Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it. When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations. You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”
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Exodus 30:7-10 sits inside this longer paragraph.
“You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood. Its length shall be a cubit, and its width a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it. You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the covenant, before the mercy seat that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you. Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it. When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations. You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”
Parallel Translations
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Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.
When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.
You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it.
Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”
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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 he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
Show all 3 translations
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And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of sweet spices; every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it.
And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at dusk, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor meal-offering; and ye shall pour no drink-offering thereon.
And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations; it is most holy unto the LORD.'
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Commandments (2)
The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.
Cross-references (22)
- Leviticus 16:18 (v10) “He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the…
- Leviticus 10:1 (v9) Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before…
- Hebrews 9:22-23 (v10) According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. It was necessary…
- Hebrews 9:24 (v8) For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in…
- Exodus 29:36-37 (v10) Every day you shall offer the bull of sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it. You shall…
Show all 22 cross-references
- Leviticus 16:5-6 (v10) He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. “Aaron…
- Leviticus 16:29-30 (v10) “It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no…
- Leviticus 23:27 (v10) “However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement. It shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall afflict…
- 1 Samuel 2:28 (v7) Didn’t I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me?…
- Hebrews 9:25 (v10) nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own,
- Exodus 27:20-21 (v7) “You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.…
- 1 Chronicles 23:13 (v7) The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to…
- Luke 1:9 (v7) according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
- Hebrews 1:3 (v10) His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had…
- Hebrews 9:7 (v10) but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the…
- Exodus 12:6 (v8) You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening.
- Exodus 30:34 (v7) Yahweh said to Moses, “Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense. There shall be…
- 1 Samuel 3:3 (v7) and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple where God’s ark was,
- Acts 6:4 (v7) But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”
- Romans 8:34 (v8) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes…
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (v8) Pray without ceasing.
- Hebrews 7:25 (v8) Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv7, 9 Meaning, when he trimmeth them, and refresheth the oil.
Meaning, when he trimmeth them, and refresheth the oil.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv7–10 Exo 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense…
Exo 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
Ver. 7. Shall burn thereon sweet incense.] Faciunt et vespae favos. The heathens had the like custom -
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“Verbenasque adole pingues, et mascula thura.”
- Virgil.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv7–10 Aaron was to do this for the first time,…
Aaron was to do this for the first time, but afterwards any priest might do it, as appears from Luk 1:9; this not being done in the holy of holies, which was the high priest’s peculiar.
When he dresseth the lamps, i.e. cleansed them, and prepared them for the receiving of the new light.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv7–10 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning,....…
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning,.... This in later times was done by a common priest, who obtained this service by lots as we find in the times of Zacharias, Luk 1:9 the incense was fetched out of the house of Abtines, where it was made, and burning coals were taken off of the altar of burnt offering in a vessel, and the incense was spread upon them and burnt: the Jewish canons about this matter run thus (r); he that was worthy of, or allotted to, the incense, took a vessel that held three kabs, and a bowl in the midst of it, full and heaped up with incense, and took a silver censer, and went up to the top of the altar, and moved the coals to and fro, and took them and went down and poured them into a golden censer: and again (s), he that was worthy of, or allotted to, a censer, gathered the coals upon the top of the altar, and spread them with the edges of the censer, and bowing himself went out; and he that was worthy of, or allotted to, the incense, took the bowl out of the midst of the vessel, and gave it to his friend or neighbour: and he that burns the incense may not burn until the president says to him, burn; and if he was an high priest, the president says, lord high priest, burn; the people depart, and he burns the incense, and bows and goes away: the burning of the sweet incense was typical of the mediation and intercession of Christ; the burning coals typified his sufferings, which were painful to his body, and in which he endured the wrath of God in his soul, and both must be very distressing to him: the incense put upon these shows that Christ's mediation and intercession proceeds upon his sufferings and death, his bloodshed, satisfaction, and sacrifice; which mediation of his, like the sweet incense, is frequent, is pure and holy, though made for transgressors, and there is none like unto it; there is but one Mediator between God and man: likewise this was typical of the prayers of the saints; and at the same time that the incense was burnt the people were at prayer, which was set before the Lord as incense, see Psa 141:3, these go upwards to God, and come up with acceptance to him, from off the golden altar, being offered up to him by Christ, with his much incense, through his blood and righteousness, and are pure, holy, fervent, and fragrant, and called odours, Rev 5:8.
when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it; which he did every morning he went into the holy place, where the candlestick with its lamps was; these he trimmed and dressed, snuffed those that were ready to go out, lighted those that were gone out, supplied them with oil and wicks, and cleared the snuff dishes, and the like: now near to the candlestick stood the altar of incense, so that when the priest looked after the one, he did the service of the other; and hence we learn, that our intercessor and lamplighter is one and the same; he that was seen amidst the golden candlesticks dressing the lamps of them, appears at the golden altar with a golden censer, to offer up the prayers of his saints, Rev 1:13 and we learn also, that the light of the word and prayer should go together, as they do in faithful ministers and conscientious Christians, who give themselves up unto and employ themselves therein; the one to and in the ministry of the word and prayer, and the other to and in the reading and hearing of the word and prayer.
