XIV. The Altar of Incense

The Tabernacle of Israel, by George de Charms, 1969

The third article of furniture in the holy place, was the altar of incense. It was made of shittim wood, covered on all sides with gold. It measured 1 cubit square and 2 cubits in height. Its sides were solid boards. The top was a single board, the edges of which were flush with the sides. Out of its four corners there arose horns of gilded wood. Around the top, binding it to the sides, was a crown of gold similar to that on the table. In this case, however, the crown did not extend above the surface of the top. The orbs of gold through which the staves were to be passed that the altar might be carried were two instead of four in number. One was placed on each of the sides called "ribs," by which (we are told) are meant the sides facing north and south respectively. This word "ribs" is never used with reference to sides facing east or west. In the case of the altar, the orbs were not placed at the corners, as is specifically commanded in other cases, but in the middle of the side immediately below the crown, in order that the altar might be balanced when carried. This arrangement would require, as a practical matter, that the orbs be free to turn in order to allow for the swinging of the altar. This is not specifically stated, but would seem to be indicated by the fact that the full force of every swing of the altar would otherwise fall upon the small base of the orb.

This altar was placed immediately outside of the veil, and midway between the two sides of the tabernacle. It was, therefore, nearest to the ark, being separated from the holy of holies only by the veil. "Thou shalt put it before the veil that is over the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, whither I will come to meet thee there."¹ It was at this altar that the priest was to stand when he inquired of the Lord, and when he received answers by means of the breastplate. Thus it was here that communication and conjunction with the Lord was effected. The priest was commanded to burn the incense every morning and every evening when the lamps were dressed; wherefore it is called the "continual incense." Indeed, whenever there was any priestly ministration in the holy place, there was first a burning of incense that the tabernacle might be filled with the smoke. Once a year on the day of atonement, when the high priest passed through the veil and stood in the holy of holies, the incense was burned on this altar until not only the holy place but the holy of holies also was filled with the fragrant smoke, by which, as it were, the ministering priest might be wrapped around as by a cloud in the presence of Jehovah. The spices from which the incense was made were stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.² These were mixed in equal proportions and salt was added. They were then bruised or triturated in a mortar until they were reduced to a fine powder. This power was placed in the golden censer and burned with fire taken from the altar of burnt offering, where a perpetual fire was kept.

¹ Exodus 30:6.
² Stacte, means oozing out in drops. It is not known to what exactly this term refers but it was evidently some fragrant gum or resin.
Onycha (Onyx, Latin), kind of mussel.
Galbanum, a yellowish gum. Resin derived from certain Asiatic plants, mostly a species of ferula. It is known and still used for various purposes, particularly a species which is found in South America, which is used also in making varnish.

The representation of this altar is derived primarily from its use, namely, the burning of incense; and its representation is illustrated in all the particulars of its construction and of its situation in the tabernacle. First, it was an altar and not a table. Altars are the most ancient representatives of worship. Long before men erected tabernacles or temples they built altars in the open air. The first altars were but heaps of earth like a miniature mountain, and indeed having the same representation. They were erected on the tops of mountains or on some high place, and this because they represented the worship of the Lord from love to Him. Later these heaps of earth were replaced by altars of stone, and at first of unhewn stone. They became, however, more and more conventionalized in form. When temples were built, the altar was made as a conventional representation of the mounds from which it had descended. Thus it was formed to represent the original idea of a heap, even though it was constructed of hewn stone, or of wood gilded, as in the present case. For this reason it was always built with solid sides rather than with supporting legs, and in this respect was different from a table. Furthermore, an altar was distinguished always by this, that a fire was burned upon it. This was true everywhere in the Ancient Church, and from it have descended all the rites of worship among pagan nations of antiquity who use altars on which fire is placed. In the case of the altar we are now considering, fire was not actually burned upon it, but the incense burning with fire taken from the brazen altar, was placed upon it in a censer, which also was swung in front of it.

