EXODUS. 30:1-10 and 34-38.
“And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put it before the wail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn” incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall be make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord.
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: and thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: and thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tent of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.”
The Altar of Incense.
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. There are two altars, the brazen altar of burnt offering and the golden altar of incense. They are both typical of the work and person of the Lord Jesus Christ, but in distinct aspects.
At the brazen altar, we see Christ in death and resurrection, offering himself without spot to God, and accepted in all the sweet savor of his perfect sacrifice. The ground of the believer’s acceptance and communion with God.
At the golden altar, we see Christ in resurrection life and ascended glory, in all the excellency of his character and ways before God, through whom the children of God draw near and worship with confidence and joy.
Both the brazen and the golden altar were made of shittim wood within, as showing that the incarnation of Christ lies at the foundation of his whole work on behalf of his people; for the children being partakers of flesh and blood, he himself likewise took part of the same.
The Dimensions.
A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof. (Ver. 2.) In size it is smaller than the other vessels, but it stands half a cubit higher than the mercy seat, the table, and the brazen grate of the altar of burnt offering.
The table is on a level with the mercy seat and the brazen grate, for the table sets forth communion, on the ground of atonement made, and in the remembrance of the death of Jesus.
The golden altar is half a cubit higher, for it shows worship in the apprehension of a risen and ascended Savior, and in the apprehension of the preciousness of his character and ways.
The Horns of the Altar.
The horns thereof shall be of the same. (Ver. 2.) The horn is the emblem of strength; and there is power in Jesus, on which faith can lay hold in drawing nigh to God; while the human tenderness and sympathy of Jesus give sweet encouragement to faith in this its exercise.
The Overlaying.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof. (Ver. 3.) The Divine glory and excellency of the Lord Jesus, as well as his humanity, and in combination with it, is thus set forth.
And the horns also are overlaid with gold; for faith not only apprehends the human sympathy, but also the Divine all-sufficiency of Jesus, through whom we worship.
The Golden Crown.
And thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. There was no crown to the brazen altar, for that sets forth Jesus in his humiliation, suffering, and death; and the only crown he wore on earth was a crown of thorns. But there is a golden crown to the alter of incense, for it presents to us Jesus risen, ascended, and crowned with glory and honor.
The crown also is significant of the Divine beauty and excellency of his character and office, as the one through whom we worship and draw nigh to God.
The Rings and Staves.
And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two ribs thereof (margin); upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. (Ver. 4, 5.) The Hebrew word translated in the text “corners,” and in the margin “ribs,” is the same word which occurs in chapter 27: 7, and which is there rendered “sides” — “and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar to bear it,”—which gives the sense. Translating the word “corners,” here and in chapter 37., only, is apt to mislead. It signifies a side, or, as in the present instance, an appendage to a side.
In the table of shewbread, the rings and staves were connected with the border (chapter 25, 26, 27), to teach us that in traveling through a polluted world, separation from evil ought to characterize our communion. But in the golden altar the rings and staves are connected with the crown of gold, for, though strangers and pilgrims here, we worship in connection with an ascended and glorified Savior.
The rings and staves adapted the altar to the wilderness condition of Israel; they were “to bear it withal,” that it might accompany them in their various journeyings. So Jesus, in the character in which he is presented to us by the golden altar, is ever present with us in Spirit wherever two or three are gathered in his name. And both his humanity and his Deity adapt him to our wilderness necessities.
The Position of the Altar.
And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. (Ver. 6.) In Hebrews 9 the golden altar in the holy place is omitted in the enumeration of the sacred vessels, and the golden censer in the holiest of all is inserted in its stead.
The reason of this appears to be, that in Hebrews 9, as also in Hebrews 10, the High Priest is represented as on the day of atonement, entered into the most holy place within the vail, typical of Jesus entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.
But in the type before us, the same precious and Divine Savior is represented as present in Spirit in the midst of his assembled and worshipping people on earth, by whom the sacrifice of praise is offered up to God continually, and their prayers go up with acceptance.
It is the vivid setting forth of those invaluable words in Matthew 18:19,2019Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:19‑20): “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
The altar stands before, and not within, the vail in the holy place; for it tells of Jesus in the assembly, and yet it stands before the ark and mercy seat, from whence God holds fellowship with his servants; for by the faith of Jesus we have boldness to enter into the holiest. Yea, come boldly unto the throne of grace, and there may hold sweet intercourse with God from off the mercy seat.
And in Jesus, who is present in Spirit with us on earth, and present in person for us above, all the promises of God are yea and amen to the glory of God by us.
And all this is true to the believer individually, as well as to the saints collectively.
The Perpetual Use of the Altar.
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning. (Ver. 7) A perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. (Ver. 8.) So Christ, the High Priest of our profession, ever liveth to make intercession for us.
In the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel by John we ‘have the reality’ and substance of these Divine foreshadowings.
We there see Jesus on earth, surrounded by his disciples; but, in Spirit, entering into the holiest, his work finished, and the crown of glory won.
In fact it is the High Priest at the golden altar— in anticipation, the High Priest on the day of atonement entering into the holiest.
Let us look at him as at the golden altar, and listen to his words: “Father, I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” “I have manifested thy name.”
He is thus presenting before his Father, as sweet and fragrant incense, the memorial of what he had been in his character and life on earth; and then claiming for himself the just recompense of reward, he obtains on behalf of his disciples, and of believers through their word, the richest, choicest, highest blessings.
