The altar was made of brass because brass represents judgment, and the brazen altar was the place where the judgment of sin was pictured through sacrifice.
Les Feldick teaches that throughout Scripture, brass always speaks of judgment. The tabernacle's altar of sacrifice was covered with brass rather than gold because it was the place where sin was dealt with by sacrifice. This is seen most clearly in the brazen serpent, which was made of brass and was a subject of judgment.
Exodus 27:2 — God's explicit instruction shows the altar of sacrifice was overlaid with brass.
Numbers 21:8-9 — The brazen serpent is the clearest scriptural example of brass connected with judgment and healing.
In Exodus 27:1-2, God commands Moses to make an altar of shittim wood and to overlay it with brass. This is the brazen altar, the place where burnt sacrifices were offered in the tabernacle court. In Numbers 21:8-9, when fiery serpents bit the people of Israel, God told Moses to make a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole. Moses made a serpent of brass and put it on a pole, and everyone who looked at the brass serpent lived. These passages show that brass was the metal God chose for the altar of sacrifice and for the serpent of healing.
Les Feldick teaches that brass always speaks of judgment in the Bible. He explains that the brazen serpent was made of brass because it was a subject of judgment, and when the Israelites looked at it, God judged their sin and healed them. In the same way, believers look to Christ, on whom God's judgment fell for our sin. Les applies this to the tabernacle: while the tabernacle's wooden items were covered with gold, the brazen altar was the exception and was covered with brass. The brazen altar was where sacrifices were burned, and it stood in the outer court, with the laver of cleansing between it and the tent. Every detail of the tabernacle, including the brass altar, is a picture of Christ and His finished work.
Les describes the brazen altar as the place outside the actual tabernacle tent where sacrifices were burned. He places the laver of cleansing between the brazen altar and the tent, so a priest moving from the outer court toward the sanctuary would encounter the altar of sacrifice before anything else. The outer court was surrounded by a fence whose posts were set in sockets of brass.
Les states plainly that brass always speaks of judgment in the Bible. He uses the brazen serpent in Numbers 21 as the clearest illustration: the serpent was made of brass because it was a subject of judgment, and the people were healed when they looked at it. The altar, where sacrifices for sin were offered, was therefore covered with brass instead of gold because it was the place where judgment for sin was pictured.
Les notes that the posts of the outer court were set in sockets of brass, and the laver of cleansing was made of brass—described as looking-glass. The laver stood between the brazen altar and the entrance to the tent, and the priest would see his need for cleansing in the brass reflection before washing his hands and feet.
Les teaches that every detail of the tabernacle is a picture of Christ and His finished work. He says Christ is both the sacrificial animal and the place of sacrifice. The brazen serpent was a foreview of the work of Christ: Israel looked at it and was healed, and believers look to Christ, on whom God's judgment fell. Thus the brass-covered altar pictured the judgment of sin that Christ bore for us.
The Outer Court and Brass Sockets
Les sets the brazen altar within the outer court, whose posts were set in brass sockets, and reminds us that every detail of the tabernacle pictures Christ.
The Brazen Altar and Laver
Les places the brazen altar outside the tent, with the brass laver of cleansing between it and the tent, showing the order of sacrifice and cleansing.
Brass Speaks of Judgment
Les directly teaches that brass always speaks of judgment, which is why the serpent was made of brass; he applies this to Christ bearing God's judgment for sin.
Christ as the Place of Sacrifice
Les explains that Christ is the high priest, the sacrificial animal, and the place of sacrifice, so the brazen altar is another picture of His finished work.
Everything Speaks of Christ
Les says everything in the tabernacle—the ark, the fence, the sacrifices, the priesthood—speaks of Christ's finished work, reinforcing the meaning of the brass altar.
Coals from the Brazen Altar
Les notes that coals from the brazen altar were carried to the altar of incense, showing how the place of sacrifice connected with worship in the tabernacle.
The Exception of Brass
Les highlights that the tabernacle's wood was covered with gold, but the brazen altar was the exception and was covered with brass, marking it as the place of judgment.
The Altar in God's Order
Les pictures the brazen altar as the place of sacrifice and reminds us that God's order of salvation begins with Himself, not with man's search.
Exodus 27:2: And 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.
God commanded the altar of burnt offering to be overlaid with brass, giving the brazen altar its name and material.
Numbers 21:8: And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
God instructed Moses to make a serpent of brass, which Les uses as the clearest picture of brass representing judgment.
Numbers 21:9: And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
The brass serpent healed those who looked at it, showing the place of judgment became the place of healing.
No. The altar was made of shittim wood and overlaid with brass, according to Exodus 27:1-2. Les explains that wood covered with gold pictured Christ's humanity and deity throughout the tabernacle, but the brazen altar was the exception because it was covered with brass.
Les teaches that brass always speaks of judgment in the Bible. The brazen serpent was made of brass because it was a subject of judgment, and when the bitten Israelites looked at it, God judged their sin and healed them.
Les says the laver was made of brass, described as looking-glass, so the priest could see his need for cleansing before washing his hands and feet. It stood between the brazen altar and the entrance to the tent.