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Exodus Chapter
Thirty
Exodus 30
Chapter Contents
The altar of incense. (1-10) The ransom of souls. (11-16)
The brazen laver. (17-21) The holy anointing oil
The perfume. (22-38)
Commentary on Exodus 30:1-10
(Read Exodus 30:1-10)
The altar of incense represented the Son of God in his
human nature
and the incense burned thereon typified his pleading for his
people. The continual intercession of Christ was represented by the daily
burning of incense thereon
morning and evening. Once every year the blood of
the atonement was to be applied to it
denoting that the intercession of Christ
has all its virtue from his sufferings on earth
and that we need no other
sacrifice or intercessor but Christ alone.
Commentary on Exodus 30:11-16
(Read Exodus 30:11-16)
The tribute was half a shekel
about fifteen pence of our
money. The rich were not to give more
nor the poor less; the souls of the rich
and poor are alike precious
and God is no respecter of persons
Acts 10:34; Job 34:19. In other offerings men
were to give according to their wordly ability; but this
which was the ransom
of the soul
must be alike for all. The souls of all are of equal value
equally in danger
and all equally need a ransom. The money raised was to be
used in the service of the tabernacle. Those who have the benefit
must not
grudge the necessary charges of God's public worship. Money cannot make
atonement for the soul
but it may be used for the honour of Him who has made
the atonement
and for the maintenance of the gospel by which the atonement is
applied.
Commentary on Exodus 30:17-21
(Read Exodus 30:17-21)
A large vessel of brass
holding water
was to be set
near the door of the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and
feet at this laver
every time they went in to minister. This was to teach them
purity in all their services
and to dread the pollution of sin. They must not
only wash and be made clean
when first made priests
but must wash and be kept
clean
whenever they went to minister. It teaches us daily to attend upon God
daily to renew our repentance for sin
and our looking to the blood of Christ
for remission; for in many things we daily offend.
Commentary on Exodus 30:22-38
(Read Exodus 30:22-38)
Directions are here given for making the holy anointing
oil
and the incense to be used in the service of the tabernacle. To show the
excellency of holiness
there was this spiced oil in the tabernacle
which was
grateful to the sight and to the smell. Christ's name is as ointment poured
forth
Song of Solomon 1:3
and the good name of
Christians is like precious ointment
Ecclesiastes 7:1. The incense burned upon the
golden altar was prepared of sweet spices. When it was used
it was to be
beaten very small; thus it pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer
when he
offered himself for a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour. The like should not
be made for any common use. Thus God would keep in the people's minds reverence
for his own services
and teach us not to profane or abuse any thing whereby
God makes himself known. It is a great affront to God to jest with sacred
things
and to make sport with his word and ordinances. It is most dangerous
and fatal to use professions of the gospel of Christ to forward wordly
interests.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Exodus》
Exodus 30
Verse 1
[1] And
thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make
it.
The altar of incense was to be about a yard
high
and half a yard square
with horns at the corners
a golden cornish round
it
with rings and staves of gold for the convenience of carrying it
Exodus 30:1-5. It doth not appear that there was
any grate to this altar for the ashes to fall into
that they might be taken
away; but when they burn incense
a golden censer was brought
with coals in
it
and placed upon the altar
and in that censer the incense was burnt
and
with it all the coals were taken away
so that no coals or ashes fell upon the
altar. The altar of incense in Ezekiel's temple is double to what it is here
Ezekiel 41:22
and it is there called an altar
of wood
and there is no mention of gold
to signify that the incense in gospel
times should be spiritual
the worship plain
and the service of God enlarged.
It was placed before the veil
on the outside of that partition
but before the
mercy-seat
which was within the veil. For though he that ministered at that
altar could not see the mercy-seat
the veil interposing
yet he must look
towards it
and direct his incense that way
to teach us
that though we cannot
with our bodily eyes see the throne of grace
that blessed mercy-seat
yet we
must in prayer by faith set ourselves before it
direct our prayer and look up.
Verse 7
[7] And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth
the lamps
he shall burn incense upon it.
Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this
altar every morning and every evening
which was intended not only to take away
the ill smell of the flesh that was burnt daily on the brazen altar
but for
the honour of God
and to shew the
acceptableness of his people's services to
him. As by the offerings on the brazen altar satisfaction was made for what had
been done displeasing to God
so by the offering on this what they did well
was
as it were
recommended to the divine acceptance.
Verse 10
[10] And
Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the
blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make
atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
This altar was purified with the blood of the
sin-offering put upon the horns of it every year
upon the day of atonement.
