EXODUS CHAPTER 30 ----------------- Verses 1-10, THE GOLDEN ALTAR There were two altars connected with the tabernacle. Both were made of wood, but one was overlayed with brass and was called the "brazen altar" (Ex 38:30) and this one was overlayed with gold and was called the "golden altar" (Ex 39:38). The brazen altar was placed outside the building in the court, just before the entrance; while the golden altar was placed inside the holy place and stood before the vail. Brass usually deals with firey judgement and the brazen altar was called the "altar of burnt offering" (Ex 40:6). However the "golden altar" was called the "altar of incense" which was a place of worship. Both were needed to picture the one Altar that we now have, the Lord Jesus Christ. ITS SIGNIFICANCE: ----------------- Before anything is said about its material, dimensions, or position, we are told of its purpose. It was an "altar to burn incense upon." The altar speaks of Christ Himself, and the incense speaks of His intercession and praises that He presents to His Father in our behalf. The fact that the altar comes to us immediately after Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priesthood, shows us that what is portrayed here is the work of our Great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. Though he is seated at the right hand of God, He is not inactive. It was not situated in the outer court, which speaks of Christ's work here on earth, but in the Holy Place, which tells of Christ having gone into the heavenly sanctuary to appear before God for us. The fact that the altar had a "crown of gold round about" shows us that Christ is in heaven and not on earth, "crowned with glory and honour" (Heb 2:9). When we look at the brazen altar we see Christ being made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God. We see Him suffering the awful wrath of God for sin. But when we look at the golden altar we see a risen Christ who is even at the right hand of God making intercession for us. Ro 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be SAVED BY HIS LIFE. Ro 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth. 34 Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Ps 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice. Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. So then the golden altar with its incense foreshadowed Jesus Christ in heaven praying for His people. Christ's intercessory prayer does not complete the believer's justification, for that was done by His one time sacrifice, but His intercession maintains us through of wilderness journey on this earth. That we would be preserved in our walk. Lu 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ITS COMPOSITION --------------- "[of] shittim wood shalt thou make it." Again accacia wood or incorruptible wood pointed to the perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. No atonement for sin was ever offered on this altar for that was already completed. "And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof;" This points to the Divine Glory which the Man Christ Jesus had entered into. It is not a dead Christ that we worship, but one who is alive for evermore. ITS DIMENSIONS -------------- "A cubit [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits [shall be] the height thereof: the horns thereof [shall be] of the same." (Verse 2). The Length: The number one is usually for unity or oneness of the Godhead, but since we think of the length of something perhaps representing time, then could not a length of ONE represent the one time sacrifice that Christ would make on the behalf of His people for all time. The breadth: Perhaps this shows that all for whom He did this (the breadth of His work) will be ONE in heaven with Him. Which if the Arminian was right then they would never be one because some would be in hell. The height: Two cubits. Some of His saints are on earth and some are in heaven. ITS USE ------- Ex 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. Where did the fire to burn incense come from? Lev 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it] within the vail: 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he die not: The connection between the two altars: The incense was kindled upon that fire which had first fed upon the sacrifice. So too, our Great High Priest pleads for no blessing that His blood has not already purchased. Notice in John 17 that before our Lord asks for one petition in the behalf of His people that He says, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (vs 4). Compare also: Ps 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, [even] thine ALTARS, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. ( Both altars are connected together as a resting place for the poor and needy soul. ) A solemn contrast: Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. ( The strange fire was fire that had not been taken from off the brazen altar which had consumed the sacrifice. It was fire that they had kindled and placed in their censors. Thus this shows that God is very jealous of the types. In type Nadab and Abihu were suggesting that worship could be offered on some other foundation other than that of the crucified Christ.) Only those who are in Christ can offer the proper worship. Those who offer worship on the basis or foundation of anything other than the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary, do offer "strange fire" to God. Can worship be sin? Can worship be the same as "strange fire?": Pr 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination: how much more, [when] he bringeth it with a wicked mind? Pr 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight. Pr 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination. 