Exodus

Exodus 30:11-16
The Ransom Payment

There are two words that should be explained in order for us to understand the contents of today’s passage a little better. They are redeem and ransom. Both words deal with the same issue and the words can both be turned into either nouns or verbs.

For simplicity’s sake, a ransom is a payment. It is a sum of money or of some other type of payment in order to obtain a prisoner’s release. In the verb form, it is obtaining that release by making a necessary payment. If we think of man bound in sin, there must be a payment made to obtain our release from that.

Redemption involves regaining possession of something in exchange for payment. The ransom payment is what is used to redeem the thing. The noun form of the words differ more than the verb forms, but in all there is more involved in the word redeem than in the word ransom because the application is wider.

The reason I mention this now is that Israel is already at Mount Sinai, and yet they will be asked to pay a ransom for their souls. We shouldn’t get stuck there and think that this somehow means they have earned their status. As we will see, this ransom payment only pictures the work of Christ.

It is not to be taken in any way at all that we somehow participate in our freedom from sin and bondage to the devil, with but the exception of receiving what Christ has done on our behalf. The payment here is only a type and a shadow of His work and is not to be equated with any effort on our own part in securing our release.

I will repeat this as we go through the verses to remind you of this. In the end, it is all about what Jesus Christ has done for us.

Text Verse: “And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:44, 45

When I was young, we would save S&H Green Stamps in order to buy things we wanted. When we bought things at the store, we would get a certain number of stamps as a bonus. The more we spent (well, the more mom spent), the more stamps we would get.

It is the same as our bonus points for using credit cards today. Along with the stamps came a book filled with pictures of things we could buy with the stamps. The more costly the thing, the more stamps were needed. If there was a toaster mom wanted, she would save up her stamps for that. The toaster in the picture was in need of redemption and the stamps were the ransom payment for it.

When the book of stamps had enough to buy the toaster, off she would go to redeem her prize. It was an enjoyable thing to do and it was something that we anticipated with delight. This concept parallels man’s plight.

There is a picture of humanity, bound by sin and separated from the Holy God who created him. In order to not violate His own holiness, a ransom price needed to be paid. The value of the thing being ransomed is very high and therefore the price to be paid was high as well.

To think of what Christ did for us is… well, it is simply astonishing. When Jesus said that he came “to give His life a ransom for many” it means just that. He gave His life to redeem us. As God’s holiness is what could not be violated, the price for our redemption is an infinite one. As only God is infinite, then only the God/Man could make the payment.

The Humanity of Jesus is the payment, but the Deity of Jesus is what seals the deal. He is the bridge between the two. The payment is made for us by Him, and it is received by Him on behalf of God the Father. This is what we see pictured in today’s passage. It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Ransom Money

¹¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

This is the first time these words have been given since Exodus 25:1 when the Lord began to give the instructions for the gathering of materials for the tabernacle. Since then, it has been one long, uninterrupted set of instructions.

These words now form a new thought with a new direction, but they will only last for six verses and then the Lord will provide further instructions for the construction of more tabernacle implements. However, even these instructions, which seem unrelated to the on-going narrative, are intricately tied into it. In Exodus 25:1, it said –

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.’”

All of the articles of these past chapters seem to have been constructed from this willing offering of the people. But this is incorrect. We will see this as the verses continue. What seems now as an interruption in the normal, unbroken flow of the narrative is actually a logical and even essential part of it.

As the words, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying” are set off as their own verse, it is as if we are being asked to pause and consider them. Now that we have, we can move forward into the “what” and “why” of the coming verses.

¹² “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number,

Not to overwhelm you with a complicated commentary from a long-dead scholar, but one of the things that I often repeat is that we need to be careful with reading commentaries and assuming they are correct. John Lange goes into great detail concerning what is being mandated in this verse with the intent of correcting other scholars. And yet, his commentary is completely inaccurate –

“The tabernacle itself was to be built from voluntary contributions (35:5), not from legally imposed taxes, and in this voluntary way more was given than was needed (36:5 sqq.). Moreover, the designation of the use of the money, עַל־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד [“for the service of the tent of meeting,” Exo 30:16], does not mean: for the work of the building, but: for the perpetual service of God in the building. This is implied also in Luther’s translation [and in the A. V.]. Moreover, it is said, that this tax is to be collected from the Israelites when the census of the adult males is taken. But such an enumeration did not take place till after the tabernacle was erected (Num. 1:1–18).” John Lange

He gives several points. 1) The tabernacle was to be built of only voluntary contributions. 2) More than enough of voluntary contributions were given and so this tax was unneeded for the construction. 3) The money to be mentioned in connection with this census is for the care of the tabernacle, not its construction. 4) The census was taken after the construction of the tabernacle.

The analysis is incorrect because he didn’t consider the words of Exodus 38 which we will look at later. It is a mistake that would lead to a wholly unfounded conclusion as to why the Lord is now directing this money to be collected at the time of a census.

Let us always be careful to not assume that a commentary is correct until we have fully searched out the matter at hand. The Lord is now, at this time, requiring a census of the people, right in the middle of the details for the construction of the tabernacle and its furniture. Why would He do this?

^{12 (con’t)} then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord,

When the census is taken, each man is to give a ransom for himself. This seems more than odd, especially when the people have already been redeemed by the Lord –

“You in Your mercy have led forth
The people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them in Your strength
To Your holy habitation.” Exodus 15:13

This is now the third time that the noun kopher, or ransom has been mentioned in Scripture. The word comes from the verb kaphar which means “to appease.” It means then “a covering,” and thus figuratively, “a redemption price.”

It was first used in Genesis 6:14 in the asphalt which was used to cover the ark of Noah. The verb form was used was in Genesis 32:20 when Jacob sent a gift to Esau in hopes of allaying his anger. At that time, he said –

“I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” Genesis 32:20

The intent of the gift was to cover over his previous transgressions against his older brother. The required ransom payment now is tied in with the numbering of the people. Its intent was to impress upon the minds of the people that they were actually unworthy to be a part of the holy congregation.

Because of this, they would need to pay a covering for that unworthiness. The Lord had redeemed them in a state of unworthiness and now they were to pay a ransom as a personal acknowledgment of that redemption.

When the ransom is paid, in the eyes of the Lord it would be as if their unworthiness no longer existed and thus they would be kept safe from the justly deserved punishment of the righteous Judge of mankind. With this covering, they could then come into the presence of the Holy Lord without any fear of danger. This is explicitly stated in the next words…

^{12 (con’t)} when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.

The paying of the ransom is directly tied into the idea of being saved from a plague. Interestingly, the word negeph, or “plague” has only been seen once so far in Scripture, in Exodus 12 –

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. ¹³ Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

As you can see, the Lord is making a direct connection between the shedding of the blood of the lamb and the ransom payment of the men in the census which is to be of silver. One logically follows along with the other, redemption and ransom. The terms, though similar in meaning, do differ. Redemption is wider in its application than ransom.

