The competency to minister actually, being settled in chapters 28 and 29, after the place and its arrangements and furniture were ordered, we have the place of God's meeting and presence with Moses and with the people, to speak to Him, as it was said: "I will dwell among the children of Israel, etc.... that I may dwell among them." All these were for the actual ministration; the priest was so entirely looked at as a priest, that anointing him was not looked at as contained in the expression "man's flesh." This chapter just takes in all, consequent and hanging upon the end of chapter 29; i.e., the presence of God in the midst of the people, and the opening of the chapter is very sweet in that respect, incense, ransom, feet-washing, and the priest's service as to incense and light, and the savor of the incense to God, and the anointing for man.
10. The altar of incense belonged, though without, to the Most Holy Place-it had not any connection with what was done as approaching for acceptance. It was ko-desh kodashim (holy of holies) to the Lord.
12. How jealous God is of anything like glorying in the flesh!
18. Note the laver was made after all the rest, nor is this all; in the directions given, it comes after the incense (consequent on Aaron's consecration), and the ransom-money of the children of Israel; and it was used only for the priests to wash their hands and feet, when they were to be occupied with any service, and, then comes the anointing oil. It was wholly a priestly, instrument of service; they were washed at the door, of the tabernacle of the congregation, but it is not said in the laver, nor is any way intimated. The door of the tabernacle of the congregation was properly the entrance before they came to the altar—so, note, the disciples—" Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you "that was during Christ's life; but it was as having all things delivered unto Him of His Father, and come from God and going to God—as going on High after the sacrifice of Himself—that He washes His disciples' feet. And He was clean according to the word Himself—Ten archen o, ti kai lab umin - so by the word He had cleansed and quickened them, as Aaron and his sons were washed together. This however in its nature, hence it will be true of Israel in the millennium, for we know the value of water as death—it came with the blood out of Christ's side. Still in essential nature it is the new divine life, though not so in death to sin which we count ourselves to have passed through; but the washing of hands and feet was within the Altar—the washing of feet by Christ as having gone out of the world to the Father, having passed through death.
32. Note the phrase " holy is it, holy shall it be to you."
The sweet incense is offered when he dresses the lamps in the morning and when he lights them at even. It is in connection, that is, with the lamps, i.e., we have the advantage of it when our light is in question—it is not in connection with sacrifice this. Query: how is common individual atonement brought in here? It is in connection with the service, no doubt. Perhaps they had their share as much in the priestly service, i.e., the fruit of it—the actual partaking was by washing; now it is not cleansed, but redeemed by a price. It is a memorial; the exercise of priesthood must be by practical cleansing and in the power of the searching word by the Holy Ghost. The Israelites are always before the Lord as objects in the service, the cleansed ones as in the service as priests—for light we have the comfort of intercession.