See Leviticus 16:18
19. The high priest was to take
this in his way as he came out from the holy of holies. This was to intimate
that the sins of the priests who ministered at this altar
and of the people
for whom they ministered
put a ceremonial impurity upon it
from which it must
be cleansed by the blood of atonement. This altar typified the mediation of
Christ: the brazen altar in the court was a type of Christ dying on earth; the
golden altar in the sanctuary was a type of Christ interceding in heaven. This
altar was before the mercy-seat
for Christ always appears in the presence of
God for us; and his intercession is unto God of a sweet smelling savour. And it
typified the devotions of the saints
whose prayers are said to be set forth
before God as incense
Psalms 141:2. As the smoke of the incense
ascended
so must our desires
being kindled with the fire of holy love. When
the priest was burning incense the people were praying
Luke 1:10
to signify that prayer is the true
incense. This incense was a perpetual incense
for we must pray always. The
lamps were dressed or lighted at the same time that the incense was burnt
to
teach us that the reading of the scriptures (which are our light and lamp) is a
part of our daily work
and should ordinarily accompany our prayers and
praises. The devotions of sanctified souls are well-pleasing to God
of a
sweet-smelling savour; the prayers of saints are compared to sweet odours
Revelation 5:8
but it is the incense which
Christ adds to them that makes them acceptable; and his blood that atones for
the guilt which cleaves to our best services. Yet if the heart and life be not
holy
even incense is an abomination
Isaiah 1:13.
Verse 11
[11] And
the LORD spake unto Moses
saying
Perhaps the repetition of those words
the
Lord spake unto Moses
here and afterwards
Exodus 30:17
22
34
intimates
that God did not
deliver these precepts to Moses
in a continued discourse
but with many
intermissions
giving him time either to write what was said to him
or at
least to charge his memory with it.
Verse 12
[12] When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number
then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD
when thou
numberest them; that there be no plague among them
when thou numberest them.
Some think this refers only to the first
numbering of them
when the tabernacle was set up
and that this tax was to
make up what was wanting in the voluntary contributions. Others think it was to
be always when the people were numbered; and that David offended in not
demanding it when he numbered the people. But many of the Jewish writers are of
opinion
it was to be an annual tribute; only it was begun when Moses first
numbered the people. This was that tribute-money which Christ paid lest he
should offend his adversaries. The tribute to be paid was half a shekel
about
fifteen-pence of our money. In other offerings men were to give according to
their ability
but this
which was the ransom of the soul
must be alike for
all; for the rich have as much need of Christ as the poor
and the poor are as
welcome to him as the rich. And this was to be paid as a ransom of the soul
that there might be no plague among them - Hereby they acknowledged that they
received their lives from God
that they had forfeited their lives to him
and that
they depended upon his power and patience for the continuance of them; and thus
they did homage to the God of their lives
and deprecated those plagues which
their sins had deserved. This money was employed in the service of the
tabernacle; with it they bought sacrifices
flour
incense wine
oil
fuel
salt
priests garments
and all other things which the whole congregation was
interested in.
Verse 18
[18] Thou
shalt also make a laver of brass
and his foot also of brass
to wash withal:
and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar
and thou shalt put water therein.
The laver
or font was a large vessel
that
would contain a good quantity of water. The foot of brass
it is supposed
was
so contrived as to receive the water
which was let out of the laver
by spouts
or cocks. They then had a laver for the priests only to wash in
but to us now
there is a fountain opened for Judah and Jerusalem
Zechariah 13:1
an inexhaustible fountain of
living water
so that it is our own fault if we remain in our pollution. Aaron
and his sons were to wash their hands and feet at this laver every time they
went in to minister. For this purpose clean water was put into the laver
fresh
every day. Though they washed themselves ever so clean at their own houses
that would not serve
they must wash at the laver. This was designed
to teach
them purity in all their ministrations
and to possess them with a reverence of
God's holiness
and a dread of the pollutions of sin. They must not only wash
and be made clean when they were first consecrated
but they must wash and be
kept clean
whenever they went in to minister. He only shall stand in God's
holy place that hath clean hands and a pure heart
Psalms 24:3
4. And it was to teach us
who are
daily to attend upon God
daily to renew our repentance for sin
and our
believing application of the blood of Christ to our souls for remission.
Verse 23
[23] Take
thou also unto thee principal spices
of pure myrrh five hundred shekels
and
of sweet cinnamon half so much
even two hundred and fifty shekels
and of
sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels
Interpreters are not agreed concerning these
ingredients: the spices
which were in all near half a hundred weight
were to
be infused in the oil
which was to be about five or six quarts
and then
strained out
leaving an admirable smell in the oil. With this oil God's tent
and all the furniture of it were to be anointed; it was to be used also in the
consecration of the priests. It was to be continued throughout their
generations
Exodus 30:31. Solomon was anointed with it
1 Kings 1:39
and some other of the kings
and
all the high priests
with such a quantity of it
as that it ran down to the
skirts of the garments; and we read of the making it up
1 Chronicles 9:30. Yet all agree that in the
second temple there was none of this holy oil
which was probably owing to a
notion they had
that it was not lawful to make it up; Providence over-ruling
that want as a presage of the better unction of the Holy Ghost in gospel-times
the variety of whose gifts was typified by these sweet ingredients.
Verse 34
[34] And
the LORD said unto Moses
Take unto thee sweet spices
stacte
and onycha
and
galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a
like weight:
The incense which was burned upon the golden
altar was prepared of sweet spices likewise
though not so rare and rich as
those which the anointing oil was compounded of. This was prepared once a year
(the Jews say) a pound for each day of the year
and three pound over for the
day of atonement. When it was used it was to be beaten very small; thus it
pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer
when he offered himself for a
sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour. Concerning both these preparations the
same law is here given
that the like should not be made for any common use.