This noun form, negeph, or plague, is only used seven times in the Bible and all are in relation to the people of Israel. The final time it is used is in Isaiah 8 where it is ascribed directly to the Lord in relation to the people of Israel –

“He will be as a sanctuary,
But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
To both the houses of Israel,
As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Isaiah 8:14

This verse from Isaiah is then used by Paul when speaking of Christ in Romans 9, and by Peter – also speaking of Christ, in 1 Peter 2. In essence, Christ became the very plague upon Israel that the blood of the lamb and the ransom money was to protect them from. In their rejection of Him, they rejected what these types and shadows only pictured. What a mistake to underestimate and thus reject God’s provision in Christ!

¹³ This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give:

The term “those who are numbered” is the Hebrew word paqad. It is not an unusual word in and of itself. It is used over 300 times in Scripture under various contexts. What is unusual is that it hasn’t been used since Exodus 20 and it won’t be used again until Exodus 32, both under different contexts.

However, it is used 5 times in verses 12, 13, & 14. It is being specially highlighted. The word means “to visit,” “to appoint,” “to attend to,” etc. The significance of numbering then is to show that a certain group out of a whole are being appointed or visited for a special purpose.

^{13 (con’t)} half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary

The word for “half,” makhatsith, is introduced here now, and it will be used three times between verses 13 and 15. The specificity is given that it is to be one half a shekel. The stress though is not on half, but on shekel. We know this because the weight is then further described as “the shekel of the sanctuary.”

A shekel is a measurement of weight, not specifically a coin of a preset value. It is this weight which is required, but more than just any shekel, it was to be of the shekel of the sanctuary. It is a standard shekel by which all other weights would be compared.

The amount is not a great one. It is believed that the half shekel would equal approximately eight grams of silver. Although the value of silver in biblical times isn’t known, on the day I typed this sermon, 8 grams of .999 pure silver is worth $4.21.

The amount is not so small as it should be treated with contempt. Even a rich person will pick up a five dollar bill on the road. On the other side, it is also not so large as to be a burden on even a poor person. A poor person will spend more than this much on a McDonald’s breakfast on any given day.

^{13 (con’t)} (a shekel is twenty gerahs).

Now a half shekel is defined in another way for us, by the gerah. It’s a new word for us which will be used five times between Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Ezekiel – all in the same context. The word comes from the verb garar which means “to drag away.”

The gerah literally means “a bean” or “a kernel” which is round as if scraped. Thus it is a portion of a shekel which has been taken away. This is exactly the same idea as our modern use of “grain” when speaking of money, gun powder, etc.

A shekel is said to equal twenty gerahs and thus one half shekel is 10 gerahs. Specificity is given and so an explanation is expected. Therefore, we must again turn to Bullinger to define the number –

Ten “signifies the perfection of Divine order … Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”

^{13 (con’t)} The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord.

This ransom money is said to be a terumah, or an offering, to the Lord. The word terumah comes from the word rum which means to be lifted up or exalted. This seemingly insignificant payment was to be exalted and raised up before the Lord.

¹⁴ Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord.

The age of those who were to pay included any male from the age of twenty and up. It is at the age of twenty that a Hebrew was considered as full grown. At this age, they would be considered acceptable for military service. Also, the Levites commenced their service in the sanctuary at this age. No male above this age was to be exempt from payment. The number twenty is defined by Bullinger as the number of expectancy. All of these, twenty and above, were to give their terumah, or offering, to the Lord.

¹⁵ The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel,

The ashir, or rich, are now mentioned for the first time in the Bible. The word won’t be used again until the book of Ruth and it will mostly be used in the five books of wisdom.

The dal, or poor, are mentioned for only the second time. The word comes from dalal which means “to dangle.” By implication such a person dangles – he is lean, needy, and weak.

The point of this requirement should be obvious, but it is well explained by Matthew Henry –

“The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less; the souls of the rich and poor are alike precious, and God is no respecter of persons, Ac 10:34; Job 34:19. In other offerings men were to give according to their wordly ability; but this, which was the ransom of the soul, must be alike for all. The souls of all are of equal value, equally in danger, and all equally need a ransom.”

The rich man couldn’t walk up to the temple and say, “I am giving more in order to secure my own, better ransom.” The poor man could not feel that his atonement was of less importance than the wealthy man. And there is no stated provision for a man to pay for the ransom of another man. It is a tenet later written explicitly into Scripture by the sons of Korah –

“None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him—
⁸ For the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—“ Psalm 49:7, 8

^{15 (con’t)} when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.

For the third time in three verses, we are told that this is a terumah, or a raising up of an offering to the Lord. This raising up is specifically said to “make atonement” or to be a covering for the people. A ransom is required or atonement will not be made.

The offering is equally binding on all, and thus its effects are equally realized in all. It is what saves from the vengeance of God which was sure to come on those who failed to make it, whether through pride, arrogance, or sheer neglect.

¹⁶ And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting,

The atonement money which is collected will come out to a total of one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels. This is recorded in Exodus 38 and the specific use for this silver is explained there as well –

“And the silver from those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary: ²⁶ a bekah for each man (that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. ²⁷ And from the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil: one hundred sockets from the hundred talents, one talent for each socket. Then from the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made bands for them. ” Exodus 38:25-28

Going through the description of the tabernacle’s construction, it was seen that there were exactly 100 silver sockets to be made, each a talent in weight. The weight of these are precisely aligned with the 100 talents of silver which were collected. There were also the silver pillars, hooks, and bands. The exact amount needed for these implements was precisely received from this census ransom as well  – 1775 shekels.

There is nowhere else in Scripture a note that extra was needed or that extra was left over. In other words, the exact number of people had come out of Egypt to exactly provide the exact amount of silver required for these items.

As the deliverance of Egypt was at an exact moment in time which was promised 430 years earlier, and as the travels of Jacob took them to Egypt at exactly the ½ way point of that 430 years, and as countless other exacting details had to occur in order for there to be this precise number of people at this moment in time, the collection of the silver which is now being mandated shows evidence of God’s hand on every minute detail of time, human generation, the movement of nations, even the amount of food that was available at any given moment in history.

This one verse, taken in context with these other points recorded in Scripture, shows us the absolutely sovereign nature of God over all things. In order for this to come out as it did, an infinite number of minute and precise occurrences were needed to align perfectly. And yet, we read verses like this without a second thought.

But the details, when understood, show us a magnificence in the word of God that is beyond our ability to properly grasp. Every chapter, every verse, and every word is intricately woven into the most marvelous tapestry ever conceived of.

As a side note, the KJV again messes up the translation here. It says ohel moed, or the tent of meeting, not the tabernacle of the congregation. They receive two demerits, and the NKJV gets one for calling it the tabernacle of meeting. Precision is realized in God’s word; we should therefore be precise with God’s word.

As another side note, every translation of this verse gives the idea of the silver being used for the ongoing “service” of the temple, but as was seen from Exodus 38, it is to be used not for its continuing service, but for its construction. This silver is for the sockets and other items. Specificity is important as the next words bear out the reason for what we are seeing…

*^16 (fin) that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”

The silver ransom money was to be, as it says, “a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.” The first time a zikkaron, or memorial, was mentioned in Scripture was at the Passover in Exodus 12 when it said –

“So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” Exodus 12:14

Again as earlier, the blood of the Passover is being directly equated to the silver of this ransom money. The redemption and ransom are intricately woven into one concept. The memorials brought to remembrance past deliverance, and they continued to remind them concerning that state of being. The redemption silver was used in the tabernacle construction to show us that everything about our redemption stands on Christ and is supported by Christ alone.

