For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it.The number seven in the Bible often symbolizes completeness or perfection, reflecting the creation week in Genesis. The seven-day period for atonement and consecration signifies a complete and thorough purification process. This ritual underscores the importance of the altar's role in the sacrificial system, as it must be wholly dedicated to God. The process of making atonement involves offerings and sacrifices, which foreshadow the ultimate atonement made by Jesus Christ. The consecration of the altar sets it apart for divine purposes, emphasizing the holiness required in worship.
Then the altar will become most holy;
The term "most holy" indicates a status of utmost sanctity, reserved for objects and places directly associated with God's presence. In the tabernacle, the altar is central to the sacrificial system, where offerings are made to atone for sin and maintain the covenant relationship between God and Israel. This holiness is not inherent but conferred through the consecration process, highlighting the transformative power of God's commands. The altar's holiness is a type of Christ, who is the ultimate altar and sacrifice, sanctifying believers through His atoning work.
whatever touches the altar will be holy.
This phrase reflects the principle of transference of holiness, where contact with the altar imparts sanctity. It underscores the altar's role as a conduit of divine holiness, affecting everything that comes into contact with it. This concept is echoed in the New Testament, where believers are called to be holy as they are in contact with Christ, the true altar. The idea of holiness being transferred through contact also points to the transformative power of God's presence, which sanctifies and purifies.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe leader of the Israelites, who received the instructions for the consecration of the altar from God.
2.
The AltarA sacred structure used for sacrifices and offerings to God, central to the worship practices of the Israelites.
3.
Consecration CeremonyA seven-day ritual process to make the altar holy and set apart for God's purposes.
4.
The IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who were given these laws and instructions as part of their covenant relationship with Him.
5.
The TabernacleThe portable dwelling place for the divine presence among the Israelites, where the altar was located.
Teaching Points
The Importance of HolinessThe consecration of the altar underscores the necessity of holiness in approaching God. As believers, we are called to live lives set apart for His purposes.
The Role of AtonementThe seven-day atonement process signifies the seriousness of sin and the need for purification before God. This points to the ultimate atonement through Christ.
Symbolism of the AltarThe altar represents a place of meeting between God and man, a symbol of worship and sacrifice. In our lives, we must prioritize our spiritual "altars" where we meet with God.
Transformation through ContactThe idea that whatever touches the altar becomes holy can be seen as a metaphor for the transformative power of God's presence in our lives.
Continuity of God's PlanThe consecration rituals in the Old Testament foreshadow the work of Christ, showing the continuity of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Exodus 29:37?
2.How does Exodus 29:37 emphasize the holiness required for consecrated objects and spaces?
3.What does "whatever touches the altar" teach about God's sanctifying power?
4.How can we apply the concept of consecration in our daily worship practices?
5.How does Exodus 29:37 connect to New Testament teachings on holiness and sanctification?
6.In what ways can we ensure our lives reflect the holiness of God's altar?
7.What does Exodus 29:37 reveal about the holiness of the altar?
8.How does Exodus 29:37 define the concept of consecration?
9.Why is the seven-day period significant in Exodus 29:37?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 29?
11.What are the Horns of the Altar's significance?
12.What does the sprinkling of the blood signify?
13.Exodus 29:38-42 describes daily animal sacrifices; why would a loving God mandate continual bloodshed rather than a more compassionate form of worship?
14.Acts 17:29 - If God is beyond images and idols, how do Old Testament instructions for sacred objects not contradict Paul's teaching here?What Does Exodus 29:37 Mean
For seven days“ ‘For seven days …’ ” (Exodus 29:37)
• The Lord establishes a complete, uninterrupted week of dedication, echoing His seven-day creation work inGenesis 1–2.
• This same span marks the ordination of Aaron and his sons (Exodus 29:35;Leviticus 8:33–35), underscoring the fullness of preparation required for holy service.
• Seven-day festivals of dedication appear later (2 Chronicles 7:8-9), showing a consistent divine pattern: what God sets apart, He does so thoroughly and completely.
You shall make atonement for the altar• Atonement involves applying sacrificial blood to cover sin and remove impurity (Leviticus 8:15; 16:18-19).
• By commanding blood on the altar itself, God teaches that even objects used in worship must be cleansed (Hebrews 9:22).
• The altar’s atonement assures Israel that every future sacrifice offered there stands on a foundation of forgiveness already provided.
And consecrate it• To consecrate is to set apart exclusively for God’s purposes (Exodus 40:10;Leviticus 8:11).
• Oil, blood, and continual service mark this consecration, signaling that ordinary use is forever excluded.
• The act proclaims God’s ownership: the altar belongs to Him alone, just as believers are “a people for His own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).
Then the altar will become most holy• “Most holy” (Exodus 29:37) moves beyond ordinary holiness to the highest level of sanctity, comparable to the inner sanctuary and the Ark (Exodus 25:10-22; 40:34).
• Anything classified most holy is entirely devoted, allowing no profane touch or casual handling (Leviticus 6:18).
• This status magnifies God’s glory and guards His people from treating sacred things lightly.
Whatever touches the altar will be holy• Once consecrated, the altar communicates holiness outward: “anything that touches the altar will become holy” (Exodus 30:29;Leviticus 6:27).
• Jesus alluded to this principle when He said “the altar that sanctifies the gift” (Matthew 23:19), affirming its enduring significance.
• The transfer of holiness points ahead to Christ, through whom what is unclean becomes clean (Hebrews 10:10), and foreshadows the believer’s call to live sanctified lives by contact with Him.
summaryExodus 29:37 reveals God’s rigorous, week-long process for cleansing and setting apart the altar. Through atonement and consecration, the altar becomes most holy, functioning as a source of sanctity for all that touches it. The passage underscores God’s demand for purity, His provision for forgiveness, and His power to impart holiness—truths ultimately fulfilled in Christ, our perfect altar and sacrifice.
(37)
An altar most holy.--Heb.,
an altar, holiness of holinesses.Whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.--Rather,must be holy;nothing which is not holy must touch it. The future has the force of an imperative, as in the Ten Commandments.
Verse 37. -Seven days shalt thou make an atonement. All the ceremonial was to be repeated seven times, not only the atonement for the altar (Leviticus 8:33). An altar most holy. Literally, "holiness of holinesses," as inExodus 40:10. Whatever toucheth the altar shall be holy. Rather, "must be holy." Nothing that is not holy must touch it (Kalisch). CHAPTER 29:38-42
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
For seven
שִׁבְעַ֣ת(šiḇ·‘aṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7651:Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number
days
יָמִ֗ים(yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117:A day
you shall make atonement
תְּכַפֵּר֙(tə·ḵap·pêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3722:To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel
for
עַל־(‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, against
the altar
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ(ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196:An altar
and consecrate
וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֖(wə·qid·daš·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6942:To be set apart or consecrated
it.
אֹת֑וֹ(’ō·ṯōw)
Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative case
Then the altar
הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙(ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196:An altar
will become
וְהָיָ֤ה(wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, be
most holy;
קֹ֣דֶשׁ(qō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6944:A sacred place, thing, sanctity
whatever
כָּל־(kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, every
touches
הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ(han·nō·ḡê·a‘)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5060:To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike
the altar
בַּמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ(bam·miz·bê·aḥ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196:An altar
will be holy.
יִקְדָּֽשׁ׃(yiq·dāš)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6942:To be set apart or consecrated
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OT Law: Exodus 29:37 Seven days you shall make atonement (Exo. Ex)