Thus God would preserve in the peoples minds a reverence for his own
institutions
and teach us not to profane or abuse any thing whereby God makes
himself known.
──
John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Exodus》
30 Chapter 30
Verse 8
Burn incense upon it.
Incense
All religious ceremony and ritual is a picture
in external and
material form
and upon a lower platform
of something higher
properly
religious. Now this altar of incense had a very distinct meaning.
I. The first thing
that I want to point out is what a lovely
significant
and instructive symbol
of prayer the incense is. Now what were the aspects of prayer suggested by the
symbolism?
1. First of all
I suppose that the essence of it is the ascent of a
man’s soul to God. “To enter into thyself is to ascend to God.” To go deep down
into thine own heart is to go straight up to the Father in heaven. Incense is
prayer
because incense surely wreathes itself upwards to God.
2. Let us learn another lesson from the incense
and that is that the
prayer which ascends must be the prayer that comes from a fire. The incense
only climbs when it is hot.
3. The kindled incense gave forth fragrant odours. When we present
our prayers
they rise up acceptable to God in curling wreaths of fragrance
that He accepts.
II. Notice the
position of the altar of incense in relation to the rest of the sanctuary. It
stood in the holy place
midway between the outer court
where the whole
assembly of worshippers were in the habit of meeting
and the holiest of all.
It stood in a right line betwixt the outer court and the mercy-seat
where the
symbolical presence of God was visible in the Shekinah: and whosoever
approached the altar of incense had to pass by the altar of sacrifice: and
whosoever was on his way to the holiest of all had to pass by the altar of
incense. All prayer must be preceded by the perfect sacrifice; and my prayer
must be offered on the footing of that perfect Sacrifice which Christ Himself
has offered. And so you and I remember the Altar of Sacrifice whenever we say
“For Christ’s sake.
Amen.” And if we mean anything by these words except the mere
empty formula
we mean this:--“I stand here
and venture to put my grains of
incense upon the altar
because He died yonder upon the Cross
that I might
pass into the Holy Place.” The prayer that goes another way round
and does not
pass by the Altar of Sacrifice
is not the prayer that God desires and accepts.
And
still further
let me remind you that
as I said
whosoever was on his
road into the holiest of all had to pass by the altar of incense. That is to
say
there is no true communion of spirit with God
except on condition of
habitual prayer
and they that are strangers to the one
are strangers to the
other.
III. The perpetuity
of this offering. Morning and evening the incense was piled up and blown into a
flame
and all the day and night it smouldered quietly on the altar; that is to
say
special seasons and continual devotion
morning and evening kindled
heaped up
and all the day and night glowing. And dim lives may still
like the
priests in this ritual
pile up the incense on the altar at fixed seasons
sure
that if we do
it will glow there all the day long. But only remember
there is
not much chance of a man’s devotion being continuous unless he has
and sticks
to
his fixed seasons for formal and verbal supplication.
IV. This altar that
bore the perpetual incense
once a year aaron had to offer a sacrifice of
expiation for it. It was never used for anything except the laying upon it of
the fragrant incense
and yet yearly this sacrifice to cleanse it from
defilement was duly presented. Now why was that? Was it not in order to express
the profound feeling that the purest worship is stained
and that howsoever
clear and exclusive may be the occupation and the use of this altar for the one
solemn purpose
the iniquities of the offerers had defiled it. Let us be
thankful that we have a great High Priest who truly cleanses us from the
infirmities of our worship
and bears the iniquities of our natures
and is
ever ready to aid our prayers with the incense of His own sacrifice
that all
their imperfections may be washed away
and they and we received and made
acceptable in His sight. (A. Maclaren
D. D.)
The altar of incense
The altar of incense was made of acacia wood
and stood about a
yard high and eighteen inches square. The altar and incense were symbolic--
I. Of the prayers
of God’s people.
1. In prayer we speak to God and tell Him the thoughts of our minds
the feelings of our hearts
the desires of our spirits. The incense smoke
ascended
arrow-like
in a straight and most direct column to heaven. Our
prayers ascend immediately and in the directest way to the heart and ear of
God.
2. In prayer we stand very near God. The altar of incense was placed
“before the mercy-seat.”
3. The pleasant odour of the incense is symbolic of the
acceptableness of prayer.
II. Of intelligent
unceasing
and reverent prayer.
1. The burning of incense is intelligent prayer. It took place in the
light; and our prayers should be presented to God intelligently.
2. Unceasing prayer. It was a perpetual incense before the Lord.
3. Reverent prayer (Exodus 30:9)
III. Of prayer
offered in Christ’s name. Aaron sprinkled the golden horns
with the blood of
atonement. This act is typical of the offering of prayer in the name of Christ.
IV. Of the power of
prayer. The horns of the altar symbolize power. “The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much” (D. R. Jenkins.)
The altar of incense
I. We gather our
first lesson from the shape and position of this altar. The altar was
four-square. The same measure and estimate were thus presented every way
whether towards God
or towards man. But the squareness of the altar also
denoted the stability of the service connected with it. Prayer and praise are
not temporary things. Prayer indeed will be confined to earth
for it is the
language of want. But “praise waiteth for God” in the heavenly
as well as in
the earthly Zion.