A price was paid to bring us back home
Atonement came; a covering perfect and pure
And so from Your courts, never shall we roam
Our place is fixed and firm; our place forever secure

Through the payment of Christ there on Calvary
Ransom was made, no more is there any debt
Because of His death there on that cruel and lonely tree
Satisfaction for what we owed has been perfectly met

The price was paid; the life of the Man ebbed away
Our atonement came so perfect and pure
But then came an even greater day
When death was defeated; now our place is forever secure

II. Pictures of Christ

Moses was implicitly instructed that a census was going to be taken with the words, “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number.” No census had been mentioned to this point, but now it is a known matter. There is a specific timeframe involved in the taking of this census, even though it is not yet revealed when it will be.

A census is made in order to determine a number. The mention of numbering the people is made five times in these few verses. Thus there is a hidden stress upon this word. Further, the name of the Lord – Yehovah is mentioned six times in the passage, but only five of them are in the actual instructions. Both of these five occurrences point to grace; five being the number of grace.

The act of numbering implies ownership or authority over a thing. This is why we number the things we possess. I may know that my neighbor has $2,000,000 dollars, but only because he first counted it and told me. He counted what he possesses. Likewise, I have counted my money and it equals $24.37… all mine!

We can do this for any of our assets because they are ours. The Lord is calling for a census of His people because they are His. The fact that He already knows the number is irrelevant. He wants Moses, and thus us to know it. He is identifying for all to know that this total number is His. As they are His, He has authority over them and the right to align them in the manner He chooses. The stars are numbered because they belong to the Lord –

“He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.” Isaiah 40:26

Not only does the Lord number the stars, but He also names them. It is a double note of ownership. The same is true with Israel. He named them and therefore He is now expressing a double note of authority over them. The same holds true the span of our lives. In Job, we read that He is the owner and controller of all men by this concept as well –

“Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.” Job 14:5

The Lord is exercising His authority and demonstrating His ownership of Israel through the coming census. This is why the sin of David in the taking of a census was so great. He went out to number the people of Israel without the Lord’s direction. He was, in essence, claiming his ownership of them and excluding the Lord’s authority in the process. It was a costly lesson for David.

The account is recorded in both Kings and Chronicles in part as a reminder to us of both the sin of pride and of the mercy of the Lord at the repentant heart. The Lord will not give His glory to another, but the Lord will allow us, if we are humble, to share in the blessings of His glory.

In this, we see that there is only One rightful Person who has been given the trust of choosing, ordering, and numbering the people of God – Jesus Christ. In this position of authority, He never forgets the glory of His Father, a glory which He has shared in and will share in for all eternity.

Moses’ numbering of the people at the Lord’s command is only a picture of the Lord’s numbering of God’s people. But there is a logical order to the process before the numbering. First, there was a need of redemption. The people were in Egypt and in bondage. That is man bound by sin.

Next there is the One who can redeem. One who is powerful enough to break the bonds and overthrow the power of the devil who has bound us in sin. That is Christ. This is followed by the act of redemption itself. This was seen in the slaying of the Passover, picturing the death of Christ.

After that, the duty of the redeemed was seen in the obedience of following the Lord and His commands. Only after that then come the privileges of our redemption which are found in worshipping and serving Him. Each step has been logical and orderly.

Only when people are redeemed can they then be numbered among the redeemed. This is where we come to in this passage. No sooner is the numbering mentioned for Israel, then the note of a ransom to be paid is given. As Arthur Pink states –

“God appropriates His elect unto Himself only as a ransomed people.”

This is the same pattern as before at the Passover where the same words were used. Again, the blood of the Passover is being tied into the silver of this ransom money. And in both instances, if the people failed to meet the requirement, simple as it may be, the penalty would be a plague among them.

Both the blood and the silver picture the work of Christ. In their rejection of Christ, He became the plague upon Israel. The same is true with the world at large. In its rejection of Christ, the plagues of revelation will come upon the world. The pattern follows consistently in Scripture. This is why the Bible says in a seemingly contradictory manner –

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:1

The ransom money only pictures Christ. We are not redeemed with such things as silver. Peter explains this to us in his first epistle –

“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18

The precious blood of Christ is pictured in the silver metal. The blood is the mode of redemption and shows us the character of Christ’s work; its value is the means of payment and shows the very high price of the ransom.

As we have seen in the past, silver itself pictures redemption. Silver, or kespeh, comes from another word kasaph which means to “be eager” or to “long for.” Thus this redemption money signifies that which we long for. Paul explains this in Romans 8 –

“Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”  Romans 8:23

From the fall of man onward, the expectancy of the work of Christ is pictured in the redemptive process of man. And Christ is the foundation of that redemptive process. Paul explicitly says in 1 Corinthians 3 that Christ is the foundation of the gospel.

The next thing noted was the word paqad. It is mentioned 5 times in this short passage. It signifies to visit or to appoint. A certain number were appointed out of a whole. In this a picture is being developed of the greater world at large. It is explained in the words of Luke’s description of what occurred in Acts 13:48 –

“Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

There is a portion of a whole who are appointed to eternal life. They are those who believe in Christ and receive His work. It is this special purpose in the process of redemption that is being highlighted in this verse.

Next was mentioned the specific amount of the ransom payment. This is a beautiful picture of Christ. It is one half a shekel according to the sanctuary shekel. The sanctuary shekel pictures the divine standard by which all else was to be measured by.

The half shekel then pictures Christ’s humanity as the mode of redemption. He is the heavenly standard, but it is His humanity which must deal with the sins of man. Further, as I noted it was silver, reflecting the precious nature of Christ, but it was only a small amount. In today’s money, about $4.21.

It was not so small as it should be treated with contempt by a rich person, but it was also not so large as to be a burden on even a poor person. Anyone who would treat this with contempt would be foolish to do so, and anyone who said they couldn’t obtain the amount would be considered too lazy to deserve what it signified. As Alexander MacLaren states about this –

“Thus there is but one Sacrifice for all; and the poorest can exercise faith and the richest can do no more.” Alexander MacLaren

In both we see the truth that Christ is available if we are willing to simply reach out to Him on one hand, and to never treat what He has done with contempt on the other. The silver pictures His work, not ours. It is only a type and shadow for us to understand.

Whether the blood of the Passover, or the silver of the ransom money, each of which pictures Christ, there is a truth which must be considered. We must personally obtain the work of the Lord, applying it by faith to our lives so that He will stand between sinful us and the holy God.

Next we saw that the half shekel was further defined as ten gerahs. The word gerah comes from garar which means to drag away. Ten gerahs are required to make full payment and thus it is this amount which pictures the dragging away of our sin. If nine were given, it would be insufficient. If 11 were given, it would be too much.

As Bullinger notes, these ten then imply “that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.” There is nothing wanting and all is complete in Christ’s payment for our sins. These are, in essence, dragged away once and for all time through His work.