And these words he spake in the world, that we might have his joy fulfilled in ourselves, in being thus enabled to enter into his thoughts concerning us, through this magnificent specimen of his present and perpetual intercessions, in the knowledge of the glory which—he has, and which he will share with us.
The Time of Incense.
When he dresseth, the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it. We have already considered the Candlestick, with its seven lamps, as the type of ministry or testimony in connection with Christ, and in the power of the Spirit.
It is Christ himself who prepares his servants for this ministry in the word, and he gives grace and power for its exercise. Just as Aaron dressed the lamps in the morning, and caused the flame to ascend at even, or between the two evenings. In Revelation 1. 2. 3, the Lord Jesus is thus shown as one like unto the Son of man in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, giving and directing the testimony which was to be borne in his name.
And testimony to Christ is a sweet savor unto God, as says the apostle in 2 Corinthians 2:14-1714Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. 15For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14‑17), “For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” But this is not all; the type before us beautifully and expressively shows the connection between the preparation and exercise of ministry, in fellowship with Jesus, and the fragrance of his own intercession.
When the servant is preparing, or being prepared for testimony, the intercession of Jesus is ascending oh his behalf; and when he is giving his testimony, the sweet savor of the name of Jesus is going up before God.
Its Exclusive Use.
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. (Ver. 9.) Thus, the altar of incense is kept perfectly distinct from the altar of burnt offering. And we do well to remember this in drawing nigh to God.
No strange incense was permitted, any more than strange fire. Jesus pleads no other excellency than his own as the ground of the acceptance of our prayers and praises.
The believer’s priestly access to God is a progressive thing. We go from strength to strength. The question of sin being settled, at the sin offering consumed without the camp. Acceptance in person and as to nature, and the joy of God’s salvation, is realized at the brazen altar.
Here, at the golden altar, the soul draws nigh to God in full assurance of faith, having the heart sprinkled and the body washed, —pardoned through the death of Christ, and accepted in his resurrection, and holding fast the profession of the hope without wavering, and in spirit entering within the wail.
In the sin offering consuming without the camp, we see Jesus delivered for our offenses.
At the brazen altar, we see him raised again for our justification.
At the golden altar, he is presented as ascended, and ever before God in all the preciousness of his person, character, and ways.
In the first, we have Christ dying; in the second, Christ rising; in the third, Christ ascended, and ever living to make intercession for us.
As guilty sinners, the sin offering without the camp met us as we were, and where we were.
As pardoned sinners, we find acceptance at the brazen altar, through the accepted sacrifice of a crucified and risen Savior.
At the golden altar, we have fellowship with God, and nearness of access to him, in all the preciousness of the life and person of Jesus, as he was and as he is. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much’ more, being reconciled, we shall be saved’ by his life.” (Romans 5:1010For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10).)
The Blood on the Horns of the Altar of Incense.
And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord. (Ver. 10.) The foundation is laid in atonement, and we know from Hebrews 10 that this yearly act was a type of the one offering of Jesus, whereby he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
And while no burnt sacrifice or meat offering was to be offered on this altar, yet the blood of atonement on the horns of it speaks of peace once made, and the remission of sins once for all through the sacrifice of Christ.
The Perfume.
And the Lord said unto Moses, take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight. Ver. 34.) The name of the first spice, “stacte,” comes from a Hebrew word, signifying to drop, to fall in drops, to distil, as in Song of Solomon 5:1313His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. (Song of Solomon 5:13): “His lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.” Beautifully significant of the grace and gracious words which proceeded from the lips of Jesus.
Onycha, in Hebrew, means also a lion, and suggests the thought of the uncompromising faithfulness, firmness, and decision of the character of Christ, setting his face like a flint, boldly acting for God, and reproving all manner of evil.
The root of the word for galbanum signifies milk or fat, and connects the thought with the “fat which covered the inwards,” God’s portion of the sacrifices, and emblematical of the internal preciousness of Jesus.
Frankincense, white and fragrant, speaks of the purity, piety and acceptability of the character and ways of him who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
“Of each shall there be a like weight.” How expressive of the character of Christ! What an even balance do we there discover! His grace, his firmness, his internal excellency, and outward piety, how exactly proportioned!
And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy. (Ver. 35.) Perfume and incense are the same. There is but one word in the original.
The graces and virtues which compose and make up the character of Jesus, how exquisitely tempered together. Not only equal, but harmonized, blended, and combined.
“Tempered together, pure and holy.” What purity what holiness also in the character and ways of Jesus!
And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tent of the congregation, where I will meet with thee; it shall be unto you most holy. (Ver. 36.) All these varied and combined excellencies of the Lord Jesus are to be discovered in the minutest act and thought, and are available for us in each particular.
And when met in the presence of God, the sweet memorial of all this is there for the encouragement of our faith, and for the comfort and joy of our souls before God; “for ointment and perfume rejoice the heart.” And thus, we realize our acceptance with God in his own beloved Son, and enjoy communion with him. And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye’ shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.’ Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut from his people. Ver. 37, 38.) This preciousness of Jesus is inimitable, and must, not be counterfeited. Self-conceit, through supposed, resemblance, will put the soul out of communion.
Strange fire is natural or fleshly excitement. Strange incense is nature’s imitation of the peerless preciousness of Christ.
Both are alike forbidden of God. But fire from God’s altar, and the sweet perfume of the excellency of Jesus, are provided for the true worshippers of the Father, through the Son.
T. N.
(The Brazen Laver in the Number for October.)