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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》