From the people to the furniture – firstly the altar of incense (v1-5). It was to be made of acacia wood. It was a cubit in length and a cubit wide, a square, two cubits high, with horns in one piece, all overlaid with pure gold with gold rings on both sides. The rings were to be the holders for the poles which were also acacia wood overlaid with gold. The altar was to burn incense on. It was 18 inches square and three feet high. It was to be carried like the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Shewbread and the Brazen Altar with its grate.
The altar of incense was to be placed before the curtain (the veil) which was before the Ark of the Covenant, before the mercy seat where God said he would meet with them. Aaron was to burn sweet incense on it every morning when he tended the lamps. And again, at twilight when he lit the lamps, so that there was continual incense burning throughout all their generations.
No strange incense was to be burned or any of the offerings on it. Aaron was to make atonement once every year on horns with the blood from the sin offering.
Thus, the altar of incense was not in the Holy of Holies but in The Holy Place. Incense is a picture of prayer. John reminds us Revelation 5:8 that there were in his vision, “Golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” We can come to God in prayer at any time just as this was continuous. Just as ‘strange incense’ was not to be burned on the altar of incense, nor any sacrifice, the place of prayer is not for our atonement, that was obtained by Jesus Christ on the cross. Prayer is our means of communication with God, our worship and adoration and intercession.
We are not saved through prayer, but prayer is made open to us through the salvation obtained for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. We can only come to God in and though His Son and His finished work on Calvary.
However, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, Aaron was to put blood from the sin offering on the horns of the altar of incense. Each day they would be reminded of the blood that was shed for sin.
We then have something different. The LORD told Moses about taking a census to number the children of Israel. He was instructed that when he numbered them, each man must give a ransom for himself to the LORD so that there would be no plague (v11,12).
A census put them at risk of a plague. God was their God, and their numbers were immaterial to Him. The danger for the people was that they got confident in themselves rather than putting their trust and confidence in God. Therefore, God demanded a ransom when they took a census, to remind them who was in charge.
There was an instance when David, of all people, ordered a census without the ransom. He did it for the wrong reason, to see if their military power was up to it. In 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 it is recorded for us, and we see that a plague was sent on the people. David knew that his strength depended on God, but Satan tempted him. David had faced Goliath, and he knew that one with God is a majority. Even Joab the commander of his army who was not a Godly man told him that God could multiply the troops. David did not heed, and God showed His displeasure. David repented and offered a sacrifice, but God in His mercy gave him a choice – he could suffer a penalty at the hands of his enemies or at the hand of God. He wisely chose the hand of God, and the plague was stayed, and God answered by fire and burned up his sacrifice. David had said, “It is better to fall into the hands of God than man.” Before we leave this, it is interesting to note where he offered the sacrifice – the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) and where was this? Mount Moriah, where God told Solomon to build the temple, the meeting place between God and man, and later Mount Calvary, where the greatest and final sacrifice was made.
In verses 13-16 we are told how they were to take the ransom. Everyone numbered were to give half a sanctuary shekel. Those who were twenty years old and over were to give the offering. Rich and poor were to give the same to the LORD to make atonement for themselves. The offerings were to be for the service of the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial. This later became the temple tax.
This was not an offering, nor was it a type of tithe where it was in proportion to their wealth, everyone was to give the same. It was a picture of redemption, atonement money. Of course, we cannot pay anything for our redemption, the price has already been paid by our Lord Jesus Christ in His death on the cross. It took no difference between rich and poor; we are all redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ upon repentance and faith.
As we saw earlier a large amount of silver was needed in the building of the tabernacle and, no doubt, this contributed to it.
We go back to the furniture (v17-21) The LORD told Moses to make a laver of bronze with a base of bronze for washing. This was to be placed between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. Water was to be put in it for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet. They were to wash when they went into the tabernacle of meeting and when they came near to the altar to minister, to burn the offering to The LORD. If they did not wash, they would die.
We see in Exodus 38:8 that the bronze came from the mirrors of the women.
David the Psalmist stated (Psalm 24:4) “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His Holy Place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” We are cleansed through God’s Word (see Ephesians 5:26). We are cleansed by the blood of The Lamb.
Moses was commanded (v22-33) to take quality spices, 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, 250 shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 250 shekels of sweet-smelling cane, 500 shekels of cassia, a hin of olive oil and make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compound. This was to anoint the tabernacle of meeting, all the furniture and the utensils, and consecrate them. They were to be holy and only those who were holy could touch them.
This oil was to be special for this purpose and not like any other perfume. If anyone tried to copy it, they were to be cut off from the people. Aaron and his sons were to be consecrated to God to minister as priests and to teach the people the importance of this anointing oil and that they were not permitted to make anything like it for any other purposes. It was not to be poured on man’s flesh.
One commentator said that it was to glorify God and not us, and oil being a picture of The Holy Spirit, that it was not to be exhibited in man-made gifts imitating those of The Holy Spirit.
Moses was then instructed to take spices – stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense in equal measures and make incense, salted, pure and holy. Some of it was to be beaten very fine and some put before the Testimony (the Ark) in the tabernacle of meeting. God promised to meet him there. Once again, they were not to make a copy of it, because it was holy for The LORD and whoever made a copy would be cut off from the people (v34-38). This was to be used purely for the glory of God and holy things were not to be made common.
Because of the numerous sacrifices there would be a requirement for a sweet perfume to overcome the smells of burning flesh and blood.