These ten gerahs picture the Ten Commandments. The price of those was paid in Christ’s fulfillment of them in His human state. It was He who kept the law and paid the penalty for it on our behalf. Thus, He is the perfect ransom. This is actually beautifully spoken of by Him in the parable of the lost coin –

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10

Our turning to God through the completed work of Christ is all that is necessary to make the angels of heaven rejoice.

Next noted was the age of those who were to give – twenty and above. Twenty signifies “expectancy.” In this, there is the note that those who give are those who are expectant of what the offering would mean. It is the hope of the believer that what Christ has done is sufficient. The number is neither arbitrary or without meaning. Rather, it is exactly what the Bible speaks of concerning our faith.

And this brings us to the next point, that it is faith in the offering. The offering, or terumah, as I said, comes from the word rum, meaning exalted, or lifted up. This is seen explicitly in the use of the same word in Isaiah 52 –

“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.” Isaiah 52;13

This carries over directly to the NT where Paul writes of the exalted Christ –

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

In that this was the set amount where the rich were not to give more nor the poor less, it signifies that there is one standard, and one standard alone, by which man is redeemed. We cannot purchase our salvation through any other means, nor can we be redeemed without meeting the exact payment. Only Christ is a suitable ransom.

This is why the term “offering,” or terumah, is mentioned three times in three verses. It is this and no other. Only through the cross of Christ can man be redeemed. He is the offering; He alone. This offering is what was in the last verse said to be taken and appointed for the service of the tabernacle to serve as a memorial. It is that which made atonement for them. The memorial before the Lord is exactingly seen in the words of Hebrews 12 –

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Christ is now seated, ever before the Father, as a memorial for us. His work is complete and His scars are the proof of our redemption. It is this which has made atonement for us and it is He by which we are atoned for. No passage of Scripture could be more reassuring than what is presented in these words.

As a sort of explanation for you, I want to note that the placement of this passage may at first seem abrupt and illogical. We have the description of the Altar of Incense and the description of the Bronze Laver, and right in between the two there is this passage about the ransom money. And it is ransom money which will be used for things which have already been detailed.

But the last verse explains the placement. The silver is to be appointed for the construction of the tent, specifically for the silver implements mentioned, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.

The Altar of Incense pictures Christ’s intercessory work for us which includes our petitions and prayers. The Bronze Laver will picture Christ’s sanctification of us, meaning our ongoing spiritual purification as well as growth.

By placing the memorial of our atonement between the two, we are instructed that it is Christ who redeemed us. Therefore, it is He to whom we pray to God the Father through, and it is He who sanctifies us before Him. In other words, it is our redemption and atonement upon which everything else stands and upon which everything else is dependent.

No prayers are heard by God apart from Christ’s redemption of us, and no sanctification before God occurs apart from having first been redeemed. This passage, between those other two passages, is given as a stark reminder of this fact.

Israel brought ten gerahs of silver as a ransom before the Lord. We bring the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments by Christ before our heavenly Father. In this, we have been counted among His sons. Christ has acquired His rights over us. We are no longer our own for we have been bought at a price.

And that brings me to my final thoughts about this passage. I mentioned the precision of what had to occur for the amount of silver to come out exactly as was needed for the silver of the sanctuary. Literally, from the moment of creation, right up until the moment of the census, everything was preordained in order for these two things to line up.

And yet, there is more on the other side of the census as well because the same things that we read about in this passage were also used to show us larger pictures of the redemption of man through the greater work of Jesus Christ.

In other words, the grandiose nature of planning to have the correct number of people of a certain age come forward with a certain amount of silver to fit an exact need for the construction of the tabernacle at a particular moment in time is only a picture of something even more precisely detailed and even more magnificent.

When we get thinking that life is out of control, or if we think that somehow God has forgotten about us, what we can do is come to this passage and see that this is the furthest thing from the truth. If He cares enough about mere grains of silver which can be lost in the sand by simply letting go of one’s grip, how much more do you think He cares about you, an integral part of His heavenly temple, not built with hands?

Don’t allow yourself to get sidetracked by this wearisome world! Instead, keep your eyes on the prize. Fix your eyes on Jesus. And know in your heart that God has a marvelous plan which is being worked out in such immense detail that even the hairs on your head are figured into it. Be at peace, trust in Christ, have a steady heart, and know that you are highly favored.

Closing Verse: “Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.” Isaiah 40:26

Next Week: Exodus 30:17-21 Some tasty nuggets from the word for you to savor… (The Bronze Laver) (85th Exodus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if a deep ocean lies ahead of You, He can part the waters and lead you through it on dry ground. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Ransom Money

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
When you take the census, according to my word
Of the children of Israel for their number, as I am relaying
Then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord

When you number them
That there may no plague among them be
When you number them
Abide by these instructions from Me

This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give:
Half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary
(A shekel is twenty gerahs)
The half-shekel shall an offering to the Lord be

Everyone included among those who are numbered
From twenty years old and above, as noted by Me
Shall give an offering to the Lord
Follow this directive carefully

The rich shall not give more
And the poor shall not than half a shekel give less
When you give an offering to the Lord
To make atonement for yourselves, as to you I address

And you shall take the atonement money
Of the children of Israel
And shall appoint it for the service
Of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial

For the children of Israel before the Lord
To make atonement for yourselves, according to My word

How great are You, O God, that You have sent Jesus
To be the ransom for the weary soul
It is He who came to deliver us
And onto Him, our many cares we can now roll

For we have been redeemed unto You
Through His shed blood, redemption has come at last
The payment is made, nothing more is due
From a life of sin and bondage, into Your courts we have passed

O God, your righteous demands have been satisfied for us
Thank You, O God, for our payment of Ransom
Thank You, O God, for Jesus!

Hallelujah and Amen…

Exodus 30:1-10
The Altar of Incense

Every time we look at a new implement or piece of furniture in the tabernacle, at first we might think, “What is this even here for?” Until we look for and find Christ in them, they don’t seem to make any sense. But as soon as we open our eyes and minds to what we are being shown about Him, it all becomes so clear.

Today’s verses may not all make sense to you yet, but even before reading them, we can make a few logical deductions about what they must picture. For example, we have incense. Pretty much everyone knows what incense is and what it is for. When you light it, it smells good, it smokes, and the smoke rises up and out of sight.

If we understand the significance of the burnt offerings from previous sermons, we should at least get a hint of an idea what this incense must then be picturing. If so, then everything else should naturally begin to fall into place as well.

This is especially so if we read through the Bible and evaluate the 130 or so times that incense is mentioned. Eventually, we can form a general idea of what God is showing us. However, as incense has only been mentioned once before in the Bible, and that concerning what we are about to evaluate, it may take a bit of explaining. As an advanced clue, our text verse for today comes from Job 9 –

Text Verse: “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
that we might confront each other in court.
³³ If only there were someone to mediate between us,
someone to bring us together,
³⁴ someone to remove God’s rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.
³⁵ Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.” Job 9:32-35 (NIV)

Job noted that God isn’t a man. Because of that, there was no way for Him to talk directly to Him and get an answer from Him. And so he hoped for a mediator to help him out, someone who could bridge the gap between finite him and infinite God. This is what he desired.