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(r) Misn. Tamid, c. 5. sect. 4, 5. (s) Ibid. c. 6. sect. 2, 3.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv7, 10 Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this altar…
Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this altar every morning and every evening, which was intended not only to take away the ill smell of the flesh that was burnt daily on the brazen altar, but for the honour of God, and to shew the, acceptableness of his people's services to him. As by the offerings on the brazen altar satisfaction was made for what had been done displeasing to God, so by the offering on this what they did well was, as it were, recommended to the divine acceptance.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10 Verse 7. When he dresseth the lamps] Prepares the…
Verse 7. When he dresseth the lamps] Prepares the wicks, and puts in fresh oil for the evening.
Shall burn incense upon it.] Where so many sacrifices were offered it was essentially necessary to have some pleasing perfume to counteract the disagreeable smells that must have arisen from the slaughter of so many animals, the sprinkling of so much blood, and the burning of so much flesh, &c. The perfume that was to be burnt on this altar is described Ex 30:34. No blood was ever sprinkled on this altar, except on the day of general expiation, which happened only once in the year, Ex 30:10. But the perfume was necessary in every part of the tabernacle and its environs.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv7, 10 Exo 30:7-8. Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon…
Exo 30:7-8. Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this altar every morning and every evening, which was intended not only to take away the ill smell of the flesh that was burned daily on the brazen altar, but for the honour of God, and to show the acceptableness of his people’s services to him. As by the offerings on the brazen altar satisfaction was made for what had been done displeasing to God, so by the offering on this, what they did well was, as it were, recommended to the divine acceptance.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10 Aaron, or some other priest. They did it by…
Aaron, or some other priest. They did it by turns, and were bound to observe continence during the time of their ministry. (Leviticus xv. 16; Luke i. 9.) (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv7–9 Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense--literally, "incense of spices"--Strong…
Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense--literally, "incense of spices"--Strong aromatic substances were burnt upon this altar to counteract by their odoriferous fragrance the offensive fumes of the sacrifices; or the incense was employed in an offering of tributary homage which the Orientals used to make as a mark of honor to kings; and as God was Theocratic Ruler of Israel, His palace was not to be wanting in a usage of such significancy. Both these ends were served by this altar--that of fumigating the apartments of the sacred edifice, while the pure lambent flame, according to Oriental notions, was an honorary tribute to the majesty of Israel's King. But there was a far higher meaning in it still; for as the tabernacle was not only a palace for Israel's King, but a place of worship for Israel's God, this altar was immediately connected with a religious purpose. In the style of the sacred writers, incense was a symbol or emblem of prayer (Psa 141:2; Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3). From the uniform combination of the two services, it is evident that the incense was an emblem of the prayers of sincere worshippers ascending to heaven in the cloud of perfume; and, accordingly, the priest who officiated at this altar typified the intercessory office of Christ (Luk 1:10; Heb 7:25).
every morning . . . at even--In every period of the national history this daily worship was scrupulously observed.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10 7, 8. Perpetual incense — Like the continual burnt…
7, 8. Perpetual incense — Like the continual burnt offering, this burning of incense of spices was to be repeated every morning, and also at even, or between the two evenings. See on Exo_29:39. It was to correspond with the dressing and lighting of the lamps. The composition of the incense is described in Exo_30:34-38.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv7–10 7. burn] properly, make to exhale (or make into)…
7. burn] properly, make to exhale (or make into) sweet smoke, as Exo_29:13 (see the note).
sweet spices] see on v. 34.
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when he dresseth the lamps] cf. on Exo_27:21.
7–10. Incense is to be burnt upon the altar twice a day by the high priest, in the morning when the lamps are removed from the candlestick for trimming, and in the evening when they are replaced and lighted. Atonement is to be made for it once a year by the blood of the sin-offering (Lev_16:15-19) being applied to its horns.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10 (7) Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense (Heb., incense…
(7) Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense (Heb., incense of spices) every morning.—On the composition of the incense, see Exo_30:34-35. That the offering of incense regularly accompanied both the morning and evening sacrifice appears from Psa_141:2; Luk_1:10. That it was symbolical of prayer may be gathered both from those passages and also from Rev_5:8; Rev_8:3-4.