II. Our second
lesson from the golden altar is taught us by the condition necessary to the
offering of its incense
viz.
that there be a fire burning on it.
1. This incense on the altar typified the intercession of Christ. But
the fragrance of the incense could not be brought out
nor its efficacy put
forth till the action of fire was employed. And these burning coals on the
golden altar
to what do they point us in this view of our subject but the
sufferings of Christ? “It behoved Christ to suffer.”
2. The golden censer on this altar
with the incense rising from it
denotes
we know
the prayers of God’s people (see Revelation 8:3-4). Here again we see that
the incense could yield no fragrance without fire. The priest put it on the
live coals
and then the odorous clouds went fuming up
a sweet savour
acceptable to God. And here we are taught in a most significant way
the
necessity of heartiness in our worship if we would have it well-pleasing to
God.
III. Our third
lesson from this altar is taught us by the continuousness of the incense upon
it. How beautifully this points us to Jesus
His offering
once made upon the
brazen altar
was never repeated; and so the incense of His merits
once thrown
upon the fire on the golden altar
never needs to be repeated. The intercession
of Christ is uninterrupted.
IV. Our fourth
lesson from this subject is furnished by observing the connection of the altar
of incense with both the outer and inner sanctuary. Now we know that the outer
part of the sanctuary
or the holy place
represented the Church on earth;
while the inner part
or the most holy place
represented the Church in heaven.
The lesson taught us by the part of the subject now before us is
that the
golden altar
with its incense
belongs alike to both these departments of the
Church of Christ. All the service performed
and all the joy experienced by the
redeemed in the Church on earth is based upon the sacrifice of Christ
and
connected with the incense of His merits. And the same will be true of the
redeemed in the Church in heaven.
V. Our fifth and
last lesson from this subject is gathered from the nature and composition of
the incense offered upon the golden altar. Now
observe this incense was
composed of four substances. Three of these
onycha
stacte
and galbanum
were
substances entirely unknown to us. These may point to the divinity of Christ
in the mysteriousness of its connection with His death and sacrifice. The
frankincense was a substance with which we are acquainted. It may represent the
humanity of Christ. This we know and understand
for it was like our own
in
all respects
save that it was free from sin. The elements composing this
incense were mingled together in equal parts. This seems to point significantly
to the entire and perfect harmony of character which distinguished our glorious
Saviour. There was nothing out of place in Him. Again
the materials of which
the incense was composed had to be beaten into small particles
or reduced to
powder before it was prepared to give out its rich fragrance. And so Jesus
our
glorious Saviour
had to be brought very low
and stoop to the most wondrous
humiliation
before the golden censer of His merits could yield those sweet
odours which are so refreshing to the souls of His people
and at the same time
so well pleasing to God
and so efficacious to secure our acceptance before
Him. (R. Newton
D. D.)
Incense and light
I desire to call your attention to the conjunction which
was established by the Divine law between the burning of the incense and the
lighting of the lamps; these two things
being both of daily observance
were
attended to at the same moment for reasons worthy of our study.
I. And first I
call your attention to the wonderful co-operation between the intercession of
Christ for us
and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
1. Note
that we have these both revealed in their fulness at the
same time. When our Lord ascended on high to plead before the throne
the
Spirit descended to abide in the Church. After the Lord was taken up the
disciples received the promise of the Father and were illuminated by the Holy
Ghost.
2. Now
as they were connected historically
so are they continually
connected as a matter of fact. Herein lies our hope for our own eternal
salvation
in the ceaseless plea and the quenchless light.
3. Furthermore
this conjunction
as it is a matter of history
and
as it is continuous
will always be seen by us personally when our prayer is
the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much.
4. That in God’s drawing near to man there is the same conjunction of
incense and light. If the glory of God were to come forth from between the
cherubim
if it should come past the veil to be revealed throughout the world
that glory would pass by these two
the golden altar of incense and the golden
lamp of light. I mean this: God can have no dealing with men at all except
through the merit of Christ and the light of the Spirit.
II. Secondly
our
text seems to teach the connection between prayer and knowledge. The golden
altar represents intercession offered by Christ
and also the prayers of all
the saints
which are accepted through His intercession; and as the candlestick
stood side by side with it
and represented the light of the Spirit of truth
so must true prayer and true knowledge never be separated.
1. So I gather
first
that prayer should be attended with knowledge.
It is ill when men worship they know not what. God is light
and He will not
have His people worship Him in the dark. When they burn the incense they must
also light the lamp.
2. But now turn the thought round the other way--knowledge should
always be accompanied by prayer. Revealed truth is as a church-bell summoning
us to come into the presence of the Lord
and bow the knee before Him.