Incense goes up from its place and eventually diffuses into the heavens. It pictures that transition which Job longed for. If his prayers could just go up and be received by a mediator who was qualified to take them in and pass them on, then all would be AOK. Likewise, if we were sure that our prayers were so handled, then we would surely know that everything is AOK.

Well, guess what. If you know Christ, then everything is AOK. It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Altar of Incense (verses 1-6)

“You shall make an altar to burn incense on;

The altar now to be described gets its name from these words, mizbeakh miktar qetoret – “altar to burn incense.” The word qetoret, or incense, is from the same root as the word qitor, meaning “clouds” or “smoke.” Thus it means, “smoke, odor of (burning) sacrifice, incense.” However, the altar will also have a different name ascribed to it which we will see in a bit.

There are quite a few things about this altar which are perplexing to scholars, but if we simply take each verse, one at a time, and consider what we already know from the description of the other tabernacle furniture, we’ll will have very few problems with the details.

^{1 (con’t)} you shall make it of acacia wood.

Like much of the other furniture, the base material of this altar is to be acacia wood. Without going into all of the detail of the past, a short description of acacia and its properties will suffice as a good reminder.  It is a very slow growing tree that would be readily available in the area where they are. Its heart wood is dark reddish-brown and is beautiful when sanded and polished. It is resistant to decay for several reasons and thus it is considered an incorruptible wood.

² A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width

An ammah, or “cubit,” comes from the word em, or “mother.” Thus it is the mother measurement. It is the distance from the tip of the middle finger to the bend in the arm at the elbow. Thus this will be about 18 inches and….

^{2 (con’t)} —it shall be square—

So far, we have seen that the Brazen Altar and the Breastplate of Judgment were both square. The altar carried the idea of judgment. The breastplate signified judgement and intercession. This third square piece will logically follow as intercession then. The Breastplate of Judgment is what ties the judgment of the Brazen Altar and the intercession of the Altar of Incense together. The fact that this is square, like the other two implements, signifies that the scope of the intercession reaches to the four corners of the earth without distinction or interruption; it is without limits.

^{2 (con’t)} and two cubits shall be its height.

In total, the altar will be about a half yard square and a yard in height. It is one half cubit taller than both the Ark and the Table of Showbread. That it is two cubits in height is not without significance. Bullinger defines the number saying, “It is the first number by which we can divide another, and therefore in all its uses we may trace this fundamental idea of division or difference.”

^{2 (con’t)} Its horns shall be of one piece with it.

The qarnotav, or “horns,” were not to be made separately and then fixed to the altar. Instead, they were to grow out of the altar, just as a horn grows out of the head of an animal. Something particular needs to be noted now. Here is a portion of the description for the Brazen Altar –

“You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it.” Exodus 27:2

If you noticed, the number of horns is given for the brazen altar, but the number of them is not given here. There must be a reason for this.

³ And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold;

Again, like the other wooden implements, this one is to be overlaid. The word is tsaphah, and it is identical to the verb tsaphah, which means “to look out or about, spy, keep watch.” Unlike the Brazen Altar, this one is to be overlaid with zahav tahor, or “gold pure.” It is the same overlay as that of the Ark and the Table of Showbread. Thus it will carry the same significance here as it did for those.

One new word introduced into the Bible here is gag, or “top.” It is probably by reduplication from the word ga’ah, which means “exalted. And so by analogy it is the top of an altar, house, etc.

^3 (con’t) and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around.

The zer or “molding” was introduced with the Ark of the Covenant. One was also prescribed for the Table of Showbread. Now, a third implement is to be given such a molding. Like the Ark of the Covenant and the Table of Showbread, this molding is lacking the adjective “pure.” Although the overlay is specifically said to be pure in all three, the same adjective lacks in all three concerning the molding.

Because of the complete covering in gold, and this golden molding at the top, this altar will also be known as the “Golden Altar” in Scripture. It is first called this in Exodus 39:38.

⁴ Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides.

Like the several other pieces, this is to have rings attached to it. And like the other gold pieces, the rings for this one are also lacking the adjective “pure.” They will carry a similar signification as the other times they were mentioned.

The word for “ring” is tabbaath. It means “ring,” but it comes from another word, taba. That is a verb which means “to sink.” This then gives the idea of a signet ring which is sunk into clay or wax in order to make a seal. From this comes the idea of any ring. Unlike the Ark and the Table, the rings for this Altar are to be under the molding. It will be carried with only the top of the Altar elevated above the priests.

^4 (con’t) You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it.

Unlike the other furniture with rings and poles, this one has only two rings. They are made of gold and under the molding of the table. They will be used for holding the poles that bear and transport the altar.

⁵ You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

Again, exactly as has been seen in the previous instances, these badim, or “poles,” are to be of acacia word and overlaid with gold. And again, just as before, the adjective “pure” is lacking from the description.

⁶ 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.

This Golden Altar of Incense was to be put directly in front of the veil, in the middle of the holy place between the Table of Showbread on one side, and the Menorah on the other side. As it is said to be “before the ark of the Testimony,” it indicates that the ark and it are intricately connected.

However, it also says, “before the mercy seat.” Therefore it is also intricately connected to that. It is tied to both individually. Finally, it says that it is “where I will meet with you.” This is speaking of the presence of the Lord above the Mercy Seat, between the cherubim on it.

These three items – the Ark, the Mercy Seat, and the Altar of Incense are so intimately connected, that the author of Hebrews says that this altar is actually on the other side of the veil. Here is what he says –

“For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; ³ and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, ⁴ which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵ and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.” Hebrews 9:2-5

This description by the author of Hebrews is not in error. Rather John Lange explains what is intended –

“For this reason we would rather find a theological idea than an archæological error in that passage of the Epistle to the Hebrews (9:4) which puts it in the Holy of holies. For this is the altar which by its incense symbolizes the prayer of the high-priest (Rev. 5:8; Heb. 5:7).” John Lange

In this verse, there is a play on words occurring which is provided to give insights into the work of Christ. The veil, or paroketh, comes from the word perek which means “cruelty” or “rigor.” That then comes from an unused root meaning to “break apart” or “fracture.” In this, we can see where cruelty or rigor then comes into play.

The mercy seat or kapporeth, indicates “a satisfaction.” This comes from the word kaphar, which in this situation means “to appease” or “to satisfy.” The two words, paroketh and kapporeth, are spelled with the same letters, but they are simply realigned from pe, resh, kaph, tav, to kaph, pe, resh, tav. The letter kaph is simply moved forward. The letter pe means “mouth” and signifies “to blow or scatter.” Kaph is represented by an open hand and signifies “to open, allow, or tame.”

On one side there is cruelty and rigor; on the other side, there is mercy, or satisfaction. The only thing that would pass through this veil each day would be the smell of the incense as it wafted into the air.