When he dresseth the lamps.—Comp. Exo_27:21.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv7–10 Sweet incense. Literally, "incense of perfumes." For the composition…
Sweet incense. Literally, "incense of perfumes." For the composition of the incense, see vers. 34-38. When he dresseth the lamps. The lamps of the golden candlestick were to be trimmed and cleaned, their wicks looked to, and fresh oil added, if necessary, every morning, immediately after daybreak. See the comment on Exo_27:21. The duty devolved on the priests.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v8 Burn incense upon it.
Exo_30:8
Burn incense upon it.
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Incense
All religious ceremony and ritual is a picture, in external and material form, and upon a lower platform, of something higher, properly religious. Now this altar of incense had a very distinct meaning.
I. The first thing that I want to point out is what a lovely, significant, and instructive symbol of prayer the incense is. Now what were the aspects of prayer suggested by the symbolism?
1. First of all, I suppose that the essence of it is the ascent of a mans soul to God. To enter into thyself is to ascend to God. To go deep down into thine own heart is to go straight up to the Father in heaven. Incense is prayer, because incense surely wreathes itself upwards to God.
2. Let us learn another lesson from the incense, and that is that the prayer which ascends must be the prayer that comes from a fire. The incense only climbs when it is hot.
3. The kindled incense gave forth fragrant odours. When we present our prayers, they rise up acceptable to God in curling wreaths of fragrance that He accepts.
II. Notice the position of the altar of incense in relation to the rest of the sanctuary. It stood in the holy place, midway between the outer court, where the whole assembly of worshippers were in the habit of meeting, and the holiest of all. It stood in a right line betwixt the outer court and the mercy-seat, where the symbolical presence of God was visible in the Shekinah: and whosoever approached the altar of incense had to pass by the altar of sacrifice: and whosoever was on his way to the holiest of all had to pass by the altar of incense. All prayer must be preceded by the perfect sacrifice; and my prayer must be offered on the footing of that perfect Sacrifice which Christ Himself has offered. And so you and I remember the Altar of Sacrifice whenever we say, For Christs sake.
Amen. And if we mean anything by these words except the mere empty formula, we mean this:--I stand here, and venture to put my grains of incense upon the altar, because He died yonder upon the Cross, that I might pass into the Holy Place. The prayer that goes another way round, and does not pass by the Altar of Sacrifice, is not the prayer that God desires and accepts. And, still further, let me remind you that, as I said, whosoever was on his road into the holiest of all had to pass by the altar of incense. That is to say, there is no true communion of spirit with God, except on condition of habitual prayer, and they that are strangers to the one, are strangers to the other.
III. The perpetuity of this offering. Morning and evening the incense was piled up and blown into a flame, and all the day and night it smouldered quietly on the altar; that is to say, special seasons and continual devotion, morning and evening kindled, heaped up, and all the day and night glowing. And dim lives may still, like the priests in this ritual, pile up the incense on the altar at fixed seasons, sure that if we do, it will glow there all the day long. But only remember, there is not much chance of a mans devotion being continuous unless he has, and sticks to, his fixed seasons for formal and verbal supplication.
IV. This altar that bore the perpetual incense, once a year aaron had to offer a sacrifice of expiation for it. It was never used for anything except the laying upon it of the fragrant incense, and yet yearly this sacrifice to cleanse it from defilement was duly presented. Now why was that? Was it not in order to express the profound feeling that the purest worship is stained, and that howsoever clear and exclusive may be the occupation and the use of this altar for the one solemn purpose, the iniquities of the offerers had defiled it. Let us be thankful that we have a great High Priest who truly cleanses us from the infirmities of our worship, and bears the iniquities of our natures, and is ever ready to aid our prayers with the incense of His own sacrifice, that all their imperfections may be washed away, and they and we received and made acceptable in His sight. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
The altar of incense
The altar of incense was made of acacia wood, and stood about a yard high and eighteen inches square. The altar and incense were symbolic--
I. Of the prayers of Gods people.
1. In prayer we speak to God and tell Him the thoughts of our minds, the feelings of our hearts, the desires of our spirits. The incense smoke ascended, arrow-like, in a straight and most direct column to heaven. Our prayers ascend immediately and in the directest way to the heart and ear of God.
2. In prayer we stand very near God. The altar of incense was placed before the mercy-seat.
3. The pleasant odour of the incense is symbolic of the acceptableness of prayer.
II. Of intelligent, unceasing, and reverent prayer.
1. The burning of incense is intelligent prayer. It took place in the light; and our prayers should be presented to God intelligently.