III. I desire
in
the third place
to show some special practical connection between the incense
and the lamp. “And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when
he dresseth the lamps
he shall burn incense upon it.” So
then
there should
be prayer especially at the dressing of the lamps: that is to say
when
preparing our minds for that ministry by which we enlighten the people among
whom we dwell we should be specially earnest in prayer. Dr. Adam Clarke used to
say to young ministers
“Study yourselves dead
and then pray yourselves alive
again”; and that is an excellent rule. One thing more
this burning of the
incense was not only at the dressing of the lamps
but also at the kindling of
the lamps
when they began to shine. I want to plead very heartily with you
that when it is my privilege to come here this week and at all other times to
light the lamps
you who are my beloved helpers will take care to burn the
incense at the same time. We need the incense of prayer more than ever in these
latter days. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The altar of incense
This altar of incense may remind us of many things concerning
prayer.
I. Its size: not
very large
the smallest altar. A good prayer need not be long. God knows what
we have need of. Like the Lord’s Prayer
it may include much.
II. Its design:
symmetrical. Prayers should not be one-sided
but well-proportioned. Not all
about one thing
or too many things. There was a simple beauty about the altar.
Four-square
crown of gold.
III. Its material:
choice
the best wood and metal. In prayer there may be the word of human
infirmity and need; but there must be the fine gold of truth
etc.
IV. Its place: in
the holy place
in front of the vail that concealed the most holy. There should
be prayer before entering God’s house
as well as inside the house.
V. Its use: to
burn incense
offering to God of holy desire
thanksgiving
praise. Note--
1. This incense
carefully compounded of the most precious
ingredients. Not to be used for ordinary purposes. Prayer is holy to the Lord.
2. The lamp was lighted opposite when the incense was kindled. Prayer
needs Divine illumination: should bear the light as being without hypocrisy.
3. The incense was burnt morning and evening. Our days should begin
and end with prayer. (Biblical Museum)
.
The altar of incense
Consider this as--
I. A typical
institution. Notice here--
1. Its daily use.
2. Its annual expiation.
II. An emblematic
rite. In this view it marks--
1. The privilege of Christians.
2. The ground of their acceptance. Application:
The altar of incense
At the west end of the outer apartment
in front of the curtain
which separated it from the holy of holies
stood the altar of incense
three
feet high
with four equal sides
each one foot and six inches in horizontal measure.
It consisted of a frame of acacia wood
with horns of the same material at the
four upper corners; plated over all the external surface with gold. It was not
left open at the top
like the great altar of burnt-offering
but covered with
a board of acacia wood
overlaid with gold like the four vertical sides; and
this cover is designated by the word which signifies the roof of a house. Like
the ark and the table
it had rings for convenience in transporting it
and a
pair of gilded staves
which
however
did not remain in the rings when the
altar was in place. Just above the rings was a crown
or cincture
of the kind
affixed to the ark and the table. The incense was probably burned in a censer
placed on the top of the altar; the ashes remaining in
and being carried away
with
the censer. (E. E. Atwater.)
Verse 12
A ransom for his soul.
The ransom for the life
The word which is here rendered “ransom” is afterwards rendered
“atonement.” The atonement covered or removed what displeased God
and thus
sanctified for His service. Our notion of atonement under the law should
ordinarily be limited to the removal of the temporal consequences of moral or
ceremonial defilement. The sum of half a shekel was the tax that every man had
to pay as his ransom
and as this is the single instance in the Jewish law in
which an offering of money is commanded
it seems highly probable that it was
not a ransom for the soul so much as a ransom for the life which the Israelite
made when he paid his half-shekel. On all occasions in which the soul
the
immortal principle
is undeniably concerned
the appointed offerings are
strictly sacrificial. Consider:
I. The ransom for
the life. Our human lives are forfeited to God; we have not accomplished the
great end of our being
and therefore we deserve every moment to die. The
Israelites paid their tax as a confession that life had been forfeited
and as
an acknowledgment that its continuance depended wholly on God. We cannot give
the half-shekel payment
but we should have before us the practical remembrance
that in God’s hand is the soul of every living thing.
II. The rich and
the poor were to pay just the same sum. This was a clear and unqualified
declaration that in the sight of God the distinctions of rank and estate are
altogether as nothing; that
whilst He gathers the whole human race under His
guardianship
there is no difference in the watchfulness which extends itself
to the several individuals.
III. If we
understand the word “soul” in the ordinary sense
the text is a clear
indication that God values at the same rate the souls of all human beings.
Every soul has been redeemed at the price of the blood of God’s Son. Rich and
poor must offer the same atonement for the soul. (H. Melvill
B. D.)
The soul-ransom
I. Divinely
appointed. “The Lord spake
” etc. Who else had a right to speak on this matter?
How would it have been had man spoken? God mercifully prevents confusion by
Himself speaking. So
in our case. “I have found a ransom.”
II. Universally
enforced. “They shall give every man a ransom for his soul.” No moral man
shall
in the pride of his self-righteousness
conclude that he needs no
ransom; nor shall any vile sinner
in utter despair
conclude that a ransom
will in his case be useless. “He gave Himself a Ransom for all.” How if we
“neglect so great salvation”?
III. Equally
distributed. “The rich shall not give more
and the poor shall not give less.”
There should be no excuse for misrepresenting their circumstances. They were
taught that the soul
and not wealth
was the thing considered. Men spiritually
on one level (Leviticus 19:15). The rich and the poor
might be sundered by circumstances in the tent
but were on an equality in the
Tabernacle. In the house of God the rich and the poor meet together
etc. Each
went with his half-shekel to Him who respecteth not the person of any man.
