Commentary - Exodus 30:1-10

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, the Lord gives Moses the instructions for the final piece of furniture for the Holy Place: the altar of incense. This altar stands as a profound theological symbol of the prayer life of the people of God. Its specific construction, its precise location before the veil, and its ritual use all point forward to the person and work of Jesus Christ. The perpetual burning of incense represents the unceasing prayers of the saints, and the annual application of blood to its horns teaches us that our prayers are only made acceptable to a holy God through the atoning work of our Great High Priest. This altar is where the intercession of the people meets the atonement of the Savior.

Outline

Context In Exodus

Having received the Law at Sinai and the instructions for the tabernacle, the ark, the table, and the lampstand, Israel is now being told how to approach God in worship. The instructions for the tabernacle are moving from the inside out, from the Most Holy Place to the outer court. The altar of incense is the last piece of furniture in the Holy Place, standing nearest to the veil that separates it from the Holy of Holies. Its placement is therefore highly significant. It represents the closest point of regular access to the immediate presence of God. The entire system of tabernacle worship is designed to teach Israel that a holy God has made a way to dwell among a sinful people, but that way is entirely on His terms and is mediated through sacrifice and priesthood.

Key Issues

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 “Moreover, you shall make an altar as a place for burning incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.

The command begins with God. "You shall make." Worship is not a human invention; it is a divine prescription. God is meticulous about the details because the details are pregnant with meaning. The altar is for a specific purpose: burning incense. In Scripture, incense is a consistent symbol of the prayers of the saints ascending to God (Ps. 141:2; Rev. 8:3-4). This is the altar of prayer. It was to be made of acacia wood, a dense, durable, and incorruptible wood. This points to the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, truly man, yet without sin, decay, or corruption.

2 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 the same piece.

The altar is perfectly square, a symbol of the earth with its four corners. The prayers offered here are for the whole world. Its height is two cubits, making it taller than it is wide, directing our attention upward. The horns, which are integral to the altar ("of the same piece"), represent power, refuge, and strength. In the ancient world, one could grab the horns of an altar for asylum. The power of prayer is not an add-on; it is part of the very nature of our access to God. But as we will see, these horns are also where the blood of atonement must be applied.

3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding all around for it.

The acacia wood of Christ's humanity is completely overlaid with pure gold, a symbol of His divinity and purity. Our mediator is the God-man. His humanity is the foundation, but His divinity is what makes Him a perfect and effective intercessor. The gold molding, or crown, signifies His royal authority. Our High Priest is also our King, and He reigns from the place of intercession.

4 You shall make two gold rings for it under its molding; you shall make them on its two side walls, on opposite sides, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

Like the other key pieces of tabernacle furniture, the altar of incense was portable. The rings and poles, also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, enabled the Israelites to carry it with them on their journey through the wilderness. This teaches us that access to God in prayer is not confined to one location. As the people of God sojourn on their pilgrimage, the privilege of prayer goes with them. Our High Priest's intercession is constant and available to us wherever we are.

6 You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

This is the theological center of the passage. The location is everything. It is placed just outside the veil, as close as one could get to the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat, which represented the very throne of God. The incense smoke would waft through the veil into the Holy of Holies. Our prayers, in Christ, ascend directly before the throne of grace. And notice the promise: "where I will meet with you." God meets His people at the place of prayer, the place of Christ's intercession.

7 Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps. 8 When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be continual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.

The duty of offering incense falls to the high priest, Aaron. This is a picture of Christ, our Great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). The offering was to be perpetual, morning and evening, symbolizing the unceasing prayer that ought to characterize the people of God ("pray without ceasing," 1 Thess. 5:17). The trimming of the lamps, which provided light, is tied to the burning of incense. This suggests a connection between the light of God's Word and our prayer life. A life of prayer is a life illuminated by truth.

9 You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar or burnt offering or grain offering; and you shall not pour out a drink offering on it.

Here we find the stern prohibitions. "Strange incense" refers to any man-made concoction, any form of worship not prescribed by God. This is a warning against will-worship and syncretism. We must come to God on His terms, not our own. The sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, would later be consumed by fire for offering "strange fire" (Lev. 10:1), a related and fatal error. Furthermore, this altar was not for sacrifices of atonement (burnt, grain, or drink offerings). Those belonged on the bronze altar outside. This altar's purpose was distinct. Prayer does not atone for sin; prayer is offered on the basis of an atonement already made. We must never confuse the two.

10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”

This is the capstone. How can our prayers, which are so often mixed with sin, selfishness, and doubt, be acceptable to a holy God? The answer is the blood. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would take the blood from the sin offering and apply it to the horns of this altar of prayer. This act consecrated the altar and all the prayers offered there for the entire year. It is a stunning picture of the gospel. Our prayers are heard, our worship is accepted, and our access to God is secured only because the blood of Jesus Christ has sanctified them. The power of our prayer (the horns) is made effective by the power of His blood. This is why the altar, and the prayers it represents, is "most holy to Yahweh."

Application

The altar of incense is not a dusty relic of an ancient religion; it is a living portrait of our relationship with God through Christ. It teaches us, first, that prayer is central to the life of faith. It is not an optional extra but the very sweet-smelling aroma of a life lived before God. Second, it teaches us that our prayers must be offered according to God's will, not our own whims. We don't get to invent our own spirituality. Third, and most importantly, it grounds our entire prayer life in the finished work of Jesus Christ. We do not pray in order to be saved, but because we are saved. We do not approach God on the basis of our eloquence or earnestness, but solely on the basis of the blood shed for us. Every prayer we offer is, in effect, touched by the blood of Christ, which cleanses it and makes it a fragrant offering, "most holy to Yahweh." Therefore, we can and should approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that our High Priest has gone before us, and His atoning blood makes our every stumbling petition a welcome sound in the ears of our Father.