Layout of the Tabernacle Seen from AboveBible World
30:1Exodus 30:1
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
The altar commanded to be made of shittim wood is the golden altar standing in the holy place of the earthly tabernacle before the veil, directly before the ark and mercy-seat though hidden from view. The same altar stands in the first apartment of the temple in heaven, after the first veil and before the second veil, alongside the candlestick and the table of showbread. Its fire was kindled by God and kept burning morning and evening with holy incense, so that a fragrant cloud filled the sanctuary while its horns were touched with the blood of the sin offering. It is an altar of continual intercession, where the rising incense pictures prayers, praise, and thanksgiving ascending to God. That incense represents Christ's merits, spotless righteousness, and cleansing blood, which alone make sin-defiled worship acceptable, for Jesus ministers unseen before the mercy-seat and offers the saints' prayers with its smoke to the Father to receive gracious answers.
Altar's Place and Service
The altar commanded to be made is the golden altar of shittim wood for burning incense, standing in the first apartment or holy place of the earthly tabernacle. It stood before the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place. It stood directly before the ark and mercy-seat, though the curtain hid them from view.
The same altar stands in the holy place or first apartment of the temple in heaven. It is seen beyond or after the first veil and before the second veil that leads into the holy of holies. There it stands alongside the candlestick with seven lamps and the table of showbread or shewbread, with the censer also belonging to that apartment.
Its fire was kindled by God and was kept sacred and continually burning. Upon it holy incense was burned morning and evening, day and night, so that a fragrant cloud filled the sanctuary and spread its fragrance through the sacred apartments and far around the tabernacle. While offering it the priest faced the unseen mercy-seat, toward which the glory of God descended. Its horns were touched with the blood of the sin offering, and on the Day of Atonement it was sprinkled with blood. Its gold and gold-plated surface reflected the light of the golden candlestick and the image of Christ, adding to the splendor of the sanctuary whose furniture in that apartment is of purest gold.
Prayer Through Christ's Mediation
The altar commanded is an altar of continual intercession, standing before the veil for daily service with Israel's prayers. From it a cloud of fragrant incense rose day by day, joined with the prayers of Israel, and ascended before God. In this it is a picture of prayers, praise, confession, obedience, and thanksgiving ascending to God.
The incense rising with prayer is Christ's merits and intercession, His perfect and spotless righteousness imputed to His people through faith, with His cleansing blood. Human offerings of prayer and praise and obedience are defiled by human corruption and sin and cannot be acceptable on their own, but gathered by Christ and presented with His righteousness they alone are made acceptable to God. Together with the blood offerings, the altar and its incense pointed to Christ as the Mediator through whom sinners may approach God, and through whom mercy and salvation are granted to the repentant and believing.
In the heavenly sanctuary Jesus ministers as the unseen Mediator before the mercy-seat and the glory of God, standing by the ark and at God's right hand. As the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense in the golden censer smokes, and He offers up their prayers with the smoke of the incense to His Father. They ascend in sweet fragrance and receive gracious answers, bringing light and glory from the Father through Jesus upon those who prayed. God's people are therefore to direct their prayers by faith to Christ before the mercy-seat, facing the unseen mercy-seat as the priest faced it, and confidently claim the benefits of His mediation.
The altar commanded to be made of shittim wood is the golden altar standing in the holy place of the earthly tabernacle before the veil, directly before the ark and mercy-seat though hidden from view. The same altar stands in the first apartment of the temple in heaven, after the first veil and before the second veil, alongside the candlestick and the table of showbread. Its fire was kindled by God and kept burning morning and evening with holy incense, so that a fragrant cloud filled the sanctuary while its horns were touched with the blood of the sin offering. It is an altar of continual intercession, where the rising incense pictures prayers, praise, and thanksgiving ascending to God. That incense represents Christ's merits, spotless righteousness, and cleansing blood, which alone make sin-defiled worship acceptable, for Jesus ministers unseen before the mercy-seat and offers the saints' prayers with its smoke to the Father to receive gracious answers.
Altar's Place and Service
The altar commanded to be made is the golden altar of shittim wood for burning incense, standing in the first apartment or holy place of the earthly tabernacle. It stood before the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place. It stood directly before the ark and mercy-seat, though the curtain hid them from view.
The same altar stands in the holy place or first apartment of the temple in heaven. It is seen beyond or after the first veil and before the second veil that leads into the holy of holies. There it stands alongside the candlestick with seven lamps and the table of showbread or shewbread, with the censer also belonging to that apartment.
Its fire was kindled by God and was kept sacred and continually burning. Upon it holy incense was burned morning and evening, day and night, so that a fragrant cloud filled the sanctuary and spread its fragrance through the sacred apartments and far around the tabernacle. While offering it the priest faced the unseen mercy-seat, toward which the glory of God descended. Its horns were touched with the blood of the sin offering, and on the Day of Atonement it was sprinkled with blood. Its gold and gold-plated surface reflected the light of the golden candlestick and the image of Christ, adding to the splendor of the sanctuary whose furniture in that apartment is of purest gold.
Prayer Through Christ's Mediation
The altar commanded is an altar of continual intercession, standing before the veil for daily service with Israel's prayers. From it a cloud of fragrant incense rose day by day, joined with the prayers of Israel, and ascended before God. In this it is a picture of prayers, praise, confession, obedience, and thanksgiving ascending to God.
The incense rising with prayer is Christ's merits and intercession, His perfect and spotless righteousness imputed to His people through faith, with His cleansing blood. Human offerings of prayer and praise and obedience are defiled by human corruption and sin and cannot be acceptable on their own, but gathered by Christ and presented with His righteousness they alone are made acceptable to God. Together with the blood offerings, the altar and its incense pointed to Christ as the Mediator through whom sinners may approach God, and through whom mercy and salvation are granted to the repentant and believing.
In the heavenly sanctuary Jesus ministers as the unseen Mediator before the mercy-seat and the glory of God, standing by the ark and at God's right hand. As the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense in the golden censer smokes, and He offers up their prayers with the smoke of the incense to His Father. They ascend in sweet fragrance and receive gracious answers, bringing light and glory from the Father through Jesus upon those who prayed. God's people are therefore to direct their prayers by faith to Christ before the mercy-seat, facing the unseen mercy-seat as the priest faced it, and confidently claim the benefits of His mediation.