Exodus 30:1-10 The Altar of Incense

"Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense.

It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide,

and two cubits high -- its horns of one piece with it.

Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold,

and make a gold molding around it.

Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding --

two on opposite sides -- to hold the poles used to carry it.

Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

Put the altar in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony

-- before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony --

where I will meet with you.

Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar 

every morning when he tends the lamps.

He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight

so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come.

Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering,

and do not pour a drink offering on it.

Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns.

This annual atonement must be made with the blood

 of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come.

It is most holy to the LORD."

Exodus 30:1-10  (NIV)

Some observations from the NIV Study Bible notes:

• The fragrant incense's smoke symbolizes the prayers of God's people. (Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:10, Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4)
• The Study Bible also noted that the furnishings of the Tabernacle which were nearest to God's dwelling were made of, or overlaid with, gold.  Those which were further away were made of, or overlaid with, bronze.  The bases which supported the frames of the tabernacle and the four posts holding the dividing curtain were made of silver.
• The gold rings below the molding were for holding the poles used to carry the altar of incense.
• God would meet with them before the atonement cover which was over the Testimony.  Only the priest could go into the Holy of Holies, once a year to make the annual atonement for the sins of the nation.  (Leviticus 16:34)

Exodus 29:35-46

"Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you,

taking seven days to ordain them.

Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement.

Purify the altar by making atonement for it,

and anoint it to consecrate it.

For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it.

Then the altar will be most holy,

and whatever touches it will be holy.

This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day:

two lambs a year old.

Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.

With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour

mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives,

and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering

and its drink offering as in the morning --

a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly 

at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD.

There I will meet you and speak to you;

there also I will meet with the Israelites,

and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar

and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.

Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.

They will know that I am the LORD their God,

who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them.

I am the LORD their God."

Exodus 29:35-46 (NIV)

__________________________________________________________

Some observations:

                   

•      This is the start of the daily offerings.  The NIV Study Bible notes that these daily offerings were sometimes observed even during times of apostasy. (2 Kings 16:15)  King Ahaz ordered these offerings to be made upon a different altar, a new one styled after a pagan altar he had seen in Damascus.  (2 Kings 16:10)  It seems he had continued with this ritual of the daily offerings, yet added in other offerings and pagan practices. Of course this was just one example of his apostasy.
•      In the beginning verses, it seems to be a recap of the consecration process for the altar.  The priests were to consecrate the altar for a 7-day period, sacrificing a bull each day for purposes of making atonement and consecrating the altar by anointing it.  This process was repeated for seven days!  Yes, I know that I have already written that, but I repeated it for emphasis. [Which may have been why God chose to have the Israelites repeat the process for 7 days:  It could not be emphasized enough that God is holy and that they shouldn't approach Him carelessly.]
•      For the generations to come, the burnt offerings were to continue to be made regularly.  Two lambs were to be offered -- one in the morning and the other at twilight. 
•      God's ultimate purpose for this consecration of the altar and of Aaron and his sons were so that God would dwell among them and be their God.  Note the many ways this is expressed:

  "I will meet you and speak to you,"

" I will meet with the Israelites," 

"I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God," 

"...that I might dwell among them."

   

Exodus 29:29-34 Sacred Garments and Sacred Offerings

"Aaron's sacred garments will belong to his descendants

so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.

The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the Tent of Meeting

to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.

Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place.

At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread

that is in the basket.  They are to eat these offerings by which atonement

was made for their ordination and consecration.

But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred.

And if any of the meat of the ordination ram

 or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up.

It must not be eaten, because it is sacred."

Exodus 29:29-34 (NIV)

______________________________________

As I typed the above verses, I thought that it was interesting that Aaron's sacred garments were to be preserved for the next priest to use.  Somehow this underlined for me the fact that the priesthood would continue on even after Aaron's death, and that the focus was on the worship of the LORD, and not on his servant.

Also, the NIV Study Bible noted that the "sacred place" in v. 31 above, where the meat was to be cooked, was most likely the tabernacle courtyard.

Exodus 29:22-28 Offerings to the LORD and portions for the priests

"Take from this ram the fat,

 the fat tail, the fat around the inner parts,

the covering of the liver, both kidneys with the fat around them,

and the right thigh.  (This is the ram for the ordination.)

From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the LORD,

take a loaf, and a cake made with oil, and a wafer.

Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons

and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.

Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar

along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD,

an offering made to the LORD by fire.

After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron's ordination,

wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your share.

Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons:

the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.

This is always to be the regular share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons.

It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the LORD

from their fellowship offerings." 

Exodus 29:22-28  (NIV)

__________________________________________

Chapter 29 of Exodus details the process of consecrating Aaron and his descendants as priests.

In this section (vs. 22-28), parts of the ram for the ordination are offered to the LORD as wave offerings and burnt offerings.  Certain portions of the offerings were designated as the share belonging to the priests for food.  Leviticus chapter 7 gives more details about this process.

Burnt offerings, wave offerings and fellowship offerings are mentioned in this passage.  I think it would be best to wait until we get into the book of Leviticus to discuss those offerings in more detail.  It is about ten chapters away from where we are now, which seems like a lot of material, but the Exodus account will soon shift back into a more narrative style, which will move along more swiftly.  I plan to be more disciplined about writing regularly.  Also, this will give me some time to study ahead into the book of Leviticus so that I have a better idea of how to explain these matters when we get there.  I will definitely be asking the LORD for understanding in these matters!  

Exodus 29:19-21 The Ram of Ordination: Lives set apart for God's service

"Take the other ram,

and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.

Slaughter it, take some of its blood
 and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons,
on the thumbs of their right hands,
 and on the big toes of their right feet.
Then sprinkle blood against the altar on all sides.
And take some of the blood on the altar and some of the anointing oil
and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments.
Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated."

Exodus 29:19-21 (NIV)
_____________________________________________________________

The anointing with the blood of the ram of ordination consecrated Aaron and his sons to a life set apart for God's service.

     

The NIV Study Bible notes that the anointing of the men's ears symbolized sensitivity to God and his word, while the anointing of the men's right hands and feet symbolized a life of service to others on God's behalf.  

The ESV Study Bible notes that the sprinkling of both the altar and the men and their garments links all three, and that the blood can be seen as purifying them from sin.