An altar of incense made of wood and gold
Its dimension are exacting and precise
It has a special purpose, so I am told
To know what that purpose is would be rather nice

There it sits in the Holy Place, before the veil it is set
But despite it being there, it does not seem obstructed at all
Even though I am not behind the veil yet
It seems that because of this altar, behind it I can call

Yes, there is an Altar which makes this possible
He is there receiving every wondrous puff of perfumed smoke
I believe that because of Him, to God my prayers are audible
It is as if He has heard me from the first moment I spoke

II. Priestly Responsibilities (verses 7-10)

⁷ “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning;

The Hebrew reads, qetoret sammim, or “smoke of spices.” The altar of incense is introduced at the beginning of this chapter. The composition of that incense will be given to close out the chapter. There it says –

“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. ³⁵ You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. ³⁶ 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.’” Exodus 30:34-36

This incense of spices shall be burnt ba’boqer ba’boqer or “by morning by morning.” This was the priest’s duties just as he was accomplishing another duty…

^7 (con’t) when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it.

When the lamps of the Menorah were trimmed at morning time, the incense was to be burned on it at the same time. This says “Aaron,” but it is the priesthood of Aaron which is implied. Whatever priest was given the responsibility could do this. We know this from Luke 1:9-10 where Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was given this privilege.

As far as the burning of the incense, it is unknown how it was done. Some scholars see this altar as having a grating where the ashes would fall through. Nothing is said of this. Some scholars see the incense as being brought in and burnt on a golden censer. This seems more likely, but it is still only speculation. As it is not stated explicitly, it is not the focus of the details. That incense is burned on the altar is.

⁸ And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it,

As in the morning, Aaron was also to burn incense on this altar at twilight, or literally ben ha’arbayim, “between the evenings.”  These then are at the same times that the morning and evening sacrifices were to be made on the brazen altar.

The two are being linked together in a unique way, just as this altar is linked to the Ark and the Mercy Seat in a unique way, and just as this altar and the Menorah are being linked together as well. Everything is tying together in the details of this special Altar of Incense.

As a bonus for you which is found in the words eth hanerot ben ha’arbayim, or “lights the lamps at twilight,” the word “LOVE,” or hava is found in a reverse acrostic of these words. The first letter of each word – aleph hey beth hey spells a reverse acrostic hava, or LOVE.

^8 (con’t) a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.

The incense was to burn perpetually morning and evening for as long as the Aaronic priesthood was in effect. Every generation that came was to continue this practice, unabated, morning by morning, and each day between the evenings. The incense was to be before, or in the face of, Yehovah at all times. This mandate as I said, is tied in with the timing of the care for the Menorah each day as was seen in Exodus 27:20, 21 –

“And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. ²¹ In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the Lord.”

⁹ 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.

The specificity here is given because the word for altar, or mizbeakh, is the same as for that of the Brazen Altar. It is an altar, it is square, it has horns, etc. just like the Brazen Altar. Even the rising of the smoke from the different offerings uses the same words for the Brazen Altar and this one. Because of this, prohibitions were required to avoid confusion.

No strange incense was to be burned on it. This means that only the prescribed incense given later in this chapter was to ever be burnt. No burnt offering of any kind, no grain offering of any kind, nor any drink offering of any kind was to be offered on this altar.

Finally, the fact that the offerings for both of these altars was to be made at the same time is showing a special connection between them. As the smoke rises from one, so it would rise from the other. This Altar of Incense is so uniquely tied to so many other items in the tabernacle that its importance cannot be downplayed in any way.

¹⁰ And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement;

The ritual for this mandate is found detailed in Leviticus 16:18, which describes the Day of Atonement rituals –

“And he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord, and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.”

^{10 (con’t)} once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations.

The last clause said, “upon its horns.” This clause says, “upon it.” The horns are cleansed by the smearing of blood, but after that, it says this in the following verse of Leviticus 16 –

“Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Leviticus 16:19

The entire altar would be considered purified from uncleanness by this annual atonement provided by the high priest.

*^10 (fin) It is most holy to the Lord.”

Another connection to the Brazen Altar is revealed in these final words of the instructions. This altar was considered “most holy to the Lord,” just as that which touched the Brazen Altar was to be so considered –

“Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy.” Exodus 29:37

A great deal of what occurs around this Altar of Incense is inextricably linked to other implements of the tabernacle. Let’s take a short poetic break, and then come back to see what it all means…

The Altar is most holy to the Lord
Nothing impure should ever be brought to it
Such is the warning in God’s precious word
And such is the warning I now to you submit

When we come to this Altar, let us be likewise holy
Let our prayers be unstained; let them be pure
This is what God asks of us, and so let them be
And in this manner, we will be heard for sure

When we are in our time of prayer and praise
And at all other times of this life that we live
Even throughout our lives, for all of our days
Let us to this precept all our attention give

III. Wonderful Pictures of Christ and His Work

The placement of this passage in the Bible appears to cause some people problems. Charles Ellicott, and other noted scholars, find it rather puzzling that the description of this altar comes now instead of when the Table of Showbread and the Menorah, which were maintained in the same room, were described. Here are his words –

“Why the directions concerning the altar of incense were delayed until this place, instead of being given when the rest of the furniture of the holy place was described (Exodus 25), it is impossible to say. But there is certainly no reason to suspect a dislocation of the text.” Charles Ellicott

He was wise to say that there is no reason to suspect a dislocation of the text. In other words, it wasn’t an accident being placed here. He just doesn’t see the logic of why it is, in fact, placed here. Well, there are several good reasons why it is.

The first is that the earliest items recorded tell us of Christ coming to His people in order to bestow mercy and grace on them. However, this item now shows us what God has done in order for us to go to Him. This will be seen first and foremost in what the incense pictures.

Secondly, the details of the selection, ordination, and consecration of the priests was detailed in chapters 28 & 29. It would make no sense to speak of the things which the priests would daily minister to until the priests were prepared to minister. The care for the lampstand anticipated the ordination of Aaron; the daily offerings and the ministration of the Altar of Incense, confirms that same ordination.

Thirdly, there is a lesson concerning ourselves in relation to the Altar of Incense. The Altar speaks of Christ, but in a second sense it has an application in the people of Christ. It relates to our relationship with God through Him and our duties to God because of Him.

The first and most obvious thing to do is to understand what the incense pictures. If that can be determined, then pretty much everything else will fall into its proper place. The altar is for incense, something which is burnt and rises toward heaven. The word qetoret, or incense, is from the same root as the word qitor, meaning “clouds” or “smoke.” Thus it means, “smoke, odor of (burning) sacrifice, incense.”

The Bible explicitly states what incense pictures. First, we saw that Zechariah was selected to offer incense at one point in his ministry. When that occurred, we read this in Luke 1 –

“So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.” Luke 1:8-10

The people were praying at the hour of incense. That gives us a clue which is explicitly revealed in both the Old and New Testament. In Psalm 141 it says –

“Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2

The incense and the burnt offering are tied together in this one verse, showing their unique connection. But the incense is described as if prayer. This is then repeated in Revelation 5 –

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8

The burning incense pictures prayer. But prayer is intimately connected to praise, and so it has that secondary meaning adjoined to it. The next thing described is the base material for the altar, acacia. Just as before, it pictures Christ’s humanity. The wood is incorruptible, just as He is.