2. Unceasing prayer. It was a perpetual incense before the Lord.
3. Reverent prayer (Exo_30:9)
III. Of prayer offered in Christs name. Aaron sprinkled the golden horns, with the blood of atonement. This act is typical of the offering of prayer in the name of Christ.
IV. Of the power of prayer. The horns of the altar symbolize power. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (D. R. Jenkins.)
The altar of incense
I. We gather our first lesson from the shape and position of this altar. The altar was four-square. The same measure and estimate were thus presented every way, whether towards God, or towards man. But the squareness of the altar also denoted the stability of the service connected with it. Prayer and praise are not temporary things. Prayer indeed will be confined to earth, for it is the language of want. But praise waiteth for God in the heavenly, as well as in the earthly Zion.
II. Our second lesson from the golden altar is taught us by the condition necessary to the offering of its incense, viz., that there be a fire burning on it.
1. This incense on the altar typified the intercession of Christ. But the fragrance of the incense could not be brought out, nor its efficacy put forth till the action of fire was employed. And these burning coals on the golden altar, to what do they point us in this view of our subject but the sufferings of Christ? It behoved Christ to suffer.
2. The golden censer on this altar, with the incense rising from it, denotes, we know, the prayers of Gods people (see Rev_8:3-4). Here again we see that the incense could yield no fragrance without fire. The priest put it on the live coals, and then the odorous clouds went fuming up, a sweet savour, acceptable to God. And here we are taught in a most significant way, the necessity of heartiness in our worship if we would have it well-pleasing to God.
III. Our third lesson from this altar is taught us by the continuousness of the incense upon it. How beautifully this points us to Jesus, His offering, once made upon the brazen altar, was never repeated; and so the incense of His merits, once thrown upon the fire on the golden altar, never needs to be repeated. The intercession of Christ is uninterrupted.
IV. Our fourth lesson from this subject is furnished by observing the connection of the altar of incense with both the outer and inner sanctuary. Now we know that the outer part of the sanctuary, or the holy place, represented the Church on earth; while the inner part, or the most holy place, represented the Church in heaven. The lesson taught us by the part of the subject now before us is, that the golden altar, with its incense, belongs alike to both these departments of the Church of Christ. All the service performed, and all the joy experienced by the redeemed in the Church on earth is based upon the sacrifice of Christ, and connected with the incense of His merits. And the same will be true of the redeemed in the Church in heaven.
V. Our fifth and last lesson from this subject is gathered from the nature and composition of the incense offered upon the golden altar. Now, observe this incense was composed of four substances. Three of these, onycha, stacte, and galbanum, were substances entirely unknown to us. These may point to the divinity of Christ, in the mysteriousness of its connection with His death and sacrifice. The frankincense was a substance with which we are acquainted. It may represent the humanity of Christ. This we know and understand, for it was like our own, in all respects, save that it was free from sin. The elements composing this incense were mingled together in equal parts. This seems to point significantly to the entire and perfect harmony of character which distinguished our glorious Saviour. There was nothing out of place in Him. Again, the materials of which the incense was composed had to be beaten into small particles, or reduced to powder before it was prepared to give out its rich fragrance. And so Jesus, our glorious Saviour, had to be brought very low, and stoop to the most wondrous humiliation, before the golden censer of His merits could yield those sweet odours which are so refreshing to the souls of His people, and at the same time so well pleasing to God, and so efficacious to secure our acceptance before Him. (R. Newton, D. D.)
Incense and light
I desire to call your attention to the conjunction which was established by the Divine law between the burning of the incense and the lighting of the lamps; these two things, being both of daily observance, were attended to at the same moment for reasons worthy of our study.
I. And first I call your attention to the wonderful co-operation between the intercession of Christ for us, and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
1. Note, that we have these both revealed in their fulness at the same time. When our Lord ascended on high to plead before the throne, the Spirit descended to abide in the Church. After the Lord was taken up the disciples received the promise of the Father and were illuminated by the Holy Ghost.
2. Now, as they were connected historically, so are they continually connected as a matter of fact. Herein lies our hope for our own eternal salvation, in the ceaseless plea and the quenchless light.
3. Furthermore, this conjunction, as it is a matter of history, and as it is continuous, will always be seen by us personally when our prayer is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much.
4. That in Gods drawing near to man there is the same conjunction of incense and light. If the glory of God were to come forth from between the cherubim, if it should come past the veil to be revealed throughout the world, that glory would pass by these two, the golden altar of incense and the golden lamp of light. I mean this: God can have no dealing with men at all except through the merit of Christ and the light of the Spirit.
