And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
God set up this altar so His people could meet Him in the court before the tabernacle, where common subjects bring their gifts and priests offer them to the Lord. Wood alone would burn away under divine fire; brass protects it, just as Christ's divine power upholds His human nature against the full weight of God's wrath for our sins.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 27:1-8
And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood,.... Like those that were made for the ark, and for the same purpose: and overlay them with brass; with plates of brass, whereas those for the ark were overlaid with gold.
staves . . . rings--Those rings were placed at the side through which the poles were inserted on occasions of removal.