Exodus 30 - The Altar of Incense and Bronze Laver

LINK: Exodus 30

BACKGROUND

The Altar of Incense

This 1.5' square x 3' high altar was for burning incense in front of the veil that was in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony. Aaron was to burn incense there when he trimmed the lamps in the morning and at twilight. Incense rising often symbolized the prayers of God's people throughout Scripture (Psalm 141:2, Luke 1:10; Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4).

Once a year, Aaron was to make atonement (cleanse and reconsecrate it) on its horns with the blood of atonement. This was the "Day of Atonement," and we will talk more about this day in Leviticus 16.

At this time, every male, twenty years of age or older was to give money for atonement. They gave it for service of the tent of meeting and to ward off plagues. I am not sure why they took a census in the first place, but one commentator said perhaps it was to have an official role for duties in the Lord's service. The ransom is an extension of Exodus 13:13 where every firstborn of man was to be redeemed. They were to be consecrated to the LORD for their life. This is the basis for Nehemiah 10:32. In the New Covenant, we are all to be consecrated per Romans 12:1, 2:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (NASB95)  

The Bronze Laver (Basin)

From: http://www.slideshare.net/rickbowen547/the-shadow-of-jesus-in-the-tabernacle

Aaron and his sons would need to wash here in order to not die before they made sacrifices at the altar of sacrifice. We will talk more about what it was made out of in Exodus 38:8.

While the altar speaks of salvation through a sin offering, the laver speaks of sanctification that needs to be continual.


The Holy Anointing Oil

This expensive oil was to be used only by the priests and for the furnishings and utensils in the tabernacle. It was not to be used for any other purpose, and no layman was to use it. The ingredients may be self-explanatory except cassia which is the fragrant bark of a tree.

The Incense

The pure incense was made of:

Stacte - a powder taken from the middle of hardened drops of myrrh--rare and very valuable. 

Onycha - made from mollusk shells.  

Galbanum - a rubbery resin taken from the roots of flowering plants that are common in Syria and Persia. 

Frankincense - a resin from the bark of Boswellia carteri that grows in Arabia.

This incense was holy and was not to be copied or used for any other reason. Since it was to be burned before the testimony in the tent of meeting (30:36), we can assume it was to be burned on the altar of incense.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption 

I just noticed that myrrh and frankincense were two of the ingredients in this holy incense, and these were offered by the magi at the birth of Jesus!

The whole Tabernacle points to Jesus. Please see this excellent PowerPoint for an overview of what I have been sharing over this portion of Exodus: 

The Shadow of Jesus in the Tabernacle


REFLECTION

May my prayer be counted as incense before You;

The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.

 (Psalm 142:2)

Are my prayers burning morning and evening before God? As I meditated on Exodus 30 today, I tried to envision the sweet-smelling incense of my prayers rising to God. The priests burned their incense morning and night, and it was a sacred duty. I do not want to say it is my duty to pray because that sounds too legalistic, but I want it to be my sacred delight to offer my prayers as sweet-smelling incense to the Lord. I want to live a life consecrated to God in prayer and service since Jesus has made us to be a kingdom, priests to our God and Father to His glory (Revelation 1:6).

I once heard a fellow Bible study leader say that she loved to study God's Word but that she really did not get into prayer. I wondered how you could have one without the other and visa-versa. Bible study naturally leads us to prayer and prayer naturally leads us to Bible study. The two meld together so much as we grow in Christ that they are not even seen as separate activities. They are like fingers on each hand intertwined, that grip tightly around the Lord to where all you really see is the single grip and not the individual fingers. Does that make sense? Even as I meditate on this passage, I pray.

In my heart, I am trying not to get out of balance. I LOVE to study God's word, but if I just study it and do not dialogue with the Lord as I am studying, it is a flat academic exercise rather than a dynamic growing relationship.  It is all about a relationship with Him!


APPLICATION

Allow your prayers to rise like incense before the Lord today! You might like to do something radical like actually burning incense to remind yourself to keep in communion in prayer to the Lord throughout the day. 

Hey, I have some frankincense and myrrh incense that my neighbor gave me one Christmas. I think this is how I will apply it! I'm not sure how to burn them though. Time to Google it!


PRAYER

I used to help lead singing in a "Watchwoman" prayer group, and this is a song we often sang during our prayer times. I thought it was so appropriate for today! Every cycle of the Bible Book Club, I am always glad I take time to worship God and enter into the Holy of Holies singing this song.

