Shadowland: Redemption: Week 29

Exodus 30: The Laver and Altar of Incense

• 30:7 "burn incense every morning...and again at twilight" - morning and evening prayer. The fire for the incense is to come from the altar Leviticus 16:12 Isaiah 6:6, and Nadab and Abihu were slain by the Lord for offering incense with other fire. Leviticus 10 The golden altar is now in heaven. Revelation 8:3
• 30:10 "make atonement" - even the prayers that we offer up can be defiled, and require atonement.
• 30:12 "when you take a census" - numbering the people expresses ownership. 2 Samuel 24
• 30:13 A shekel was worth something comparable to a dollar. Thus even the very poor could afford the half shekel, or 10 gerahs. Pink suggests the 10 coins speak of our responsibility, of which nothing should be lost. A practical function of the census coin was to form a counting mechanism. Each dropped their coin into the box as they passed through the gate, and the result weighed. Luke 15:8ff "According to the shekel of the sanctuary" - the service we offer must conform to the standard set by Christ, and He must add to it as required.
• 30:16 "use it for the tent of meeting" - it formed the silver foundation. Exodus 38:25ff Contrast 1 Peter 1:18 where our redemption is without money. The atonement silver was to a "memorial of Israel before the Lord". Our service has no significant worth compared to Christ, but is remembered before God.
• 30:18 "bronze laver" - made from the bronze mirrors of the women. Exodus 38:8, for whosoever looks into the perfect law of liberty sees himself. James 1:25 The priests had only to wash their hands and feet themselves, for they had their whole body washed at their consecration. John 13:9-10 Thus we are once regenerated by the water of baptism, but daily cleanse our soul through the washing of water by the word. Ephesians 5:25
• 30:30 "anoint Aaron and his sons" - imparting to them the "aroma of Christ". 2 Corinthians 2:15
• 30:38 "makes incense like it" - imitating the holy incense was not tolerated. Acts 5