“Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” “There I will meet with you, and I will speak with you.” Exodus 25:8, 22

The Golden Altar of Incense Every piece was before the Lord.

Exodus 30:1-10 "You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width--it shall be square--and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD."

The Incense was most holy to the Lord Exodus 30:34-38 And the LORD said to Moses: "Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. But as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition. It shall be to you holy for the LORD. Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people."

Incense made from four ingredients in equal proportion All of Messiah’s graces are shown in every aspect of His character— “fragrant, “sweet,” “fine,” “pure” and “holy” No one could compound these for personal use. Frankincense (gum from salar tree in Arabia) Stacte (sweet gum from storax tree) or myrrh Onycha (Shell of mollusk) Galbanum (from Syrian fennel)

The Golden Altar teaches us the eternal satisfaction God receives from the work of Christ alone and the importance of our worship. “It is most holy to the LORD." “You shall make an altar to burn incense on;” The Incense and the altar were set apart for the Lord. No strange incense was to be offered. There is a special emphasis on this piece by the place it is found in the revelation. It is not mentioned with the other pieces but after the instruction concerning the priests. Next to the Ark of the Covenant it was the most sacred piece of furniture in the Tabernacle, illustrating the tremendous importance God puts on our communion with Him in prayer and thanksgiving and the pleasing acceptance God has with the work of Christ.

The Golden Altar teaches us that the Messiah’s covenant obedience in life is acceptable to God. “And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony,” It is a sweet aroma. KJV “But thanks be to God, who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God” 2 Corinthians 2:14,15

The Golden Altar teaches us that the Messiah’s covenant obedience in death is acceptable to God. “And you shall put it before. . .the mercy seat that is over the Testimony” It is a sweet aroma. “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Ephesians 5:2

The Incense was connected with the morning and evening burnt offering The Incense was connected with the morning and evening burnt offering. Messiah is the burnt offering The coals from the brazen altar fueled the fire for the incense.

Ex 29:38-42 38 "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 With the one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 41 And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. 42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you.

Whole Burnt offerings Every thing was consumed—a type of the complete exhaustion of wrath Horned animals—which speak of power and strength Males—representing the second Adam who is the representative of His people Without blemish—a picture of the perfect righteousness of Messiah Offered by individuals and on behalf of all the people—whosoever will may come Offered at the door of God’s house—admission into the presence of God He shall lean his hand—trusting the one substitute on whom the Lord’s wrath leaned The offerer killed the animal on the north side of the altar and the blood was brought forward—It is the life poured out unto death Sprinkled around the altar—seen from all sides Sacrifice skinned and cut into pieces—entire dislocation of every joint, God’s stroke It was offered by fire which never went out to the Lord—a picture of propitiation The smoke was a soothing aroma to the Lord—a satisfying savor of rest that calmed His soul The herd—the rich The flock male sheep and male goats—the middle class The birds, turtle doves or young pigeons—the poor “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter” Isaiah 53:7 “Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:2

The Golden Altar teaches us that the Messiah is our sin offering and He has the power to cleanse all of His people from all their sins. “Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD." The blood from the sin offering for the priest and people was smeared on the horns of the altar. The horns from the male animals speak of power and dignity. The Atoning work of Messiah is the power of His intercession and the basis of our prayer and praise. Heaven is cleansed “Who is He that condemneth? It is Messiah that died.”

The horns pointed toward each of the four camps of Israel—Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan. Messiah’s intercession has equal value and power for all the people of God scattered over the four corners of the world. “Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth”

The Golden Altar teaches us that Prayer is a constant expression of thanksgiving that our substitute bore God’s wrath and cleansed us from our sin. “Let my prayer be set forth before you as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2 The incense which was burned every morning and evening was fueled by coals from the brazen altar which was in the outer court. No other fire could be used. Leviticus 10:1,2 Nadab and Abihu killed because they disobeyed God is the prescribed worship. We are to worship according to His revealed will. The priests offered thanks with the incense.

“Men ought always to pray and not to faint” Luke 18:1 “Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.” Matt. 14:38 “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thess. 5:17 “Praying always.” Ephesians 6:18 “Continuing instant in prayer” Romans 12:12 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22

Revelation 8:2 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

The Golden Altar teaches us that the Holy Spirit enables our worship. “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it” “We are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:3 “Pray at all times in the Spirit.” Ephesians 6:18 “The Spirit intercedes for us.” Romans 8:26 The incense was burned at the same time the lamp was trimmed and the burnt offering was offered.

Messiah turned God’s wrath and took away our sin. Let us worship!