“Into Your Courts” (Listen to music here)

Into Your courts we come
Deep in our hearts we long to be
Near to the throne of Your glory

As we draw near to You
Know that we're here to do Your will
God how we long to be near to You

May our prayers be like incense rising
Up to Your throne
May our songs be a fragrance unto You

May our lives be as pleasing off'rings
In all that we do
God how we long to be near to You
God how we long to be near to You
(song by Gerrit Gustafson)

Exodus 27 - The Tabernacle Journey

LINK: Exodus 27

BACKGROUND

Notice how God gave the pattern for the tabernacle from the inside out. The tabernacle was from God's perspective looking out, not from man's perspective looking in. So, let's continue to go out from the Holy of Holies.

The Bronze Altar

This altar was located inside the entrance to the tabernacle (40:29). It was about 7 1/2 feet square and 4 1/2 feet high. It is also called the altar of burnt offering in the NIV and in Leviticus 4:7, 10, and 18 in the NASB. It was made of acacia wood covered with bronze. There were horns at each corner that were covered with blood at the consecration of the priests (29:1) and on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:18). The horns were also the means by which the sacrifice was tied down. This is interesting because where have you heard about an animal caught by its horns that served as a sacrifice before? See Genesis 22!

There was a bronze grating within the altar that went about halfway up where the sacrifice would lie. We will learn about the different offerings (burnt, grain, peace, sin, guilt) when we start reading Leviticus.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

This altar illustrates that one can approach God only through sacrifice. Sin must be atoned for by it. Sacrifices for sins were continually being made, and the fire was kept burning on the altar continually. According to Hebrews 10:10-12: 

We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He (Jesus), having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

The Outer Court of the Tabernacle

This courtyard was 75' x 150'. It was made of linen curtains supported by or hung on posts with bronze bases and silver hooks set in bands. It was half the height of the tabernacle curtains. Like the curtains for the tabernacle, they were made of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. The entrance on the east side was in the center and 30' wide.

In the conclusion of the chapter, the sons of Israel were charged to supply olive oil (this burned with little or no smoke) so the priests could keep the lamps burning continuously as a perpetual statute.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

My first exposure to the tabernacle was many years ago when I read a little book called Meditation: The Bible Tells You How by Jim Downing. I loved his chapter about experiencing communion with God by going on a "reverent journey mentally through the tabernacle" because it was a practical way to apply this Old Testament information with a scarlet thread reality.

Here is a summary of that mental journey that you might enjoy:

1) The Gate (Thanksgiving)

Downing points out:

Jesus suffered 'outside the gate' (Hebrews 13:12). . . our suggestion is to pause in our mental journey outside the gate and thank our heavenly Father that He sent Jesus Christ to die for us outside the gates of Jerusalem. . . It is only because Jesus Christ died for us that we have the right to come into God's presence. (p. 61-62)

2) The Brazen Altar (Acknowledgement)

"We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10). Downing's suggests:

Tell God that as we approach Him, it is not on the basis of what we have done or haven't done . . . but we acknowledge that we can approach Him only on the basis and on the merits of what Jesus Christ has done. As the priest in the Old Testament placed the communicant's sacrifice on the brazen altar, so we mentally present Jesus Christ as our sacrifice and offering, which has opened the way for us to come into God's presence. (p. 62)

3) The Bronze Laver (Confession)

The next item in the court was the laver filled with water. The priest was to cleanse himself from the defilement he may have experienced in offering the sacrifice. Downing suggests that:

We approach God confessing our sins and forsaking in our hearts and intents any sins which have defiled us since we last came into His presence, so that they may be placed under the blood of Jesus. (p. 62-63)

4) The Lampstand (Thanks for Light)

As you entered the holy place, the only light was from the lampstand on the left. Downing suggests that we "thank God audibly that all the light and wisdom we need on the problems for today and the future are available from Him, and we thank Him for it" (p.63). We can also thank God that Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)!

5) The Table of Showbread (Thanks for Strength)

On the right side of the holy place is a table of showbread. Downing suggests that we "thank God for His provision of all the strength that we are going to need for today" (p. 64). We can also thank God that Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35)!

6) The Altar of Incense (Prayers)

Aaron was to burn fragrant incense on the altar in front of the veil that was in front of the ark of the testimony perpetually (Exodus 30:6-8). Downing says:

John tells us that the prayers of the saints are like incense to God (Revelation 8:4). What a privilege it is for a redeemed sinner to be able to delight the heart of God through prayer. . . tell God that we thank Him for the privilege of delighting His heart with our prayers and presence as we come to Him. (p. 65)

Now we go past the Veil and into the Holy of Holies for . . .