From very ancient times the burning of incense was associated with the altar and was a representative of internal worship. Burnt offerings and sacrifices represented external worship. By this is meant worship expressed in gestures of the body, in rituals, songs and prayers. Public worship is especially implied. This belongs to man's life in the world and affects him in his relations with others. For this reason the offerings and sacrifices were burned in the outer court, whence they could be seen by the Israelites from their encampment. But the burning of the incense represented a worship of the internal mind, the secret prayer of the heart, the unspoken supplication, the hidden longing and desire which is at the center of a man's life. This worship is not seen of men, but is perceived in part by the celestial angels, and fully by the Lord Himself. This is the reason why the altar of incense was placed within the tabernacle, where it could be seen only by the priest, and where it was immediately before the veil and the mercy seat. Here Jehovah met with Moses and Aaron to teach and lead His people. Such internal worship is the only real worship, for this alone is spiritually effective. External worship is effective only so far as it gives outward expression to internal worship. Whatever may be the outward appearance before the world, the speech of the lips, or the gesture of the body, it is the desire of the heart to which the Lord attends; and this is the real prayer which is heard in heaven. Whatever we may seem to ask for outwardly, this is what we really want, and what lies within, often concealed even from ourselves. We sincerely ask for many things, thinking that we desire them, when yet, if we could analyse our thoughts, we would find that these things are desired only because they serve as means to attain a deeper end. We do not wish them for their own sake. The deeper wish is what gives quality to our prayer without regard to the form of its expression. The Lord has respect to suplications of the heart. When we pray for things heavenly and eternal the Lord is present. His love responds and grants our wish so far as we are prepared to receive it. The presence of the Lord imparts holiness to the external rites of worship and makes them living. When He is not present in the hearts of those who pray, holiness is lacking, and the forms of worship become meaningless gestures. To ask for Divine blessings for the sake of self, with a view to personal advantage, is the characteristic of all idolatry. It brings no conjunction of man with heaven or with the Lord. This is the reason why, in the Word throughout, idolatry is so strictly forbidden, and why such heavy penalties were imposed upon the children of Israel when they fell away from the representative worship of Jehovah to the worship of idols. A special warning is given with reference to the golden altar in the tabernacle, "Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon."³ This sin was severely punished, as related in the story of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.⁴ To offer strange incense is to worship from some other love than that of the Lord.

Worship of the heart conjoins the new will, represented by the table of shewbread, and the new understanding, represented by the lampstand. For this reason the altar of incense was placed in the midst, between the two. For this reason also it was square, representing the perfect conjunction of truth and good. Worship is not a sentimental emotion. It is not, as many of the Christian world suppose, a stirring of the heart to a personal love of Jesus Christ because of His sacrifice upon the cross. It is not love alone, any more than it is faith alone, that constitutes the internal worship of a saving religion. Truly to love the Lord Jesus Christ is to love those spiritual qualities of human character which He portrayed. It is to seek for the exalted goal of human life to which He pointed; to desire above all things that His kingdom should come and His will be done in our own life, that we might become worthy of Him. Such a love will not rest until it has discovered the means by which its desired end may be achieved, and that means is the truth which the Lord teaches -- the truth which He called the "way" of life. For this reason love to the Lord, if it is genuine, manifests itself in the love of truth, in the desire to know and to understand the Lord's teachings. If this is not present, then a profession of love to Him is but a name used to cover up some other love, some other desire of the heart, some other inmost longing which inevitably shows itself in the search for the kind of knowledge by which that longing can be attained. Wherefore the quality of a man's love may be seen if the kind of truth in which he is really interested be known. And we are told in the Writings that if we would know what our state is we must ask ourselves: What are the things in which we are most interested when we are alone and not influenced by external forces? To what things then do we naturally turn with delight? The conjunction of love with truth, the expression of love in a search for the truth by which the end of love may be accomplished characterizes genuine worship. This conjunction constitutes every man's religion, whether that religion be a worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, or the worship of some personal ambition which has become a household deity. How is this conjunction to be effected? Surely only by thoughtful reading, studying and reflection upon the Word, which contains the Divine law of life.

³ Exodus 30:9.
⁴ Numbers, Chap. 16.