1Sa 15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king. Fire represents the wrath of God: Num 11:1 And [when] the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard [it]; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed [them that were] in the uttermost parts of the camp. De 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Isa 30:33 For Tophet [is] ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made [it] deep [and] large: the pile thereof [is] fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Mr 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: The wrath of God is a holy and just wrath, for it is against sin: Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; READ Isa 6:3-7, God is trice holy and Isaiah could not stand before him, but his sin was purged with fire from the altar, fire that had already consumed the sacrifice and was filling the house with incense. Isaiah's sin was purged by the Christ of the New Testament. The wrath of God in final form: It is a wrath that is yet to come! --------------------------------- Mt 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Re 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? It will come as a snare: ----------------------- Lu 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. It will be fierce: ----------------- Isa 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his FIERCE anger. ( fierce = furious ) Re 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the FIERCENESS and wrath of Almighty God. It will be eternal: ------------------ Re 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Mt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Mt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Jesus said, "Into the fire that never shall be quenched" (Mark 9:43). It is reserved for the wicked and the hypocrites: ------------------------------------------------ Ps 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day. Ps 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, [and] all the nations that forget God. Isa 3:11 Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him]: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Mt 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint [him] his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ( hypocrites: actors, religious but lost ) The two altars and their connection point to the salvation that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great deliverance that He has purchased for us by shedding His blood in our place. Had He not shed His blood in our place then our end would have been an awful and dreadful end. The fear would have taken hold of us as a whirlwind. Pr 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Lu 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Re 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Had not Christ taken our place then we would have shed as it was great drops of blood as we looked upon those things which were coming upon us. But Christ took our place and we will never know of this except for glimpses of it in His Holy Word. Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him]; THE INCENSE ----------- The incense was to be kept as sacred for tabernacle use only. The one who manufactured any for personal use was to be cutoff from the people. Ex 30:37-38 None but the priest were allowed to handle it. See 2Chr 26:16- 21. The composition: Ex 30:34-35 1) It was "sweet": Verse 7. This tells of the preciousness of Christ intercessions and prayers for His people before God. Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 2) It was "pure": Verse 35. Christ alone of men born is pure. Paul said that in his flesh dwelt no good thing, but the Lord Jesus was without sin. Only something pure could represent our redeemer's work. 3) It was "most holy": Verse 36. Christ is that "holy thing" that was born, which was also called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35) 4) Of each ingredient there shall be like weight: Verse 34. No one attribute of our Lord stands above another, but are all equal and are in perfect balance. THE LIGHTING OF THE LAMPS ------------------------- We see that there was a connection with the lighting of the lamps and the golden altar. Ex 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. Typically: This tells us that the gift and ministry of the Holy Spirit, which the lamps represent, is a result of the Saviour's intercession on our behalf. Jo 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; PERPETUAL INCENSE ----------------- "... He shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations." (verse 8) Christ is ever before His Father, in all the merits of His person and the value of His work, making intercession on the behalf of His people. While we may be asleep or in a hospital bed unconscious, He slumbereth not but "he ever liveth to make intercession" for His people (Heb 7:25). And because He "ever liveth to make intercession," "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him" (Heb 7:25). Thus the "golden altar" is a token or sign of our eternal security. THE TWO ALTARS NOT TO BE CONFOUNDED ----------------------------------- "Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon." To offer these thing upon the golden altar would be to confound it (cause confusion) with the brazen altar. The vail in the temple was rent, and now we can boldly go before the Lord as priests. We need not bring in sacrifices for sins when we enter in to worship. Heb 4:16* Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Pink says that Christians are sometimes too occupied with the cross and Christ's work there and their sins, when they come to the throne of Grace to worship; but instead should be more occupied with contemplating Christ Himself as He appears in the presence of God for us. We worship a risen Christ, who is at the right hand of God making