. 10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. … 16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. 17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. …

20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

 

NOTE: In this section, we learn that the altar is bronze as are the utensils. Bronze is better for heat than gold. Surprisingly or not, the altar is carried too, not moved by a cart. The tabernacle courtyard hangings use fine linen with silver connectors, and is embroidered with needlework. And the last part is a requirement for the people to bring beaten olive oil for the lamp so that would always remain burning. This is the worship area, it is not the same as the tent with the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. People did not go into that tent, except God's servants, the priests. I think the point, at least then, was that people would understand that God was holy and we are not. The priests needed to be consecrated just to get into the first room.

 

The new covenant is different. Jesus is our perfect high priest. Jesus is our Passover lamb. Jesus allows us entrance into the Holy of Holies by his life and death. But in the same way, we need to maintain the idea of Holiness. God is Holy and we carry the righteousness of Jesus, but we should not be flippant about our access. He is our friend and our brother, but he still is the Holy God of the universe and the creator of all things. When we pray, we remember these things, and should always acknowledge our Holy God.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I flippant in my prayer times, by that I mean, do we take prayer too casually?

 

PRAYER: Father, you are Holy. You are God and I am not. As I pray during the day, help me to remember that truth. I enjoy my all day access, but I don't ever want to overlook your holiness.