Key verse Exodus 25:8,9

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Key verse Exodus 258,9

• 8 And let them make me a sanctuary that I may
  dwell among them.
• 9 According to all that I shew thee,
• after the pattern of the tabernacle,
• and the pattern of all the instruments thereof,
  even so shall ye make it.

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Review
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The Altar of Incense Exodus 301-10

•  1.You shall make an altar to burn incense on
  you shall make it of acacia wood. 
• 2 A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its
  widthit shall be squareand two cubits shall
  be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece
  with it. 
• 3 And you shall overlay its top, its sides all
  around, and its horns with pure gold and you
  shall make for it a molding of gold all around.
• 4 Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the
  molding on both its sides. You shall
  place them on its two sides, and they will be
  holders for the poles with which to bear it. 
• 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and
  overlay them with gold.

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• 6 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.
• 7 Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every
  morning when he tends the lamps, he shall burn
  incense on it. 
• 8 And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he
  shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense
  before the Lord throughout your generations.
• 9 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.
• 10 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.

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Exodus 30 34-38

• 34 And the Lord said to Moses Take sweet
  spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure
  frankincense with these sweet spices there shall
  be equal amounts of each. 
• 35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound
  according to the art of the perfumer, tempered,
  pure, and holy. 
• 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and
  put some of it before the Testimony in the
  tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you.
  It shall be most holy to you. 
• 37 But as for the incense which you shall make,
  you shall not make any for yourselves, according
  to its composition. It shall be to you holy for
  the Lord.
• 38 Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he
  shall be cut off from his people.

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Two Altars of the Tabernacle

• Outside in the outer court
• Acacia wood
• Covered with brass.
• Brazen Altar
• Altar of burnt offering
• Place of Sacrifice

• Inside in the Holy Place
• Acacia wood
• Covered with gold
• Golden Altar
• Altar of Incense
• Place of worship.

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Why not mentioned in Ex 25,26?

• The articles in Ex 25,26 pointed to God in
  Christ coming to His people - display of grace.
• The articles in Ex 30 Gods provisions for us
• to go to Him responsive love.
• b) Ex 28,29 Appointment, consecration of
  priests
• Until there was a priest to burn incense
• c) Last object to reach from the gate worship
  is the highest state to be reached on earth.
• Father seeks worshippers Spirit and truth
  John 4.
• Went through Samaria to meet one sinner
• and make her a worshipper!

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1. Its Significance
2. Its Materials
3. Its Dimensions
4. Its Decoration
5. Its Function
6. Its Rings and Staves
7. Its Coverings.

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1. Its Significance

• v.1 You shall make an altar to burn incense upon
• Before any mention of materials, size or position
  
• the purpose is mentioned.
• Gives the Key to its interpretation - Altar
  speaks of Christ
• Incense speaks of His intercession and praises.
• Mentions immediately after the consecration of
  Priest
• Portrays the ministry of our
• Great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary.
• Seated but not inactive sweet fragrance of
  His own perfections petitions praise of His
  people.

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• Position of golden altar Holy place
• Christ gone to appear before God on our behalf
• Crown of gold round about Reminds Heb 29.
• Brazen Altar Christ made sin for us, judgment.
• Golden Altar Christ is risen, alive for
  evermore, presenting our petitions in all His
  majesty.
• Pauls Thesis in Romans5 and 8.
• Enemies reconciled to God How much more being
  reconciled saved by His life.
• Who shall lay charge against Gods elect?
• Christ died, risen, makes intercession at Gods
  right hand.

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• Let my prayer be set forth before thee as an
  incense and the lifting up of mine hands as the
  evening sacrifice Ps 1412
• "Having every one of them harps, and golden vials
  full of incense, which are the prayers of
  saints. Rev 58
• "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the
  uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He
  ever lives to make intercession for them." Heb
  725.
• Golden Altar foreshadow Christ praying for His
  people.
• Intercession is not for completion of our
  salvation
• by that one offering He has perfected forever
  them that are sanctified. Heb. 1014
• His intercession maintains us through the
  pilgrimage journey.

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• Illustration Num 16 - Korahs Rebellion
• Rejected Aaron as their high priest.
• Claimed equal nearness to God for all Israel.
• Fire came out, consumed 250 men who offered
  incense.
• Gainsaying of Korah (rebellion) denial of
  Christs person and sacrificial work.
• Aaron took censor put fire from altar put on
  incense made atonement.
• He stood between the dead and living.
• Picture of Christ interposing on behalf of his
  people.

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• Cannot limit the Incense to intercession.
• Includes offering of praises to God.
• "In the midst of the church will I sing praise
  unto Thee" Heb. 212
• "By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of
  praise to God continually." Heb 1315
• He is the One who receives the praises of His
  people
• and presents them to God.
• "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a
  spiritual house,
• an holy priesthood, to offer us spiritual
  sacrifices,
• acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 25
• Christ makes our worship acceptable to God.
• Therefore the incense has to be burned upon the
  altar.