intercession for us, and not a Christ who is still on the cross. However on the other hand when we observe the Lord's Supper we "do shew the Lord's death till he come" (1 Co 11:26). I think the real issue here is that we are not to confuse the two works of Christ, and that when we come to the throne of Grace we are to come boldly because of what Christ has already done for us at the brazen altar. I don't think we should ever loose site of what our saviour has done for us at the cross. THE BLOOD OF THE SIN-OFFERING ----------------------------- "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." (Ex 30:10) Here our position as priests has been secured by the value of the sin-offering. The sin-offering was killed outside, but it's blood was brought into the sanctuary, so or boldness to enter in is because of the blood Christ shed on the cross, yet the two altars are not to be confused, as they point to two separate works of our Lord Jesus Christ. ITS COVERINGS ------------- Num 4:11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: It was covered with BLUE, which speaks of the heavenly ministry of Christ. Christ is in the heavens making intercession for us. His great sacrifice was made on earth and not in heaven, but His intercession is made in heaven for us. Verses 11-15, The Atonement Money This is by no means easy to understand in the light of so many other scriptures. Our text here tells us that this was for a ransom, "every man a ransom." This ransom was of a monetary nature. And it was "to make an atonement for their souls." How do we harmonize this with such scriptures as: Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; Also there is difficulty with the timing here. Had they not already sang the song of redemption at the Red Sea? Ex 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people [which] thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided [them] in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. This is placed in our text between the golden altar and the laver, so what connections do the three have? The Book of Exodus treats with Redemption as it's great dominant theme and principle subject. Verses 17-21. The Laver The laver though mentioned last was the second thing that met the priest on the way into the sacred building. The laver was located in the outer court, between the brazen altar and the curtained wall which marked off the holy place. Though connected with the brazen altar there is a sharp contrast about much of it. 1) The altar was made of wood and brass while the laver was made of brass only. 2) The altar was square in shape; the laver was round. 3) Dimensions were given for the altar, but for the laver no such measurements were given. 4) The altar had rings and staves for carrying it from place to place, while the laver did not. 5) The altar was to be covered when it was carried while no such instructions were given for the laver. 6) The altar was for fire, while the laver was for water. 7) The altar received the sacrifices of all the people of Israel, while the laver was for the priests only. The prominent thing in connection with the laver, of course, is water. It was made to contain water for cleansing. Water is in abundance on the earth. It is a vital element for our survival. Without it our planet would not survive even for a short time. So n the Bible we find it to be an important symbol. In the garden of Eden there was a river to "water the garden" (Gen 2:10); We read of the fearful waters of the flood which destroyed all life that had breath in it, as a judgement of God against sin. Pharaoh and his army were also destroyed by the same element. It preserved the life of Hagar and her son when they were put out (Gen 16:7). Water was supplied from the smitten rock as a refreshment to Israel while in the wilderness. There are many other examples in the Old Testament. So too, in the New Testament "water" is found in various connections. It is the element that the believer is figuratively buried in. It was water that was used in Christ's first miracle. It was water that came from the side of Christ along with the blood. Then in the book of the Revelation we see at the end (the last chapter) verse 1 "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Cleansing by the blood and washing with water are sharply distinguished in the Old Testament Types, but they are sadly confused by most church-goers of our modern era. ITS SIGNIFICANCE ---------------- "For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:" (verse 19). At a glance we see that it was designed for priestly purification. At the brazen-altar sins were dealt with and put away. At the golden-altar worship was in view. But between the two stood the laver, and at it the priests were required to wash their hands and feet in order to commune with God. Communion (not acceptance) required not only acceptance but purification. The laver tells of the need of cleansing if communion with God is to be maintained. Cleansing not from the guilt of sin but from the defilements of the way. The question of sin has been dealt with at the brazen-altar and that must be settled before any one can approach unto God. However before they could burn incense at the golden altar they must wash at the laver. There were no shoes given for the priest's work, therefore their feet were dusty with the desert from the work outside of the tabernacle. The blood on their hands, which symbolized death, must be washed off. The believer priest has been in the world communicating with the spiritually dead, and has been walking in a world that is evil, and this fouls his walk. There is therefore a daily need for these to be removed. It should be carefully noted that it in their official character as priest and not simply as Israelites that they were to wash their hands and feet at the laver. As Israelites they were redeemed but as priests they would come into the most holy place to commune with God. The laver, as we shall see, points to the Lord Jesus Christ and His sufficiency to cleanse us on a daily basis. ITS CONTENTS ------------ "... and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water..." (Verses 18-20) Water: The water within the laver was plainly a figure of the written Word of God. Compare: Ps 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word. Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Compare also these: Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Notice: Heb 10:22 said "bodies" and not hands and feet. In Ex 29:4 we were told, "And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water." While in Ex 30:19 we read, "For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:" The former was done TO them and the latter was done BY them. In the former they were completely washed and in the latter only their hands and feet were washed. The former was never repeated, for it was done when they were ordained as priests, but the latter was done every time they would draw near the golden-altar. The one was a figure of regeneration and the other typified the Christian's need of daily cleansing. Thus John 3:3, Titus 3:5 and Hebrews 10:22 give us the antitype of Ex 29:4 and regeneration. Psalm 119:9 and Eph 5:25, etc. point to our present passage of scripture in Exodus 30 (the laver). Compare also: Joh 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash [his] feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. ( "not all" refers to Judas ) ( the first "washed" = bathed ) A particular point should be observed here. "Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Notice Jesus said "WITH ME" and NOT "IN ME". IN Christ has to do with position, standing and acceptance with God, but WITH Christ has to do with fellowship and communion. ITS POSITION ------------ "... and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar..." (Verse 18) The priest's work was completed at the brazen-altar before he went to the laver to wash his hands and feet. Our acceptance before God is not raised at the Laver but a cleansing of our walk. The dust from the priest's feet were removed with water and not with blood. So too, when the believer is defiled by this world, it is not a fresh application of blood that is needed but a washing of the hands and feet by the word of God, which the laver pictures. Christ's sacrifice is never to be repeated. Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin. We do sin again but all of our sins, past present and future have already been taken care of by Christ. Christ died for our sins before we were ever born, so they were all future sins at that time. When we sin it is not a fresh application of the blood of Christ that is needed, for they are already under the blood, but a cleansing of our walk. The confession and forgiveness that the Lord gives us is for fellowship and communion. ITS COMPOSITION --------------- "Thou shalt also make a laver [of] brass..." (Verse 18) Brass speaks of judgement. Unto Christ has been given all judgement. Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: Christ judges and tests His people, condemning that which would stand between them and communion with God. This he does through His word. Trials may come up but it is finally His word that judges us in our heart. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. ( judgment seat = bema, a place to judge the performance ) ITS USE ------- The believer-priest is to judge himself by the word of God. The Word prevents us from falling into sin. The Word cleanses us from defilement. The Word refreshes us in our daily walk in a dry and barren land. ITS MANUFACTURE --------------- We are not told here exactly how it was made but of brass. Exodus 38 verse 8 sheds a little more light on the subject. Ex 38:8 And he made the laver [of] brass, and the foot of it [of] brass, of the lookingglasses of [the women] assembling, which assembled [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Lookingglasses or mirrors were made of brass or copper highly polished so that their reflection could be plainly seen. The word of God is a mirror for our souls. James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Verses 22-33, The Anointing Oil ITS INGREDIENTS --------------- Verse 22-25 They were five in number, including the vehicle of olive oil. Spices = from a root word meaning "to smell sweetly." Principal = best or choicest. Again, these speak to us of Christ. Ps 45:6 Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom [is] a right sceptre. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8 All thy garments [smell] of myrrh, and aloes, [and] cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. ( We know this is speaking of Christ because Heb 1:8 references it and says unto the Son he saith, "Thy throne O God ...") 1) Myrrh: The first ingredient mentioned. "This was the gum from a dwarf tree of the terebinth family, growing in Arabia. The gum exudes from the trunk either spontaneously or through incisions made for the purpose. That prescribed for the ointment was 'pure, literally, free' -- the best, what had flowed spontaneously... It is fragrant to the smell, but very bitter to the taste." (Ridout). The typical significance: Pink says the word is found 14 times in the Bible (2x7=14, Witness to perfection), but I found it 16 times. Seven times it is found in the Song of Solomon, which has LOVE as its prominent thought. So 1:13 A bundle of myrrh [is] my wellBELOVED unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. So 5:13 His cheeks [are] as a bed of spices, [as] sweet flowers: his lips [like] lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. ( The beloved is Christ and the Shulamite maid is the Church. ) The last place it is used in the scripture is at Christ's death, which was a bitter-sweet event. His disciples showed their love for him. Joh 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight]. The fact that the myrrh flowed spontaneously from the tree and through incisions would suggest Christ's willingness and the sufferings He underwent at the hands of men, and all of this because of His love for His people. His sufferings were bitter, but His love for the Father and His love for His people was sweet. 