Incense Altar – מזבח קטורת

The Incense Altar was used for the burning of incense. The incense burned non-stop, in the same manner our worship should be non-stop.

Description

The Incense altar was made of shittim wood and overlain with pure gold, with a golden crown roundabout.

Components

• A golden crown roundabout
• 4 horns on the 4 corners, also overlain with pure gold
• An altar which is hollow on the inside and the inside is also overlain with gold
• 4 golden rings on the 4 corners (the rings are against the border)
• 2 staves of shittim wood, overlain with gold

Measurements

1 x 1 x 2 cubits
The measurements of the crown are not specified, so we opted to use the same measurements as on the crown of the showbread table, which is the width of a hand.
The lengths of the staves are not given, so we asked ourselves:
1) How big is the tabernacle inside?
2) How many people do you need to carry the weight? The table was not very heavy. 4 people could easily carry it on their shoulders. The staves were removed from the altar once in the tabernacle.

Meaning of the numbers

1×1 which is 1cubit² because true worship is connected to: “Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu Adonai echad.

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד

LISTEN AND DO, oh Israel, for the Lord your God is One.” The Oneness of God and His singleheartedness, His image, should be the base of my worship. The number 2 tells me that the only One who is to be worshipped in this house built for God, should be God alone.

Material

• Acacia (shittim) wood
• Pure Gold

The Process

Aaron had to light the incense, the spices, on this altar every evening and every morning.

Scripture

Exodus 30:1 – 10

1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
2 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.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it ; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
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.
9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
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.

Applied Spiritual value to our lives

Acacia (shittim) wood speaks of Yeshua coming in incorruptible flesh, where He was scourged and chose to die to the flesh. He took upon Himself the image of God and decided to only do the will of the Father. The crown tells us that our worship should crown Yeshua as King, but also speaks about us as a royal priesthood who have undergone a change in our mindset and from our changed mindset, we now worship Him alone. The horns speak about authority and here it speaks about an authority given to you because of a lifestyle of worship.

The altar of incense is connected to the fifth of the six foundations of our faith in Hebrews 6:2, which is “the resurrection of the dead”. Why is this a part of the foundation of our faith? Because the dead cannot worship God (Psalm 115:17) and while we are still dead because of sin, we cannot worship Him. We die to self and die to sin, but then we must be resurrected again – we must be ALIVE! Therefore, it is important that we live out the resurrection life and that is then a true worship unto God. Also: Let us not focus on the gospel of the cross, let us focus on the gospel of resurrection life! Yeshua is risen and He is alive so that we can live a life of freedom in and through Him.