Turning my back on the sun . . .

God spells out precise instructions to Moses for building the tabernacle in the wilderness. First the Bible describes how it is to be built, the repeats the same details as the tabernacle is under construction. For some, this is boring reading, yet Allen Ross’ book, Recalling the Hope of Glory, makes it fascinating.

One example is the position of the altar of burnt offering in relation to the directional orientation of the tabernacle. This structure was to be situated in such a way that the entrance faced the east. Right in front of the entrance was the Burnt Offering altar. No one could go inside or approach God without passing this, or without being reminded that coming near God was based on sacrifice. Each person’s sin required an atonement made through the shedding of blood.

God told Moses in Exodus 27:1-3, “You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its height shall be three cubits. You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze. . . .”

This altar was wood made fireproof with bronze, important because God also told Moses, “This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. . . . the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.”

The priests were responsible to make sure an offering for sin was always burning on this altar, and that the sacrificial fire never went out. This was God’s way of reminding His people that even though access to Him required a sacrifice, this access was always available.

In the directions for the tabernacle, the Bible doesn’t spell out any significance in having the entrance facing east, but this significance can be inferred from a vision the prophet Ezekiel later had concerning Israel’s spiritual condition. This vision was in the temple, a permanent place of worship built in similar fashion to the mobile tabernacle or Tent of Meeting.

In this vision, Ezekiel saw idolatrous priests at the entrance to the temple. He describes it in 8:16: “So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.”

A footnote in Ross’ book says that given the pervasiveness of sun worship, a practical reason for the eastern facing door is that worshipers must turn their back on the sun to approach the LORD in worship. Later in their history, as Ezekiel saw, their idolatry was depicted as just the opposite. They turned their back on God to face east.

This is practical for me. I cannot worship God without turning my back on everything else. Of course facing east or west is not the issue. I need to recognize the idols of this age and say ‘no’ to all of them, whether the sun is in my eyes or shining on my back.

However, I can think of many things that distract me from looking toward the Lord. The cares and deadlines of this life, mere daily duties, current projects and assignments, hobbies, even books and television have the power to turn me from that altar of sacrifice and the pure delight of fellowship with Him in that Most Holy Place. I know that when I approach Him now, through the sacrificial blood of His Son, I cannot at the same time have my eyes on the stuff of the world, my own ambitions, or anything else. He alone is worthy of all honor and glory.

My studio is on the east side of our home. Every morning when I meet with God, the windows are open to the rising sun. Just a simple physical turning from that bright glory of the sun could serve as a reminder of the greater glory of being in His presence!