Exodus 30:1 - Meaning and Application

The Lord gave these instructions about the altar of incense. It was to be made of wood and covered with pure gold. It was to be about a yard high and half a yard square, with horns on its corners. A gold border was to go around it, and gold rings and poles were to be made for carrying it (Exodus 30:1-5).

It seems this altar did not have a grate for ashes to fall through. When incense was burned, a golden censer with coals was brought and placed on the altar. The incense was burned in that censer, and then the coals were removed with it, so nothing fell onto the altar itself. In Ezekiel’s temple, the altar of incense is twice this size (Ezekiel 41:22). There it is called an altar of wood, with no mention of gold. That points ahead to gospel worship, which would be more spiritual, simpler in outward form, and spread farther, since incense would be offered in every place (Malachi 1:11).

The altar was to stand in front of the veil, on the outside of the curtain, but still before the mercy seat, which was inside the veil (Exodus 30:6). The priest who served there could not see the mercy seat because the veil blocked it, yet he was to face that direction as he burned the incense. This teaches us that, although we cannot see the throne of grace with our eyes, we must still pray by faith as if we stand before it, direct our prayers there, and look up.

Aaron was to burn sweet incense on this altar every morning and every evening, about half a pound each time (Exodus 30:7-8). This was meant, in part, to cover the bad smell from the flesh burned each day on the bronze altar. But it also honored God and showed that his people’s service was pleasing to him, and that they should gladly serve him. The offerings on the bronze altar dealt with guilt and judgment. The offering on this altar showed that good works are accepted by God, so our two great needs before him are forgiveness and acceptance as righteous.

Nothing else was to be offered on this altar, and no incense except the incense God had appointed (Exodus 30:9). God wants his worship done in the way he has commanded, and no other way. The altar was also to be purified once a year with the blood of the sin offering placed on its horns, on the day of atonement (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:18-19). The high priest was to do this as he came out from the Most Holy Place. This showed that the sins of both the priests who served there and the people they served made even this holy altar ceremonially unclean, so it had to be cleansed with atoning blood.

This incense altar pointed to Christ in two ways. The bronze altar in the courtyard pictured Christ dying on earth. The golden altar in the sanctuary pictured Christ interceding in heaven, pleading for us because of his sacrifice. It stood before the mercy seat because Christ always appears in God’s presence for us. He is our advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1), and his intercession rises like a sweet-smelling offering to God. The crown on the altar also points to Christ, because he pleads as King. He can say, “Father, I will” (John 17:24).

It also pictured the prayers of God’s people. Scripture says our prayers are set before God like incense (Psalm 141:2). Just as the smoke rose upward, so our desires rise to God in prayer when they are kindled by holy love and other godly affections. When the priest burned incense, the people were praying too (Luke 1:10), showing that prayer is the true incense. This incense was offered every day as a continual incense (Exodus 30:8), teaching us to pray always. That means we should keep set times for prayer each day, morning and evening at least, and not neglect them. In that way, we pray without ceasing.

The lamps were trimmed or lit at the same time the incense was burned. This teaches us that reading Scripture, which is our light and lamp, should be part of our daily duty and should usually go along with prayer and praise. When we speak to God, we should also listen to what God says to us. Then our fellowship with him is complete. The prayers of holy people are pleasing to God, like sweet-smelling incense. Scripture speaks of the prayers of saints as sweet odors (Revelation 5:8), but it is the incense Christ adds that makes them acceptable (Revelation 8:3). His blood also makes up for the guilt that clings to even our best service. But if the heart and life are not holy, even incense becomes hateful to God. Then the one who offers it is like someone blessing an idol (Isaiah 1:13; Isaiah 66:3).