IV. Mercifully
measured. “An half-shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.” In other matters
there was a difference (see Leviticus 5:7; see marg.; Leviticus 12:8; Leviticus 14:21-22; Leviticus 14:30-31). The poor were always
treated with special consideration. It was a mercy to the rich to humble him
and to the poor to inculcate proper self-respect. A mercy to all
to inculcate
the habit of giving as a “means of grace.” Learn--
1. That in soul matters men are equal before God.
2. That our ransom is paid for us.
3. That we are not redeemed with corruptible things
etc. (J.
C. Gray.)
Silver sockets: or
redemption the foundation
1. Observe that this redemption
without which no man might rightly
be numbered among the children of Israel lest a plague should break out among
them
must be personal and individual. You must each one bring Christ unto the
Father
taking Him into your hands by simple faith. No other price must be
there; but that price must be brought by every individual
or else there is no
acceptable coming to God.
2. It was absolutely essential that each one should bring the
half-shekel of redemption money; for redemption is the only way in which you
and I can be accepted of God. There were many
no doubt
in the camp of Israel
who were men of station and substance; but they must bring the ransom money
or
die amid their wealth. Others were wise-hearted and skilful in the arts
yet
must they be redeemed or die. Rank could not save the princes
nor office spare
the elders: every man of Israel must be redeemed; and no man could pass the
muster-roll without his half-shekel
whatever he might say
or do
or be.
3. Note well that every Israelitish man must be alike redeemed
and
redeemed with the like
nay
with the same redemption. “The rich shall not give
more
and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel.”
4. And it must be a redemption that meets the Divine demand
because
you see
the Lord not only says that they must each bring half a shekel
no
more
no less
but it must be “the shekel of the sanctuary”--not the shekel of
commerce
which might be debased in quality or diminished by wear and tear
but
the coin must be according to the standard shekel laid up in the holy place.
I. I want you to
view this illustration as teaching us something about God in relation to man.
The tent in the wilderness was typical of God’s coming down to man to hold
intercourse with him. The Lord seems to teach us
in relation to His dealing
with men
that He will meet man in the way of grace only on the footing of
redemption. He treats with man concerning love and grace within His holy
shrine; but the basis of that shrine must be atonement.
II. I think we may
apply this illustration to Christ in His Divine Person. The Tabernacle was the
type of our Lord Jesus Christ
for God dwells among men in Christ. “He
tabernacled among us
and we beheld His glory
” “In whom dwelleth all the
fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Our Lord is thus the Tabernacle which the Lord
hath pitched and not man; and our first and fundamental idea of Him must be in
His character as Redeemer. Our Lord does come to us in other characters
and in
them all He is right glorious; but unless we receive Him as Redeemer we have
missed the essence of His character
the foundation idea of Him.
III. The Tabernacle
was a type of the Church of God as the place of Divine indwelling. What and
where is the Church of God? The true Church is founded upon redemption.
1. Christ is a sure Foundation.
2. An invariable Foundation.
IV. I think this
Tabernacle in the wilderness may be viewed as a type of the gospel
for the
gospel is the revelation of God to man. Now
as that old gospel in the
wilderness was
such must ours be
and I want to say just two or three things
very plainly
and have done. Redemption must be the foundation of our
theology--doctrinal
practical
and experimental. Ah
and not only our theology
but our personal hope. The only gospel that I have to preach is that which I
have to rest upon myself--“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the
tree.” This is henceforth the burden of our service
and the glory of our life.
Those silver sockets were very precious
but very weighty. I dare say the men
who had to move them sometimes thought so. Four tons and more of silver make up
a great load. O blessed
blissful draught
to have to put the shoulder to the
collar to draw the burden of the Lord--the glorious weight of redemption. (C.
H. Spurgeon.)
The atonement money
The atonement money preached a very clear and blessed gospel. It
told out the great truth
that birth in the flesh availed nothing. Every man
must give a ransom for his soul. The price was fixed by God Himself. Each man
whether poor or rich
must bring the same. One could not pay for another. Each
person was estimated by God at the same price. Salvation must be an individual
personal matter
between the soul and God. Every man has to bring his own
half-shekel. The half-shekel was to be of silver; the unalloyed
unadulterated
metal. Three things are probably here presented in type: the Lord Jesus as
God--as the pure and spotless One--and as giving His life a ransom for many.
The silver
being a solid
imperishable
precious metal
may have this first
aspect; its chaste whiteness representing the second; and its being ordinarily
employed as money or price may point out its fitness as a type of the third. (H.
W. Soltau.)
Universal equality
Why
under these circumstances
the ransom of half a shekel?
Everybody when he went over to the official group was called specifically as a
man of twenty years of age and upward. Let us see. Strip away wealth. Strip
away learning. Strip away rank. Strip away fame. Reduce us to our natural
nakedness. What is left? Nothing but a sinful man. There are four moments in
our ecclesiastical life when we are all reduced to this naked simplicity
to
this fundamental similarity. At the moment of our baptism. The minister
receives into his arms
literally following the example of our Lord--“this
child
” not this prince or this peasant. Again
at the moment of our marriage.