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2. Its Materials

• Acacia wood - Figure of perfect humanity.
• Altar of burnt offering covered with brass.
• Indestructible humanity that endure the fire of
  Gods wrath.
• Altar of showbread covered with gold.
• Our fellowship with the son of God the bread of
  life.
• Altar of incense covered, crowned with gold.
• Christs intercession on our praise and prayers.
• Not a dead Christ on the cross
• but a living one received up to glory
• Gives boldness as we bow in his presence.
• Christ Himself the meeting place between God and
  His people.

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3. Its Dimensions

• "A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit
  the breadth thereof foursquare shall it be and
  two cubits shall be the height thereof the horns
  thereof shall be of the same
• One commends
• One cubit length Christ need not repeat His
  plea Jn 1142
• Tense of the verb in Lk 2232 Christ prayed but
  once for Peter.
• Breadth of one cubit the extend of one body
• I pray not for the world John 179.
• Two cubits height Christ presents the praises
  of both, those on earth and in heaven.
• Foursquare His intercession is scattered abroad
  to all the four corners of the earth.
• In application to us intercession be made for
  all men all saints.

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4. Its Decoration

• "And thou shall overlay it with pure gold, the
  top thereof, and the sides thereof round about,
  and the horns thereof.
• Horn symbol of power Habk 34
• Christs intercessory power.
• Lit. of itself shall be its horns
• Jn 17 - person of Christ gives power with God.
• Three articles of Tabernacle had crown upon it.
• Ark of the covenant crown of the law
  magnified Isa 2524
• Table of showbread crown of fellowship our
  privilege.
• Golden altar crown of priesthood seated on
  throne.

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5. Its function

• "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense v.7
• Fire for incense - off the brazen altar sin
  offering consumed
• Intimate connection with the two altars.
• Identifies Priests service at both altars.
• High priest pleads - no blessings for which his
  blood not shed
• "I have glorified Thee on the earth I have
  finished the work which Thou gave Me to do Jn
  174
• Thats the foundation on which all his pleas are
  based.
• Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the
  swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her
  young, even Thine altars O Lord of Hosts, my King
  and my God Ps. 843.
• Both altars together - provides rest for the
  poor, needy soul.

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• Isaiahs lips were cleansed on the value of
  sacrifice.
• "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took
  either of them his censer and put fire therein,
  and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire
  before the Lord, which He commanded them not.
  And there went out fire from the Lord, and
  devoured them, and they died before the Lord Lev
  101,2.
• Their fire was not taken from the brazen altar.
• Worship offered on another foundation
  unacceptable.
• King Uzziah usurped priests office severely
  punished.
• None but priests of the seed of Aaron would
  handle it.

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• Composition and preparation of the incense.
• 1. It was sweet Odor exceedingly fragrant. Ex
  307,34
• Acceptability and preciousness of His
  intercessions.
• 2. It was pure nothing of the flesh enters the
  priestly ministry of our redeemer. V.35.
• 3. It was most holy Excellencies of His person.
  V.36
• 4. Like weight equal amount. No grace or
  attribute predominates in the Lord perfect
  balance. Jn 114

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• "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every
  morning when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn
  incense upon it. And when Aaron lights the lamps
  at even, he shall burn incense upon it" (vv. 7,
  8).
• Maintenance of the lamp inseparably connected
  with service at the altar.
• Reminds our worship is ever in proportion to
  the manifestation of the Spirits power.
• Perpetual incense Christ is ever before God .
• Merits of his person and value of his work -
  continuous.
• He ever lives to make intercession eternal
  security.

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• "Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor
  burnt-sacrifice, nor meat-offering neither shall
  ye pour drink-offering thereon" (v. 9).
• Levites not to confuse it with the brazen altar.
• Instruction for our worship We should not be
  pre-occupied with our sins and the sacrifice
  only.
• Lord Jesus Christ Himself and His finished work .
• His appearing before the presence of God in glory.

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6. Its Rings and Staves.

• Reminds of the provision to be carried in their
  journeys.
• While we are pilgrims today here below,
• we enjoy Christs priestly intercession on high.
• Only as we maintain the pilgrim character, we can
  appropriate and enjoy the blessings the golden
  altar points to.
• "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the
  camp, bearing His reproach. For here have we no
  continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him
  therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise
  (the burning of incense) to God continually, that
  is, fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name
  - Heb13 13,15.

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7. Its Coverings

• "And upon the golden altar they shall spread a
  cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of
  badgers skins, and shall put to the staves
  thereof" (Num. 411).
• Blue cloth reminds of the present heavenly
  ministry of Christ.
• Badgers skin reminds that presently this is not
  made known to the earthly people.

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Lesson for Life

• How will you consider your intercessory prayer
  life in the light of todays study?
• Do you make time to be there at the golden altar
  both in the morning and in the evening?
• Will you make a commitment to join with our High
  Priest daily at the golden altar of incense?