Let us just notice a little more about this continual burnt offering, for it is most important. God would have us in the enjoyment of the love of Christ in our souls. If we lose this, we are in danger at once. It was upon the offering of this sacrifice that the Lord said He would commune with the children of Israel, and so if we are going to have the mind and thoughts of God as to our path we will have to be careful not to neglect this “daily sacrifice” (Num. 28:2424After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. (Numbers 28:24)). No amount of knowledge of God’s Word will keep us if we get out of communion, and when difficulties and problems come up we will not have the Lord’s mind as to our path.
Walking With God
Not only will we find true happiness for ourselves when walking in the love of God, but what joy it gives the Lord too, for He delights in having our company. He loves us, and love always wants the company of the one it loves. So here we find the Lord reminding the children of Israel that He was going to dwell among them. He had redeemed them for that very purpose, but because He is holy, everything must be suited to His nature. Because of their sinful condition He could not dwell among them apart from the offering of sacrifices day by day.
The Altar of Incense
Having learned about the consecration of Aaron and his sons and the garments they were to wear, we now come to the two pieces of tabernacle furniture which were omitted previously. They are the altar of incense and the laver. One might wonder why they should not have been mentioned along with the other furniture, but we know that God has a purpose in all these things. There is always a perfect order in God’s ways. When the Lord Jesus arose from the dead, “the napkin, that was about His head, [was] ... wrapped together in a place by itself” (John 20:77And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (John 20:7)) apart from the other clothing. All must be in order, giving witness and testimony to the world that His body had not been stolen away by disorderly men, but that it was God who had raised Him from the dead. God always acts according to His own character — always.
The reason that the altar of incense comes in after the consecration of the priests is that it typifies worship. Thus we see that it is because we have a Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, that we can draw near in worship. We who are saved are now a kingdom of priests and can come into the very presence of God to offer up our spiritual sacrifices, assured that they are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. The altar therefore speaks of Christ. The shittim wood tells us of His perfect humanity, and the gold with which it was overlaid would tell us of His deity. It was one cubit long and one cubit wide, for there is one God, and He only must be worshiped. Although God has now been revealed in trinity, there is only one God, and it is wrong to worship angels, men, or images. The Word of God says, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4:1010Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matthew 4:10)).
The altar being foursquare would remind us once again that the blessings of Christ’s work are not confined to the nation of Israel, but go out to the “four corners” of the earth. Believers of all nations are made “one in Christ Jesus,” (Rom. 15:55Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: (Romans 15:5)) and regardless of nationality each and all can draw near in worship.
Further Meditation
1. What do the dimensions of the altar of incense teach us?
2. How does the order of presentation of the priesthood and approach to God in Hebrews reinforce the point G. Hayhoe makes in this chapter about why the altar of incense is not presented until this chapter of Exodus?
3. On the broad subject of the altar and worship you might find The Throne and the Altar & What Is True Worship? by C. H. Mackintosh to be quite interesting.