7, 8. Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense--literally,
"incense of spices"--Strong aromatic substances were burnt upon this
altar to counteract by their odoriferous fragrance the offensive fumes
of the sacrifices; or the incense was employed in an offering of
tributary homage which the Orientals used to make as a mark of honor to
kings; and as God was Theocratic Ruler of Israel, His palace was
not to be wanting in a usage of such significancy. Both these ends were
served by this altar--that of fumigating the apartments of the sacred
edifice, while the pure lambent flame, according to Oriental notions,
was an honorary tribute to the majesty of Israel's King. But there was
a far higher meaning in it still; for as the tabernacle was not only a
palace for Israel's King, but a place of worship for Israel's God, this
altar was immediately connected with a religious purpose. In the style
of the sacred writers, incense was a symbol or emblem of prayer
(Ps 141:2;
Re 5:8; 8:3).
From the uniform combination of the two services, it is evident that
the incense was an emblem of the prayers of sincere worshippers
ascending to heaven in the cloud of perfume; and, accordingly, the
priest who officiated at this altar typified the intercessory office of
Christ
(Lu 1:10;
Heb 7:25).
every morning . . . at even--In every period of the
national history this daily worship was scrupulously observed.
JFB.
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