7) Worship and Adoration,
8) Expressions of Love, and 
9) Pure Praise

In the Old Testament, only the high priest could go behind the veil to the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, but at Jesus' crucifixion, the veil of the temple (that was built by Solomon after the pattern of the tabernacle) was torn in two (Matthew 27:51) giving us free access into the most holy place and into the presence of God! Downing suggests:

At this point in our mental journey we want our hearts to be occupied with the greatness of the person of God, and the greatness of all His works . . . express our love ('I love You Lord because ______') . . . give pure praise, thinking about the things He has done in the past, and then spend much time in thanksgiving to Him for that which He has already done. (p. 65-72)

10) The Very Presence of God

Downing does not mention this, but this is the Shekinah glory that we will talk about in Exodus 40:34-35. This is the center of sweet communion with God where time stands still just enjoying and basking in His presence! We often do not take time to just sit and soak in His presence, but "In His presence is fullness of joy and pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11).

Following this, we can "draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, so that we can receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

So, we enter into:

11) Petitions 

Often, we do this first in prayer, but they are sweetened after coming into the light of His presence. 

Then, we leave our time by:

12) Remembering

Downing states:

As we conclude our time alone with God, the final step is to select the most refreshing part of our time of communion and fix it so firmly in our minds and affections that we will remember it throughout the day. It will serve as a reminder of our time with God. As the person who has been to the flower garden shows evidence that he has been there by the flower he has picked and taken with him, so our time in communion with the living God should remain fragrant to us and to all those whom we shall meet throughout the day. (p.76)

I hope you enjoyed that, I sure enjoyed reviewing it after all these years.

Have a blessed day!

Here is the above meditation in a two-page document download: 

A Prayer Journey Through the Tabernacle

PRAYER

Lord, everything in this world grows so strangely dim in the light of Your Shekinah glory today. Thank You for this blessed time of communion even writing this post! Lord, I pray that BBC readers will take the time to enter into Your presence in communion with You NOW! Lord, we know it is not just about reading Your Word and gaining knowledge about You but knowing You and experiencing communion with You. I pray this for each reader today (and always!). We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Exodus 25 - Beginning the Tabernacle

READING: Exodus 25


BACKGROUND:


Now God tells Moses and the people to build a tabernacle. It will be a portable structure that Israel will pack up and carry with them wherever they go until the more permanent temple is built. This would be a place where God would meet with His people. His very presence would be there. It will give a picture of how one can approach God, which will be fulfilled through Jesus. There are a lot of "scarlet threads" in this section on the tabernacle.


Gathering Materials
The people were to voluntarily provide the necessary materials for the tabernacle. Everything had to be given willingly, according to the desire of each man's heart, not imposed as a tax. These were high quality, valuable materials. And the people gave all that was needed and beyond (Ex. 36:5-7).
The Ark & Mercy Seat (vs. 10-22)


The first items described are the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. An ark is simply a box, and this one was to hold a copy of the law, or testimony, that God was giving to them. (Other objects will be added later.) This ark represents the very presence of God. It is covered by the mercy seat. The word for mercy seat literally means a covering. It is the place where sins are covered, the place of atonement. Christ will become this covering for our sins, and His blood will provide for our atonement.





The Table of the Showbread (vs. 23-30)
Like the ark, this table is made of acacia wood and completely overlaid with pure gold. Also, both pieces of furniture have rings attached with poles through them. This will enable the Israelites to carry them without actually touching these holy objects.


The Bread of the Presence, or "showbread" as it's also called, is set on this table. There are twelve loaves, one for each tribe of Israel. The bread represents God's provision for Israel's "daily bread" and Israel's communion with God. Jesus will be called the "Bread of Life." (See John 6:32-35.)


The Lampstand (v. 31-40)


Here is another object made of pure gold and very ornate. This would be the only source of light inside the tabernacle whereby the priests could see to do their work. It represents Christ, the "Light of the World."










REFLECTION:
The tabernacle, all of the objects in it, and all of the practices done there will provide a way for man to approach God and for God to commune with man. My sin has to be covered in order for me to be in the presence of God, so God provides a way for that to happen. His Law is preserved in an honored place, and should likewise be hidden in my heart. He provides the bread over which I commune with Him and by which I live. He provides the light by which I can see Him, His Word, His provision, His covering.

APPLICATION:
I just want to encourage everyone to keep reading attentively. The details of this section can get tedious, but if you have a good understanding of the law, the tabernacle/temple, and the priesthood, you will have a greater appreciation of many of the events to come later in the Bible.

PRAYER:
Thank you, LORD, for providing a covering for my sin. You are a God of great mercy! My soul rejoices in the God of my salvation. Amen.