Exodus 30:1-8

Once again, this is a very simple piece of furniture. There is nothing difficult about it at all. Like the table of showbread, this altar is made from acacia wood; a very durable wood to last a long time, especially covered with gold. It is very finely grained.

It is 18 inches on each side—square. And, it is only three feet high—two cubits. So, it is not a very large thing at all. It is almost end-table sized. Like the brazen altar outside, this also has four horns on the corners, meaning that these are four curved pieces of ornament, covered with gold.

Around the top edge was some sort of an ornamental molding, maybe appearing as a crown, acting as a border around the top probably both decoration, and a lip so that anything would be placed on it would not necessarily fall off.

Now, the only thing that may be controversial about this is that the text can read that it had two rings for the carrying poles. Of course, the carrying poles are acacia wood overlaid with gold. And these rings would have to be situated on opposite corners. This is one way that it could be read. Now this would mean that if there were only two rings, it would have to be carried diagonally, and most likely placed in the tabernacle diagonally too. This means that it would show a corner to the veil, and not an edge.

The usual rendering of it is two rings on both sides with the altar being carried and placed square. I do not know if this matters a whole lot, whether you approached on the point, or on the end. It does not matter, I suppose, but it is interesting.

What we find in Exodus 30 is that this altar of incense stood centered directly in front of the veil to the Holy of Holies. Remember, I described the veil before, showing that it was made of blue, and these various other colors—purple, scarlet, and white. And, it was made—woven—to have cherubim facing each other in the veil. And then, the altar of incense was right below, and in front of them, centered.

Now this gave an image of what was behind it, except for the fact that the veil itself did not show the Ark of the Covenant, with the mercy seat on top of that. The veil just showed only the cherubim, which represented the fact that they were covering God's throne. In the imagery, the incense being burned on the altar of incense wafted up into the blue heavenly-like image where the cherubim were, representing God's throne. So, you would be able to see this in type.

Exodus 30:7-9

The incense altar was within the Holy Place—the first room of the Tabernacle, and also in the Temple. It was placed against the back wall against the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It stood directly in front of the Mercy Seat and the Ark. A priest burned incense on it twice a day—morning and evening—using burning coals that had been taken from under the brazen altar. Incense offered could not be profane either. The only incense acceptable was that made to God's specification.

Exodus 30:7-10

It was on that little altar that the incense was burned that represents your prayers. The instructions were clear. The altar is declared to be most holy. When they offered strange fire, they were acting in clear defiance of God. It was an act of blatant rebellion, an inexcusable profanation of a most holy thing; an act of treason, a sin of arrogance.

Exodus 30:7-9

This is a little vignette about the incense altar which was inside the first room of the Tabernacle. It stood right in front of the veil that separated the first room from the second room. Every day, morning and evening, the high priest had to go in and put incense on that fire.