The Golden Altar

And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation, before the rail: and he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the Lord commanded Moses. Ver. 26, 27.)
The golden altar typifies Jesus, through whom we worship in full and conscious acceptance before God, in all the preciousness and fragrance of the character and person of Christ. The position of the altar is in the tent of the congregation: for worship has its place in the assembly; but “before the vail,” and not simply as the table (v. 22) “without the vail.” For we worship in the very prospect of the holiest, —faith penetrating within, and communing with God from off the mercy seat. “As the Lord commanded Moses.” It is the expressed will of God that his people should thus worship him. The Father is seeking such worship from spiritual worshippers in spirit and in truth. This is the fifth time the expression occurs, “As the Lord commanded Moses.”