THE GOLDEN ALTAR

THE GOLDEN ALTAR In the center, at the west end of the holy place, and just before the door- hanging of the holy of holies, stood the altar of incense, a situation of higher honor than that of any other of the sacred vessels we have yet considered, being regarded as immediately before the throne itself, even though the veil intervened. “Thou shalt put it before the veil, that is by the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with thee” (Exodus 30:6).

Like other altars, it was four-square, measuring 1 cubit long, 1 broad, and 2 high; its length and its breadth being thus equal. It was made of acacia wood, and overlaid with gold: “and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top (Heb. “roof”) thereof, and the sides (Heb. “walls”) thereof round about, and the horns thereof” (Exodus 30:3).

Around the top was an ornamental crown or rim of gold; beneath, perhaps a little higher up than in our woodcut, and at two of the corners, according to the Authorized Version, were two gold rings for the gold-covered staves passing through, by which it was carried. The rings and staves so put seem to indicate that this holy vessel was carried corner-wise, and was so placed in the holy place, presenting to one entering a corner and not a side. The object of this arrangement, it is thought, was that a horn of the altar might point to each of the four great armies of Israel encamped around the tabernacle. The Hebrew word, however, rendered “corners” in the text (v. 4) is “ribs,” so that the rings may not have been at the corners, but at the sides, one being in the center at the one side, and the other in the center, at the opposite side, and if so, the altar would not, as above, have been carried or placed corner-wise.

From Model. The Golden Altar. Scale—1 inch to a cubit. THE PURPOSE THE GOLDEN ALTAR SERVED At first Aaron offered incense upon the golden altar, and afterward, on great occasions, the high priest did so; but ordinarily the duty was discharged by a priest, chosen weekly by lot, every morning and evening (Luke 1:9-11).

Incense was made of various sweet-smelling and precious spices, according to divine directions (Exodus 30:34). A similar compound, for any other purpose, was not allowed to be made, and no other than this could be used as incense. When the incense was to be offered, a fire pan or censer, with live coals from the brazen altar, was put upon the golden altar for burning it. The clouds of smoke arising from it were full of perfume, and spread their fragrance all around, penetrating the veil, and reaching even to the throne. The priest, while presenting this offering, was the people’s intercessor with God, praying for them, and asking Him to hear and answer their petitions. Not that incense had any propitiatory significance—the animal sacrifices alone had that, without propitiation there is no access to God—but then the horns of the altar were sprinkled with atoning blood (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:18), so that it was from a blood-sprinkled altar that the sacred odors arose, bearing on their wings Israel’s cry for mercy and all-needed blessings.

TYPICAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE The burning of incense in the holy place is regarded as an emblem of prayer. David so employed it: “Let my prayer be set before Thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalms 141:2). And John, in his vision of heaven, tells us that when he had taken the book, “the four beasts (living creatures) and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors (incense), which are the prayers of saints” (Revelation 5:8). As the sweet fragrance of smoking incense is most agreeable to the senses, so are the prayers of God’s children very pleasing and acceptable to Him. The brazen altar is considered a type of Christ with respect to His atonement, and the golden altar a type of Him with respect to the other part of His priestly office—His intercession. Christ not only bled for us on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins, He also pleads for us before the heavenly throne. He is our advocate with the Father. The golden altar was before the ark or throne, the veil, however, being suspended between; but Christ—and with no intervening veil—is before the throne in heaven. It was from an altar with blood-sprinkled horns that the evening and morning incense ascended, and so when our great high priest intercedes for us on high, it is on the ground of His atoning sacrifice. See in His pierced hands and feet the blood-sprinkled horns. The very hands He holds up are those that were once nailed to the accursed tree. From before the heavenly throne He is now looking down lovingly upon all His believing people, inviting and encouraging them to offer up their prayers, and assuring them that He Himself will present them, and secure gracious answers in the bestowal of rich and soul-satisfying blessings. Are you one of His believing people? If so, bend your ear and listen to His encouraging voice as it comes rolling down from the golden altar: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Thou standest at the altar,
Thou offerest every prayer;
In faith’s unclouded vision
We see Thee ever there.

Out of Thy hand the incense
Ascends before the throne,
Where Thou art interceding,
Lord Jesus, for Thine own.—Eddis.

From Model. The Golden Candlestick.