I remember that many years ago
when the Prince of Wales was married
and I was
a mere boy
I was struck by the fact that the Archbishop of Canterbury turned
to the Prince of Wales and said
“Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded
wife?” not “this Princess of Denmark.” And then to the woman he said in effect
we know nothing of the heir to the British throne in the house of God
--wilt
thou have “this man” to be thy wedded husband? I was struck even then at the
way in which the most exalted were reduced to their simple humanity. Then
again
at the Holy Communion
all men are absolutely equal. One table for rich
and poor. I remember a beautiful incident in the life of the Duke of Wellington
when he was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
a position held by the late Earl
Granville
whose death we all so much lament. The Iron Duke was in church
and
was going to receive the Lord’s Supper
when a peasant
who had not noticed the
duke
kneeled by his side. Discovering who he was
and being much terrified
he
was getting up
when the duke put his hand on his shoulder
and said
“Don’t
move
we are all equal here.” Wisely said
profoundly true. There is one other
moment when we are all equal--at the moment of death. If any mighty monarch is
fortunate enough to be a Christian
the utmost the Christian minister will say
at his burial is this
“We commit the body of our dear brother to the dust.”
Our brother
nothing more. As there are four moments in our ecclesiastical
history when we are reduced to our common humanity and to our absolute
similarity
so there is one moment in our civic history
and that moment is
to-night
perhaps the only time in your life when you will be absolutely on an
equal with the greatest in the land. This is why in that old theocracy every
man who was numbered in the census had to pay a tribute to the Tabernacle. When
nothing is left except our common humanity surely then we must make our common
confession
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to
his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” You may be
a duke. You may be an Oxford graduate. You may be a millionaire. But all these
are superficial distinctions. At bottom you are a sinful man needing the mercy
of God as much as the rest of us. Therefore
when for one moment all social
artificial distinctions ceased
each man paid his half-shekel to the Tabernacle
as an acknowledgment of his obligation to sue for the mercy of heaven and to do
the will of God. (Hugh Price Hughes
M. A.)
Verses 17-21
A laver of brass.
The true washing
I. Divine (John 13:8).
II. Spiritual (Jeremiah 4:14). Rest not in a mere social
or ecclesiastical purity.
III. Essential.
“That they die not” (Revelation 7:13-15). (J. S. Exell
M.
A.)
The laver
1. This laver teaches us
among other things
that those who would
come to God must approach Him with clean hands (see Psalms 26:6; Psalms 24:2-4; Psalms 119:9). I think these texts show
that those who profess to serve God must cultivate holiness of heart and life
and that whilst the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin
we are to cleanse
ourselves by coming constantly under the power of the Word.
2. None but priests were permitted to wash in this laver
and none
were consecrated to the office of priests besides those who were born into the
priestly family. All the Lord’s people are priests
and as such they are called
to offer spiritual sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15-16; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9). They enter the
priestly family when born again
and none but those who are “twice born” can
offer any sacrifice to God which He will accept. At their ordination the
priests were washed all over: this they did not do for themselves; it was done
for them by Moses
and answered to the washing of regeneration
which God does
for us when He brings us into His house and makes us His servants. Afterwards
there was the daily washing of the hands and feet: this Moses did not do for
them; they did it themselves
did it every day
and the neglect of it was
punished with death (Leviticus 8:6; Exodus 30:18-21). God has made all His
people clean. As He sees them
there is no sin on them; but as to their daily
walk
they need to be constantly judging themselves by the Word. And as the
action of water will remove any defilement of the hands or feet
so the action
of the Word
when we come properly under its power
will correct our wrong
habits
will purify our thoughts
and make us clean. (G. Rodgers.)
The laver
There are three principal points with which the lessons taught us
by the laver may be connected.
I. In the first
place
let us consider what we are taught by the laver with its supply of
cleansing water. The laver
with its abundant supply of pure cleansing water
points to the Spirit of God
and the truth through which that Spirit acts
as
the great appointed instruments for carrying on the work of sanctification in
the souls of believers.
II. But
secondly
let us inquire what lessons we are taught by the persons who used the laver. It
was only the priests who had access to the laver. We see here the true
character of God’s people; the high privilege accorded them; and the nature of
the service required of them.
III. But there is a
third and last point of view from which to contemplate this laver
and gather
instruction from it
and that is the position it occupied. This is very
significant. The direction given to Moses
on this point
was most explicit:
“Thou shalt put it between the tent of the congregation and the altar.” “The
tent of the congregation” means the Tabernacle. Thus the laver stood
by Divine
direction
midway between the brazen altar and the Tabernacle. The Jew was
required to come first to the brazen altar
with its propitiatory sacrifice
and then to the laver
with its cleansing water. Not the washing first
and
then forgiveness
but forgiveness first
and then the washing. (R. Newton
D. D.)
Verses 22-33
An holy anointing oil.
The anointing oil
I. The universal
need there is of the Holy Spirit’s influence.
1. There was nothing under the law so holy
but that it needed this
Divine unction.
