The Bronze Altar, also known as the Altar of Burnt Offering, was a significant fixture in the Tabernacle and later in Solomon's Temple. It served as the primary location for sacrifices and offerings to God, symbolizing atonement and worship. The instructions for its construction are detailed in Exodus 27:1-8. The altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze, measuring five cubits square and three cubits high. It featured horns on its four corners, which were also overlaid with bronze.

The altar's primary function was to facilitate the sacrificial system instituted by God for the Israelites. Burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings were made on this altar, each serving a specific purpose in the spiritual life of the community. The fire on the altar was to be kept burning continually, as commanded in Leviticus 6:12-13: "The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out."

In Solomon's Temple, the Bronze Altar was larger, reflecting the grandeur of the Temple itself. According to 2 Chronicles 4:1, "He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high." This altar continued to serve as the focal point for sacrifices until the destruction of the Temple.

Molten Sea

The Molten Sea, also known as the Brazen Sea or the Sea of Cast Metal, was a large basin in Solomon's Temple used for ceremonial washing by the priests. It is described in 1 Kings 7:23-26 and 2 Chronicles 4:2-5. The Sea was cast from bronze and measured ten cubits from brim to brim, five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing each cardinal direction, symbolizing strength and stability.

The Molten Sea held approximately 2,000 to 3,000 baths of water, as noted in 2 Chronicles 4:5: "It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold three thousand baths." This vast capacity underscored its role in the purification rituals necessary for the priests to maintain ceremonial cleanliness before performing their duties.

The Sea's construction and placement in the Temple courtyard highlight the importance of purity and preparation in worship. It served as a constant reminder of the need for cleansing before approaching a holy God. The Molten Sea, along with the Bronze Altar, played a crucial role in the religious life of Israel, facilitating the worship and sacrificial system that pointed to the holiness and majesty of God.