Details of the Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1-10)

Chapter 30 resumes details or regulations for the tabernacle furniture. Its first 10 verses describe the altar of incense which was to stand before the curtain that shut off the Holy of Holies. This item speaks of the present work of our glorified High Priest, the Lord Jesus. He is the believers' intercessor.

Hebrews 7:25 "Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them."

Christ's intercession has authority and permanence. The believer through Him, offers prayer and praise before God.

Details of the Bronze Laver (Exodus 30:18)

It was used for the ritual cleansing of the priests. It can represent the Scriptures which contain the water of life. By the Word the Lord cleanses the believer from defilement contacted in service in a sinful world. An example is found in,

John 13:8-10 "Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet'. Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.' Jesus said to him, 'He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'"

The Word cleanses us from faults, attitudes, sin picked up in our walk in service in life.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

By confessing we say the same thing that God says in His Word about that sin - we are loosed from it and forgiven. Only the redeemed (Exodus 30:11-16 ) the cleansed (Exodus 30:17-21 ) and the anointed (Exodus 30:22-23 ) can truly worship with prayer, praise and thanksgiving (Exodus 30:34-38 ) of which the incense speaks.

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Details of the altar of incense are given in Exodus 30:1-10. Do you see your Saviour typified in His present glorified condition in the presence of the Father in the throne room of glory?
   • What can you be occupied with in and through Him (John 14:13; 1 John 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 )?
   • To be a winner of souls is it necessary for you to live on the altar of sacrifice and the altar of incense?
   • Why was the altar of incense positioned before the veil?
   • Do you believe it teaches that your glorified High Priest in heaven remains accessible to you?

2. Have you considered what is implied by the things forbidden to offer on the altar of incense (Exodus 30:9 )?
   • Is strange incense praying by some substitute mediator instead of the only Mediator Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5 )?
   • Do you believe that the spiritual antitype of the brazen altar of sacrifice is the once for all perfect sacrifice on Calvary?
   • Do you believe that Jesus Christ is ministering at the golden altar in heaven?
   • Do you reject any other means of offering effective intercession except through His name and finished work?
   • Do you conclude that to offer any other burnt sacrifice is to deny His finished work?
   • As on the altar of incense, there could not be offered grain offerings, do you believe that Christ made Himself your food when He died for you, that He never has to offer Himself in death again?
   • As a believer, do you feed your spiritual life in the Word?
   • As Christ your drink offering was poured out for you do you depend on Him for effectiveness in intercession, not on anything you could pour out?

3. Did the application of the blood of the sin offering (Exodus 30:10 ) once a year upon the horns of the golden altar, find fulfilment in Christ who entered heaven as the Lamb already slain (Hebrews 9:12; Revelation 5:6 )?
   • Was it only the horns of the altar to which blood was applied?
   • Could this mean that when with the hands of faith you lay hold on the glorified Christ you touch the efficacious cleansing blood?

4. What was every Israelite to do when they were numbered among the people of God (Exodus 30:12 )?
   • What ransom was paid for you (Matthew 20:28 )?
   • What is the significance of half a shekel?
   • Do you take it to be grace making the required sum affordable to all (Exodus 30:15 )?
   • What was the ransom used for (Exodus 30:16 )?
   • Do you have obligations in support of the Lord's service?

5. Do you accept that the antitype of the bronze laver (Exodus 30:18 ) is the Scriptures in which believer priests are cleansed from defilement contacted in service in a sinful world (John 13:8-10 )?
   • Do you find your way of thinking, attitudes, conduct, cleansed by the Word (Psalm 119:9 )?

6. What importance do you give to the anointing oil being a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Exodus 30:23 )?
   • Would you understand the spices to speak of the fragrance, tenderness and love of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:30 )?
   • Did the Holy Spirit come upon Jesus without measure (John 3:34 )?
   • What is the meaning of the name "Christ"?
   • Do you see figured in the anointing of all seven things mentioned in verses 26-28, the anointing of Christ and His people (Hebrews 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:20,27 )?
   • Have you experienced the freeing power of Holy Spirit anointing (Isaiah 10:27 )?
   • Have you been anointed by the Holy Spirit to witness in power (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4 )?

7. What application would you make of the warning of (Exodus 30:33 )?
   • What instances of false claims to inspiration and authority come to your mind, that have been compounded by deceived men?
   • Would you pray for an unsaved person to receive the Holy Spirit (John 14:16; Romans 8:9 )?
   • Do you believe the day will come when perverters of the faith will be cut off?

8. Do the sweet spices used to make up the incense speak to you of the character and intercession of Christ (Exodus 30:34-38 )?
   • Does the beating of some of it very fine remind you of what Jesus suffered to become your intercessor?
   • What part of the instructions calls to remembrance Hebrews 7:25?
   • Do you delight in the spiritual meanings because they show God's purpose coincides with your interest and your eternal wellbeing?