2. Nor is there anything under the gospel which does not need it.
II. His sufficiency
for all to whom that influence is applied. This appears--
1. From the preciousness of the ointment which was used.
2. From the virtue infused into everything anointed with it.
Application--
The use of oil in daily life and in the symbolism of worship
I. The use of oil
in daily life may be described as threefold.
1. In the first place
it was used for the anointing of the body
by
which the skin was rendered soft and smooth; refreshed and invigorated.
Orientals ascribed a virtue to it which penetrated even to the bones.
Coincident with this was the use of oil in sickness
as a means of lulling pain
and restoring health.
2. The second use of oil in the preparation of food is to be looked
at from the same point of view. Here also the object was
so to speak
to
anoint the food
so as to make it soft and palatable.
3. And thirdly
not less frequent and important was the use of oil
for burning and giving light
surely also an anointing for the purpose of
enlivening and invigorating. The thing to be anointed was the wick of the lamp.
The wick would burn without oil
but only with a weak and miserable light
and
very speedily it would become extinguished.
II. All these modes
of using oil are transferred to the symbolism of worship.
1. The first we see at once is the anointing of the Tabernacle
its
vessels
and the priests themselves.
2. The second is seen in the minchah
or meat-offering
not
“meat” at all in our modern acceptation
but composed of wheat
commingled with
oil (Leviticus 2:1-8).
3. The third in correspondence is obviously the ever-burning sacred
lamp of the holy place. (J. H. Kurtz
D. D.)
The holy anointing oil
Moses being commanded of God to make an holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23)
was to take a certain
quantity of some principal spices
such as myrrh
cinnamon
calamus
and
cassia
then to compound them after the art of the apothecary. And thus it is
that the oil of our charity must be rightly ordered; every Christian alms-giver
must be a kind of spiritual apothecary. First
his alms must be like myrrh
which distils from the tree without cutting or the least incision
so his
charity to be free without the least compulsion. Secondly
cinnamon
hot in
taste and hot in operation
so his alms
neither stone-cold as Nabal
nor
lukewarm as Laodicea
but hot; as it was said of Dorcas
that she was full of
good works. Thirdly
cassia
as sweet as the former
but growing low
the
emblem of humility
so giving
but not vain-gloriously. Lastly
calamus
an
odoriferous powder
but of a fragile reed; so giving
but acknowledging his
weakness
thinking it no way meritorious; for
saith St. Bernard
“Dangerous is
the state of that house which thinks to win heaven by keeping house
” etc. (J.
Spencer.)
The holy anointing oil
This is to be composed of five ingredients: 500 shekels of pure
myrrh
250 of sweet cinnamon
250 of sweet calamus
and 500 of cassia
and a
hin
about three quarts
of olive oil. It is said to be compounded after the
art of the perfumer. It is probable
therefore
as the Rabbins suppose
that
the three spices were soaked in water
and boiled
and their essence extracted
and mingled with the myrrh and oil (Exodus 30:26-30). With the anointing oil
are to be anointed the tent of meeting
the ark of the testimony
the table
the candlestick
and the altar of incense
the altar of burnt-offering
the
laver
and all their appurtenances. Being thus anointed
they are hallowed
and
are accounted most holy (Exodus 30:10). Aaron and his sons are to
be anointed and consecrated to their priestly office (Exodus 30:31-33). This is to be a
standing oil for anointing
not to be used for common purposes
not to be
imitated in ordinary compounds
on pain of excommunication (Genesis 17:14). The anointing oil is an
impressive symbol of sanctifying grace. It is analogous to the water of the
laver
which cleanses. The latter points to the quality required; the former to
the end contemplated. That which is dedicated to God must be cleansed from
stain. (J. G. Murphy
LL. D.)
Verses 34-38
Sweet spices.
The incense
The incense employed in the service of the Tabernacle was
compounded of four ingredients: stacte
onycha
galbanum
and frankincense. It
might only be used in the worship of God. The penalty of death was affixed to
the making or using of it for profane purposes (Exodus 30:37-38). It is called “holy of
holies” (Exodus 30:36)
or “most holy.” This
incense was burnt morning and evening upon the golden altar of incense
which
stood in the holy place (Exodus 30:7-8). We see
here
that in the
original institution the burning of incense was the special work of the high
priest; the duty is assigned to Aaron himself
not to his sons. Like the
shewbread
and the daily sacrifice
the incense also is called “perpetual” (Exodus 30:8). Besides the daily incense
the offering of incense in the Holy of Holies by the high priest on the Day of
Atonement
formed a very solemn and important part of the ceremonies of that
day. But for the cloud of incense covering the mercy-seat
the high priest
would have died on entering the holiest place (Leviticus 16:13). Incense was a symbol
not only of prayer generally
but more especially of intercessory prayer.
On one remarkable occasion we find even the power of atoning ascribed to
the offering of incense (Numbers 16:46-48). Here the rehearsal
as
it were
of the incense-offering of the day of atonement
exercised a similar
intercessory and atoning power
even without any accompanying sacrifice or
shedding of blood. A wonderful foreshadowing of the more powerful
incense-offering of a greater High Priest who “ever liveth
” etc. (E.
F. Willis
M. A.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》