2) Cinnamon: It is the bark of a small evergreen tree of the laural family. The ordor is sweet and it is used largely for flavoring. It appears four times in the Bible. Here in reference to Christ. In the Song of Solomon 4:14 in reference to the Bride (an imparted and imputed love to her) and in Proverbs 7:17 and Revelation 18:13 in reference to a harlot (which was a hypocritical love for souls). Evergreen tree: Our Lord was ever devoted. 3) Sweet calamus: The Hebrew word means a "reed" or "cane." It was a cane that grew in the mire. The fragrance was obtained by crushing the plant. We see Christ who grew up as a tender reed in the mire of this world and who was crushed by wicked men but the result was a sweet fragrance which reached unto heaven. 4) Cassia: From a Hebrew word which means to bow down as in worship. So what we have here is a picture of the perfect man's willingness to worship God, His Father, and His submission to Him. ITS PROPORTIONS --------------- Verses 23-24, shekel was a unit of weight, different for various metals. myrrh = 500 shekels sweet cinnamon = 250 sweet calamus = 250 cassia = 500 There were four spices mingled with oil. Four is the number for the earth, and Christ was on the earth, thus the FOUR Gospels, which are the Divine record of Christ's earthly life. Each of the Gospels reveals some perfection of Christ, yet all are perfectly blended together by the oil of the Holy Spirit. Myrrh and cassia were of equal weight. It is significant that the Gospel of Matthew has Christ's Kingship and it primary theme and in John Christ's divinity is set forth. It was in Matthew's gospel that the wise men brought myrrh as a gift to the King of the Jews. Cassia meant to bow down and worship so we see in John's gospel Christ worshiped as God and His divinity set forth. The second and third gospels present the lowliness of Christ, the one as the servant and the other as the man. It is to be noted that they are half the weight of the others, but on the other hand they are the only two that are termed "sweet." This shows us that God the Father found sweet delight in the Son's voluntary and obedient condescension. "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 1500=5x3x(10x10). 5 = grace 3 = Godhead or manifestation 10 = responsibility to the law Christ was full of Grace manifesting as God a perfect responsibility to the law of God, which only He could do. ITS VEHICLE ----------- Olive oil: A figure of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. The oil was the element by which the fragrances (the graces of Christ) were borne along. The spices were perfectly blended by the oil. The oil united all. It is the oil, the Holy Spirit, that conveys to us the sweet blessings of Christ. It is the holy Spirit that reveals Christ to us. He does not speak of Himself (Joh 16;13) but of Christ. ITS USE ------- The anointing of the Tabernacle and all its furniture (Ex 30:26-29), and also the priests at their consecration (Ex 30:30). The tabernacle and its furniture point to Christ and his various offices. Of course the High priest also points to Christ in his priestly work, but also to the believer-priest, which have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them. ITS PROHIBITIONS ---------------- Verse 32-33, "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make [any other] like it, after the composition of it: it [is] holy, [and] it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth [any] like it, or whosoever putteth [any] of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people." Only those belonging to the priestly family could be anointed. This means only the believer-priest have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in them. Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Man's flesh: Is typical of the lost man. Paul said in his flesh dwealt no good thing (Ro 7:18). He also said that those in the flesh can not please God (Ro 8:8). The believer is anointed of God: 2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, [is] God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. This is something that man in the flesh does not have neither can he have. A man must be "born again" in order to have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him. "Neither shall ye make [any other] like it, after the composition of it: it [is] holy, [and] it shall be holy unto you." No strange Altar! No strange fire! No strange Oil! Pink says, "How this word condemns the imitations of Divine worship, the Spirit's operations, the fragrance of Christ, in present-day religious Christendom!" "Whosoever compoundeth [any] like it, or whosoever putteth [any] of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people." It is a sin to imitate the action of the Holy Spirit. God is holy and jealously guards His sovereign rights. Perhaps this would condemn techniques used to convict men of sin, instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to use the word of God to convict. Our job is to present the word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to convict and give assurance. But men have substituted aisle walking, card signing, hand raising, etc. for assurance instead of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ga 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.