The square shape of the Brazen Altar, the Breastplate of Judgment, and the Altar of Incense are all tied together with the Breastplate being the interconnection between the three. There is judgment, judgment and intercession, and intercession. Thus the Altar of Incense signifies Christ’s intercessory work on our behalf. Our prayers are offered to Him, and through Him they are deemed acceptable to God the Father. This is explained in Hebrews 7 –

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

“That this altar is square shows that His intercession reaches to the four corners of the earth without distinction or interruption; it is without limits.” Next, it is described as being a single cubit square. A cubit is the mother measurement. One cubit would be the basis of everything else. Bullinger describes the meaning of One –

“There can be no doubt as to the significance of this primary number. In all languages it is the symbol of unity. As a cardinal number it denotes unity; as an ordinal it denotes primacy.” EW Bullinger

Therefore, the prayers of intercession of Christ are unified and they hold primacy. In other words, prayers to God can only be offered through this One Source. No other prayers are acceptable to God without going through His chosen Mediator. So much for the RCC’s prayers to Mary.

The height being two cubits means that it is one half cubit taller than both the Ark and the Table of Showbread. It is exalted above those. The Ark is Christ embodying the law, meaning the Testimony which stands for the entire law. The Table of Showbread reveals Christ our Bread who gave His life for us. Only in the fulfilling of the law and in the giving of His life can we stand justified and acceptable before God.

Bullinger shows that two “..is the first number by which we can divide another, and therefore in all its uses we may trace this fundamental idea of division or difference.” There is a fundamental difference between acceptable prayers and unacceptable prayers. Only those prayers which rise above the law through the completed work of Christ can be considered acceptable to God. Those which do not, are not.

The one cubit square symbolizes that it reaches to the four corners of the earth. The two cubits in height symbolize that these prayers have overcome the world and reach to the heavens because of Christ’s intercession. This is actually made explicit in Hebrews 7:26, 27 –

“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; ²⁷ who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

The qarnotav, or “horns,” were made to grow out of the altar, just as a horn grows out of the head of an animal. They are a symbol of power and strength and demonstrate the intercessory power of Christ to God for us. As they are one with the altar, then everything about this altar is typified by His power.

That the number of horns is not stated is a significant omission. As four is the number of creation, the Brazen Altar having four horns signified the judgment on sin throughout creation. However, because Christ’s intercessory work is in heaven, no number of horns is given. Thus there is a transcendence from the earthly to the heavenly in this omission.

The overlay of the wood with pure gold signifies Christ’s perfect purity and absolute divinity. It also symbolizes His kingly status. He is the priest-king. Therefore, it signifies Christ’s divine ability to keep watch over those He intercedes for and mediates for. Just as a king watches over His subjects, so Christ our King watches out and for us.

The gold molding, signifies the same as for the Ark and the Table, it represents His kingly status. He is, as it has been said already, our Priest-King. After this, we were shown that unlike the other furniture, this altar only has two rings. These then picture these two things which Jesus spoke of in the Gospel of John –

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” John 15:26

The word of God, given through the Holy Spirit, is represented by these two rings. They are the number of “witness.” They “speak of the Spirit’s testifying of Christ.” They testify as the seal and authority of who Christ is. The first mention of this by Jesus was when He spoke of the Old Testament Scriptures.

The second mention of it was when He spoke of what would be given to the apostles for the New Testament. Both are of divine origin, meaning from the Holy Spirit, but both have since been handled by man and therefore the adjective “pure” is not used.

They have our taint in them, even if they are the inspired word of God. Though the word of God is pure, man’s hands and his fallible interpretations have been used in the process of sharing it. The lacking adjective is no mistake. Instead, it is another picture for us to understand.

It is to these two rings into which the poles are placed. These then are the two testaments themselves, the New and Old. They speak of the God/Man, represented by the wood and gold. They are what makes Christ mobile to the world as their word carries Him, each contrasting – the law and grace, but each supporting the whole and confirming the message of Him.

As the table can only be carried by two poles, not just one, it teaches us that should either or both testaments of the Bible be removed, we would not have a proper presentation of who Christ is. Without one or the other, we would have a faulty view of Him, and without either, we would have no knowledge of Him at all.

As these poles and rings are just under the molding of the altar and not at its feet, it shows us that Christ’s intercessory work for us is near and close to us. He is our ever present help in time of need. That the Altar is directly before the veil and before the Ark and the Mercy Seat, it shows that even though we are still on this side of the veil, living in this fallen world, our prayers are acceptable to God because of the embodiment of the law and the satisfaction of that law for us because of the torn body of Christ, which is the veil.

This unique arrangement of the Altar, Veil, Ark, and Mercy seat shows us that even though we cannot see heaven and the throne of grace with our eyes yet, our prayers are still received because of Christ’s work. This is why there is that play on words concerning the Veil and the Mercy Seat – the paroketh and the kapporeth.

On our side, we walk in a world of cruelty and rigor. On the other side, where our hope lies, there is mercy, and satisfaction. As the smell of the incense would waft through this veil each day, so our prayers pass through to the throne of God. It is the incense of the altar passing through to God where mercy is made available to the sinner, and where grace is bestowed upon the believer.

The change in the letters of paroketh and kapporeth shows that our sins are scattered on one side, being blown away. This is signified by the letter pe. On the other side, there is an open hand, allowing our prayers to be received, signified by the letter kaph. If you have ever wondered if your prayers are really heard by God, these ancient pictures show that because of Christ, they are. It is there at the seat of mercy that we now meet with the Lord.

The burning of the incense at the time of the tending of the lamps shows a direct connection between the two. As the lamps picture the illumination and ministry of God by the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, it is a direct consequence of Christ’s intercession for us. As we pray, He intercedes, and therefore the Spirit responds.

The perpetual burning of the incense shows that Christ ever-lives to intercede for us. We may be asleep at night, but Christ never sleeps, He never slumbers, and He is always available when our prayers rise to Him. This is why the Menorah and the Altar are so inextricably linked together. John Gills sums up the two functions represented by the two implements in regards to Christ’s work. He says that –

“…when the priest looked after the one, he did the service of the other; and hence we learn, that our intercessor and lamplighter is one and the same; he that was seen amidst the golden candlesticks dressing the lamps of them, appears at the golden altar with a golden censer, to offer up the prayers of his saints.” John Gill

But there is more. The timing of the two burnings is not only connected to the Menorah, but it is the same time of day as the morning and evening offerings on the Brazen Altar. The Brazen Altar sacrifices speak of the consecration of the life and actions of the body and soul to the Lord. They make a satisfaction for that which was displeasing to God.

The Altar of Incense offering speaks of the spiritual side of man being consecrated to the Lord. This tells of divine acceptance of what is pleasing to Him, namely our prayers because of the work of Christ.

Where the Brazen Altar sacrifices express atonement and reconciliation, the Altar of Incense offerings declare intimate fellowship with God because of that atonement and reconciliation. The two offerings both complement and complete our daily spiritual interaction with God in both act and exclamation.

And finally, the timing of the two offerings are aligned with the timing of Christ’s final day in His earthly ministry. He was brought before the leaders of Israel and the Gentiles in the morning, and crucified between the evenings at the same time as these offerings. Thus they are a constant reminder to God of the work of Christ on our behalf.

