The Altar of Incense

 

Exodus 30:1-10

 

October 19, 2024

 

The Altar of Incense

“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.  A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.  You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it.  And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it, you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it.  You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.  And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.  And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn it,  and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.  You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.  Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement, he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

Often, when it comes to understanding these truths, I need help; this is one of those times. I went to “Enduring Word”.

a. You shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony: The altar of incense stood outside the veil, in the holy place (not in the most holy place). Therefore, it was fairly close to the Ark of the Covenant, yet separated by the veil.

i. It was in the holy place of the tabernacle, together with the golden lampstand and the table of showbread. “The table of showbread represented communion with God, the lampstand spoke of testimony to the world, and now the golden altar speaks of the offering of adoration.” (Morgan)

b. Where I will meet with you: Sprinkled throughout this description of the tabernacle and the furnishings were reminders of the purpose of the tabernacle. It was a place for man to meet with God.

c. Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning: Aaron (and other priests after him) were instructed to burn incense on this altar every day as part of their normal priestly duties, both in the morning and in the evening (when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it).

i. Incense is a picture of prayer, in the sweetness of its smell and the way it ascends to heaven (golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, according to Revelation 5:8, “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” The ministry at the altar of incense speaks of how God’s people should continually come to Him in prayer.

ii. Revelation 8:3-4, Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

 describes the golden altar of incense standing before God’s throne: Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

d. You shall not offer strange incense on it: Priests were not permitted to offer God whatever they wanted on the altar of incense. Strange incense was prohibited.

e. You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it: It was called the altar of incense, but an animal sacrifice or drink offering was never placed upon it.

i. Prayer is not the place sacrificial atonement is made; it is the place where sacrificial atonement is enjoyed. We don’t save ourselves through prayer; we pray because of Jesus’s saving work on the cross.

f. Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement: The altar of incense was not a place of sacrifice, but it was a place for atoning blood. On the Day of Atonement, Aaron had to anoint the horns of the altar of incense with blood from the atoning sacrifice.

i. Once a year, the altar of incense received the blood of atonement, but it was a place where atonement was remembered and enjoyed, not made.

ii. This illustrates the principle that prayer does not atone for our sins but must always be made in reference to Jesus’ atoning blood. The Day of Atonement was only once a year, but every day when the priests brought a morning and evening offering of incense, they saw the blood-stained horns of the altar. This was a constant reminder of the work of atoning blood.

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice