Approaching the Holy God
The theme of Exodus 30 is the way in which Israel was to
engage in the service of their God. Chapters 25 to 29 gave instructions about
the sanctuary, its furnishings, the priesthood, and consecration; now, in
Exodus 30, there are several items added that give guidelines for continuing
fellowship with God, such as the altar of incense, the ransom money, the bronze
laver, the holy anointing oil, and the sacred incense. Also, the connection
between prayer, atonement, cleansing, redemption, and holiness.
The
altar of incense was made of acacia wood and covered with pure gold. The altar
was quite smaller compared to the bronze altar located in the courtyard area
and was situated in the Holy Place and just before the veil between the Holy
Place and the Most Holy Place.
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
(Exodus 30:6).
It is important where it was located since a priest could
not come into the Most Holy Place at any time he wanted. However, the incense
altar was placed just behind the veil, meaning that the worshiping of Israel
could come as close to God in the ordinary priestly service as possible. The
altar was supposed to be in use each morning and each evening. Worship was an
activity that was done occasionally. It was part of their life routine.
The smell of rising incense was bound to be used as a figure
in the Bible for the ascending prayers of God's people to Him [Psalm 141:2]. The
psalmist petitions God that his prayer may ascend before Him just like the
incense ascends from the altar. The literal burning of the incense on the altar
is used as a theological figure for the prayers of God's people ascending to
God's presence [Revelation 8:3–4; Revelation 5:8]. The biblical theme: of worship is explained as
incense in Exodus 30 → Psalm 141 → Revelation 5 → Revelation 8. The
altar and its incense as represent Christ's priestly ministry and intercession.
The New Testament provides strong support for the broader concept of Christ's
continuing intercession [Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34]. The altar and its incense
symbolize Christ's priestly ministry and intercession. There is enough
scriptural evidence in the New Testament for the general principle of Christ's
intercessory work [Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34]. Thus, Christian prayer is not
portrayed as an attempt by man to persuade God, Who is not willing to hear. Incense
→ prayer → priestly mediation → Christ's intercession.
The incense and the
blood
Once
a year, on the Day of Atonement, the blood from the sacrifice for sins was put
upon the horns of the altar of incense. This is clear evidence that the altar
of prayer was directly linked to atonement.
And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year
with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make
atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord (Exodus 30:10).
It
was the prayer that did not replace the sacrifice. Sinning person’s access to
God could only happen by means of God’s provision of the solution to the
problem of sin. This is in accordance with the New Testament principle of
access to God provided by Christ’s sacrificial ministry [Hebrews 10:19–22]. We
pray, since the way to God has been opened by Christ.
God explicitly forbade incense of an alien kind. The priests
were not allowed to come up with a unique way of worshipping Him. This is the
concept that is tied to the passage found in [Leviticus 10:1–3]. Here, Nadab
and Abihu offered "profane fire" to the LORD. The point to be made
here is that one should not approach God through human invention. It is not
about every worship service for Christians having to include an Old Testament
ritual.
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 (Exodus 30:9).
What is being made clear here is that it is God who sets the
terms of covenant worship. Jesus expresses a similar concern in [Matthew 15:8–9]
when He condemns worship that becomes merely human tradition while neglecting
God's command. The altar of gold raises a challenge to Christians in terms of
reclaiming the gravity of prayer. It is not to be considered a mere: emergency
phone call to God, ceremony before meals, religious duty, or an option of last
resort. Prayer is participation in communion with God. The twice daily burning
of incense also serves as a challenge to the current mindset that considers
prayer based on one’s feelings. Incense was burnt by Israel’s priests
irrespective of whether they felt spiritually moved or not.
Anytime there was a census among the Israelites, everyone
was to offer a ransom of a half shekel of money for himself. No one who paid
was to pay more because he was rich nor pay less because he was poor. In the
ancient Near Eastern world, censuses were linked to military power, taxation,
administration, and royal power. Hence, the census among the Israelites needed
to be handled in a different way. The Israelites belonged to Yahweh rather than the king, the
military, or the government of the people. The ransom was an acknowledgement
that the lives counted belonged to God.
When you take the census of the children of Israel for their
number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord, when you
number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them (Exodus 30:12).
It is the will of God that every individual who counts
belongs to Him, and that every human being is not just a statistic. The earth
belongs to the LORD [Psalm 24:1], and all souls belong to Him [Ezekiel 18:4].
The half-shekel was uniform for all individuals. Hence, the wealthy could not
buy more spiritual value. Poor people did not have low spiritual status because
of their poverty. God does not show favoritism [Acts 10:34]. Economic
disparities prevail between individuals, but every man is responsible and every
soul needs salvation [James 2:1-9]. The
death of Jesus is the definitive act of redemption. The silver of Exodus was
unable to take away sins finally. Christ gave himself. We were not redeemed
with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of
Christ [1 Peter 1:18-19].
The
bronze basin or laver, was positioned between the bronze altar and the
Tabernacle. The priests were required to wash their hands and feet before
entering the tent or approaching the altar to minister. Though the priest had
already been consecrated in Exodus 29. Yet consecration did not eliminate the
need for continual washing. Being
consecrated did not mean that the priest could ignore ongoing cleansing. The
priest lived in a dusty environment and ministered in a setting involving
sacrifices, blood, animals, and physical contamination. Washing was therefore
both practical and symbolic.
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they
die. And it shall be a statute forever to them—to him and his descendants
throughout their generations (Exodus 30:21).
There is a difference between being completely cleansed and
being continually cleansed. The Christians have been cleansed by Christ but
they still require daily repentance, confession, and sanctification [1 John
1:9]. Laver makes the Christians realize that they cannot reach a point where
they don't need to repent. We require continual cleansing by sanctification through
Christ [Ephesians 5:25-26]. Laver →
washing → purity → Christ's cleansing → continuing sanctification.
The Holy Anointing Oil
God provides Moses with a particular recipe for the holy
anointing oil. Some of the elements contained in the oil were: liquid myrrh,
cinnamon, fragrant cane, cassia, and olive oil. This oil was used to consecrate
the Tabernacle and its vessels as well as to anoint Aaron and his sons. The use
of oil for anointing had many purposes in the ancient world, including
ceremonial, medical, social, and royal purposes. However, this oil was
different. This oil was holy. Its role was to consecrate people and objects as
holy for God.
And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate
them, that they may minister to Me as priests (Exodus 30:30).
Holiness essentially refers to the fact that something is
set apart for God. The holy objects of the Tabernacle were not holy because the
materials that composed them were spiritually better. They were holy because
God had dedicated them for His use. Likewise, Aaron was not holy because oil
was poured upon him.
The Old Testament connects anointing with empowering by God.
David was anointed and the Spirit of the LORD was poured out upon him from that
day [1 Samuel 16:13]. This is an important link between anointing and God's
Spirit. Nevertheless, we should not take it for granted that the material oil
was the same as the Holy Spirit. It served as a sign of consecration, but God's
Spirit enabled the individual for service in the name of God. In the New
Testament, the anointing finds its culmination in Jesus Christ. The Greek word Christos, which stands behind Christ,
means Anointed One and corresponds to
Messiah in Hebrew. The baptism of
Jesus provides an important link. Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit and
with power [Acts 10:38].
Old Testament anointing → Messiah → Jesus, the Anointed One
→ Holy Spirit.
There are references in the New Testament as well that use
the concept of anointing on believers. The God who has founded us in Christ has
anointed us [2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:20]. Thus, Christians belong to
God and are enabled by the anointing of the Holy Spirit for His sake. The holy
oil could not be considered as common oil.
It shall not be poured on man’s flesh; nor shall you make
any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be
holy to you
(Exodus 30:32).
This is a great lesson for us to learn about not using holy
things commercially and trivially. This teaching still holds true. Christianity
itself becomes distorted when holy things are made commodities. Gospel is never
to be used as just: a product, a business model, a brand, for personal prestige,
or mechanism for financial exploitation. The sacred must not be reduced to the
commercial.
The incense mixture had many fragrant materials that were to
be made according to God's requirements. This incense was meant to be most
holy. The incense was for God alone. No one was allowed to make the mixture for
himself. The prohibition shows the distinction between the holy and the common.
God was drawing boundaries in the matter of worship. People
were supposed to know: God is close but
not common. God desires relationship but He is holy. Nearness of God brings
in wonder and reverence. Tabernacle is not only a beautiful religious edifice
but the dwelling place of holy God in the midst of His people.
The
New Testament does not require Christians to reproduce the Tabernacle rituals
literally. Instead, it reveals their greater fulfillment in Christ. The
connections can be summarized as follows:
|
Exodus 30 |
New Testament fulfillment |
|
Golden
altar |
Prayer
and Christ's intercession |
|
Incense |
Prayers
of God's people — Revelation 5:8; 8:3–4 |
|
Annual
blood on altar |
Christ's
once-for-all sacrifice — Hebrews 9–10 |
|
Half-shekel
ransom |
Christ
gives Himself as ransom — Mark 10:45 |
|
Bronze
laver |
Cleansing
and sanctification — John 13; Ephesians 5:26 |
|
Holy
anointing oil |
Christ
the Anointed One and the Spirit's empowering — Acts 10:38 |
|
Holy
incense |
Worship
belonging exclusively to God |
|
Holy
place |
God's
presence ultimately opened through Christ — Hebrews 10:19–22 |
The
great movement is from symbol to fulfillment. The Tabernacle provides
the picture.
Christ
provides the fulfillment.
George G. Ruheni, PhD.
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