It is no coincidence that the acrostic hava, or LOVE is found in the words “lights the lamps at twilight.” This is the time of day that Christ died on the cross. The love of God, seen in the death of His Son, is what made our prayers acceptable to Him once again. This is the LOVE of God which is found in the High Priestly ministry of Christ’s cross.

Jesus, the Light of the world, illuminated both heaven and earth with the splendor of His work. Because of Him, we now have intimate fellowship with God through the offering of our prayers and praises.

These two altars are so closely connected to show us a single truth, and that truth is Christ. Each has its own purpose and design. One is a Brazen Altar; it is the place of sacrifice. The other is the Altar of Incense; it is the place of worship. Both together form the picture of One true Altar – Christ. The Author of Hebrews, speaking of Christ, says –

“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³ Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴ For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. ¹⁵ Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:10-15

The admonition to not offer strange incense upon this altar shows that the only prayers which are acceptable to God are those prayers which meet His exacting standards. No other prayers are acceptable except those authorized by and through His word. It is a note of exclusivity for the believer in Christ.

It is also a note that the follower of Christ is to never mingle his prayers with the prayers of unbelievers. That would be to mix the holy with the profane. It is an abomination to God. The admonition to offer no other offerings of any kind on this altar indicates that only through the work of Christ, which is realized in the other implements of the tabernacle, are prayers acceptable to God.

We can add no works of any kind into our complete devotion to Christ. Rather we are to trust in His sacrifices and offerings alone when we submit our prayers to God.

The final verse of the directions is that of atonement upon the altar. If our prayers offered to God go through Jesus, who is the Altar of Incense, and the yet atonement must be made upon the altar, it shows us a truth that is inescapable. Arthur Pink sums the thought up –

“Our prayers are so faulty, our praises so feeble, our worship so far below the level of what it ought to be, that even our “holy things” needed to be cleansed by the blood of atonement. How humbling this is!” AW Pink

In other words, even our prayers are defiled because we are defiled. The atonement upon the altar shows the need for Christ’s continued intercessory work for us. Though we are deemed acceptable to God because of Christ, it is only because of Christ. Without His past work, our prayers would be unheard. Without His on-going work, our prayers would continue to be unheard.

The annual atonement of the altar shows that the virtue of Christ’s intercession is fully complete by His earthly suffering, once for all time. We need nothing else, no sacrifice of any kind, to be acceptable to God. Instead, we need only our true Intercessor, Christ Jesus.

Such is the marvel and the majesty of Jesus Christ. Not only did He save us, but He keeps saving us. Not only did He purify us, but He continues to do so.

A direct example of this intercessory work is seen not long after the construction of the tabernacle. In Numbers 16, a rebellion takes place. At that time, the Lord’s anger was aroused against Israel. But because of this altar, signifying Christ’s intercession, the plague against them was arrested before it could kill the entire congregation –

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ ‘Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’
And they fell on their faces.
⁴⁶ So Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.’ ⁴⁷ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.”  Numbers 16:44-47

If you’re like me, and you wonder why God doesn’t just strike you dead and cast you into the pit for the things you do, now you can see why. Christ is there. He is that Altar and He is ever interceding for you, even when you blow it in a major way.

As a life application concerning what this altar signifies, we can discern from it three major precepts which we can apply to our life. The first is that it shows us just what prayer is. Incense is something that needs to be lit in order to smell. Unless the fire is kindled it just lays there, useless.

But once it is lit, it begins to smoke and to smell sweet. It then arises towards heaven. Likewise, unless we have a fire in our heart concerning our prayers, they are useless. They are vain repetitions without any fragrance. But if we are fervent in our prayers, they will rise in a smoke of wondrous joy to the Lord who is delighted to hear them and respond to them.

Secondly, the placement of the altar should be a clue as to where prayers belong in our lives. We first have to come to Christ through His sacrifice. Only then are our prayers acceptable to God. Sin must always be dealt with before our prayers can be responded to. As the altar of incense is in the Holy Place, it is before both the Menorah and the Table of Showbread.

The Menorah shows that we are to be a light to the world. That the Menorah illuminates the side where the Table of Showbread is, it indicates that we are to illuminate the work of Christ, our Bread of Life.

The Altar of Incense stands between the two. It teaches us that our light will be ineffective and our proclamation will become stale and moldy without an effective prayer life. Both are hallowed by the presence of the Altar of Incense in our lives.

As it stands before the veil, it shows that our prayers must reach into the most holy place by going through the veil. As Christ is the veil, our prayers must be offered to God through Him. When they are, they reach the Throne of Grace and the Seat of Mercy. Though we are in a land of cruelty, our prayers raise even to the seat of heaven because of Christ.

And thirdly, we are taught how to cultivate our prayers through this altar. The altar was tended to morning and evening and it burned perpetually in the Holy Place. We should prepare ourselves morning and night in the contemplation, prayers to, and praises of the Lord. With this preparation, our prayers will be constantly streaming to the Lord throughout the day and night. As Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5, “Pray without ceasing.”

We can only do this if we are prepared to do so. We are on a journey, heading west and back to that wonderful land of delight promised to us by God who cannot lie. As we continue our trek, we should be ever praising, ever praying, and ever petitioning this wonderful God who has given us all things through Christ the Lord. If you have never made a commitment to Him, today is the day. Let’s get that resolved so that your prayers will be heard by the One who sits on Heaven’s throne, waiting to present your prayers to His Father…

Closing Verse: “Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
² From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1, 2

Next Week: Exodus 30:11-16 This is for the people’s atonement… (The Ransom Payment) (84th Exodus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if a deep ocean lies ahead of You, He can part the waters and lead you through it on dry ground. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Altar of Incense

You shall make an altar
To burn incense on, so shall you do
You shall make it of acacia wood
As I am now instructing you

A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width
It shall be square, as instructed by Me
And two cubits shall be its height
Its horns of one piece with it shall be

And you shall overlay its top
Its sides all around, no detail shall you forsake|
And its horns with pure gold
And you shall for it a molding of gold all around make

Two gold rings you shall make for it
Under the molding on both its sides, this detail you shall not omit
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, as is understood

And you shall put it before the veil
That is before the ark of the Testimony, so shall you do
Before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony
Where I will meet with you

Aaron shall burn on it
Sweet incense every morning, this shall be
When he tends the lamps
He shall burn incense on it, sweet incense to Me

And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight
He shall burn incense on it, at that time too
A perpetual incense before the LORD
Throughout your generations, this he shall do

You shall not offer strange incense on it
Or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; you shall pay heed
Nor shall you pour a drink offering on it
No priest shall consider such a deed

And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns
Once a year with the blood, so shall he do
Of the sin offering of atonement
This is what shall be conveyed to him by you

Once a year he shall make atonement upon it
Throughout your generations
It is most holy to the LORD
For this altar, these are my expectations

O God, how marvelous are You in all ways
For giving the true Altar of Incense to us
And so forever, yes even through eternal days
We can petition You, through our Lord Jesus

All of these pictures from Israel’s past
Have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ our Lord
And through Him and His work we can fellowship at last
Yes, through Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word

Praises, yes praises we shall eternally sing to You, O God
And forever in Your marvelous light, golden streets we shall trod

Hallelujah and Amen…