II. Secondly, our text seems to teach the connection between prayer and knowledge. The golden altar represents intercession offered by Christ, and also the prayers of all the saints, which are accepted through His intercession; and as the candlestick stood side by side with it, and represented the light of the Spirit of truth, so must true prayer and true knowledge never be separated.
1. So I gather, first, that prayer should be attended with knowledge. It is ill when men worship they know not what. God is light, and He will not have His people worship Him in the dark. When they burn the incense they must also light the lamp.
2. But now turn the thought round the other way--knowledge should always be accompanied by prayer. Revealed truth is as a church-bell summoning us to come into the presence of the Lord, and bow the knee before Him.
III. I desire, in the third place, to show some special practical connection between the incense and the lamp. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. So, then, there should be prayer especially at the dressing of the lamps: that is to say, when preparing our minds for that ministry by which we enlighten the people among whom we dwell we should be specially earnest in prayer. Dr. Adam Clarke used to say to young ministers, Study yourselves dead, and then pray yourselves alive again; and that is an excellent rule. One thing more, this burning of the incense was not only at the dressing of the lamps, but also at the kindling of the lamps, when they began to shine. I want to plead very heartily with you that when it is my privilege to come here this week and at all other times to light the lamps, you who are my beloved helpers will take care to burn the incense at the same time. We need the incense of prayer more than ever in these latter days. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The altar of incense
This altar of incense may remind us of many things concerning prayer.
I. Its size: not very large, the smallest altar. A good prayer need not be long. God knows what we have need of. Like the Lords Prayer, it may include much.
II. Its design: symmetrical. Prayers should not be one-sided, but well-proportioned. Not all about one thing, or too many things. There was a simple beauty about the altar. Four-square, crown of gold.
III. Its material: choice, the best wood and metal. In prayer there may be the word of human infirmity and need; but there must be the fine gold of truth, etc.
IV. Its place: in the holy place, in front of the vail that concealed the most holy. There should be prayer before entering Gods house, as well as inside the house.
V. Its use: to burn incense, offering to God of holy desire, thanksgiving, praise. Note--
1. This incense, carefully compounded of the most precious ingredients. Not to be used for ordinary purposes. Prayer is holy to the Lord.
2. The lamp was lighted opposite when the incense was kindled. Prayer needs Divine illumination: should bear the light as being without hypocrisy.
3. The incense was burnt morning and evening. Our days should begin and end with prayer. (Biblical Museum)
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The altar of incense
Consider this as--
I. A typical institution. Notice here--
1. Its daily use.
2. Its annual expiation.
II. An emblematic rite. In this view it marks--
1. The privilege of Christians.
2. The ground of their acceptance. Application:
(1) How highly we are privileged under the Christian dispensation.
(2) What a holy people we should be unto the Lord. (C. Simeon, M. A.)
The altar of incense
At the west end of the outer apartment, in front of the curtain which separated it from the holy of holies, stood the altar of incense, three feet high, with four equal sides, each one foot and six inches in horizontal measure. It consisted of a frame of acacia wood, with horns of the same material at the four upper corners; plated over all the external surface with gold. It was not left open at the top, like the great altar of burnt-offering, but covered with a board of acacia wood, overlaid with gold like the four vertical sides; and this cover is designated by the word which signifies the roof of a house. Like the ark and the table, it had rings for convenience in transporting it, and a pair of gilded staves, which, however, did not remain in the rings when the altar was in place. Just above the rings was a crown, or cincture, of the kind affixed to the ark and the table. The incense was probably burned in a censer placed on the top of the altar; the ashes remaining in, and being carried away with, the censer. (E. E. Atwater.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv9–10 (Cf.) Lev 10:1-3, two prohibitions are given concerning worship:
strange
(Cf.) Lev 10:1-3, two prohibitions are given concerning worship:
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(1) No "strange" incense is to be offered. This speaks of simulated or purely formal worship.
(2) No "strange" fire was permitted. This refers to the excitation of "religious" feelings by merely sensuous means, and to the substitution for devotion to Christ of any other devotion, as to religious causes, or sects. (Cf) 1Co 1:11-13; Col 2:8; Col 2:16-19. (See Scofield "Exo 30:38").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv7, 10 General Information:
General Information:
Yahweh continues telling Moses what the people must do.
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throughout your generations
"through all the generations of your descendants." See how you translated this in Exodus 12:14.
But you must offer
Though the word "you" is addressed to Moses, the instruction is given specifically to Aaron and his descendants as to when and what they are to offer on the altar of incense.
translationWords
Aaron
incense
lampstand
altar of incense
Yahweh
people group
generation
burnt offering
grain offering
sacrifice
drink offering
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.