APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 5)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.

Exodus 37:25-29

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The tabernacle, ark of the covenant, table for the Showbread, and the golden lampstand.

All were amazing works of craftsmanship by God-empowered, skill-blessed craftsmen back in the Old Testament times prior to the Israelites even getting to the Promised Land and becoming a nation, works that we have admired and appreciated over the first four messages in this special series.

Today, we come to the closing verses of Exodus, chapter 37 and the construction of the altar of incense that would be placed in The Holy Place along with the table for the Showbread and the golden lampstand. Look again at how it was built here:

They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer. Vv.25-29

Like the tabernacle, ark of the covenant, and table for the showbread, we see where the altar of incense was constructed out of “acacia wood”, the strongest, most durable wood available in those days.

Note that this altar also had “horns of one piece with it”. In all, there were four horns projecting from each corner of the altar, the same number that would be on the altar of sacrifice located in the tabernacle’s courtyard. These horns on the altars had several symbolic meanings, representing God’s power as well as His shelter and refuge, atonement, and judgment.

What was the size of the altar of incense?

We read where it “was square” with dimensions of “a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high”. Knowing that a cubit was around 18 inches or the length from one’s elbow to the end of their middle finger, we know the altar was relatively small, a foot and a half long and wide and three feet tall.

Once built to these dimensions with the projecting horns, the altar was “overlaid” with “pure gold” on its “top and all the sides and the horns”. The altar also had “gold molding around it”.

Like the ark of the covenant and the table for the Showbread, the altar of incense had four gold rings placed at each corner so two poles, both made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold could be placed through so to carry the altar from place to place as the Israelites journeyed.

Finally, we see where a “perfumer”, another person with special skills given by the Lord, “made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense” that would be burned on the altar, a pleasant aroma to the Lord who would abide on the other side of the curtain within The Holy Place.

Before we close this message, it’s important to know that this altar of incense was to burn every morning and evening as Aaron, the high priest, attended to the lamps of the golden lampstand that provided light to The Holy Place. Look at this command from God found in Exodus, chapter 30:

“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.” Vv.7-8

Further, God placed some restrictions on the proper use of this altar for offerings:

“Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. Once a year, Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.” Vv.9-10

So there you have it, the construction of the last of three items that would occupy The Holy Place in the tabernacle, another simply incredible work of craftsmanship, without the benefit of sophisticated tools or technology, to honor the Lord God Almighty.

Simply amazing, for sure.

Tomorrow, we move out of The Holy Place to the courtyard and look at the altar of burnt offering.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.