July 28, 2024
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Reading along with us in Exodus and Romans? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 30 (NIV)
The Altar of Incense
1“Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. 2 It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. 3 Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.……Continue Reading
The Altar of Incense was located in the Holy Place but was right outside the Holy of Holies or Most Holy. There was only a curtain in between. { Like the Altar of Burnt Offering it had horns and like the Altar of Burnt Offering, the Table of the Bread of Presence, and the Ark of the Covenant it had poles in golden rings, for carrying it. In Hebrews 9:3-4 the altar of Incense is considered part of the Most Holy place. Apparently this was because on the Day of Atonement the high priest took incense from this altar into the Most Holy place. } [The Bible Knowledge Commentary] Aaron was to burn incense on this altar twice each day. Aaron was not to make any other offering on this altar. But once a year Aaron was to sprinkle bulls and goats blood on it`s horns. There was a special perfume and oil mix along with salt for a white smoke which was only for the priests, structures, and furnishes. No one was allowed to use this perfume anywhere else or would die. The Laver { basin} the priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering the Holy Place and before coming to the Altar of Incense or they would die. { The Laver symbolized the need for purity though cleansing from defilement. Thus while there was ritual cleansing at the altar, the priests also needed cleansing from actual defilement. The altar speaks of salvation through a sin offering, the basin speaks of sanctification which is progressive and continual.} [ The Bible Knowledge Commentary] Thank God, we as believers don`t have to go through all of this because of Jesus Christ. It seems so complicated. It was settled at the cross once for all. This doesn`t mean that we take our position in Christ lightly for we are to live our lives in consecration to Him and being sanctified as we draw closer to Him on a daily basis. We can never loose our salvation in Him as He has promised us once we have called upon His Name to be saved. But Christ left us here after being saved to walk in Him and His light to tell others about Jesus and what He has done. God bless brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Exodus 30
It is interesting the use of “ransom” and “atonement” here with the payment of money to prevent plague.
Exodus 30
Exodus 30
The tent of meeting was to be a place that impacted the senses. There were always things to see, hear, smell, taste and touch. The smells are highlighted here and I appreciate it because I am one who likes good smells and know that smells leave an imprint on the memory. And I think that is why God did not want these smells replicated anywhere else. He wanted those smells to be associated with the worship of His name. And as further reminder that they belong to the Lord and were dependent on Him, a ransom would be paid for their lives. In fact so many aspects of Jewish life was intended to remind people of God and through tactile and observable things, directing them to Him and the relationship He called them to.
I love how important every detail is to God and smell is no exception. Scent is a powerful thing, a certain scent can bring you to an exact place in time, flood you with memories, or fill you with a particular emotion. So cool to think even that is a God created experience. He wired us to experience life through every one of our senses and so reading a chapter like this makes me appreciate that aspect of being His creation even more!