Incense & Anointing Oil (Exodus 30)

Are our prayers trivial to God? Does God treat our prayers as pleasant incense? If God considered the anointing of the priests to be sacred, how do we treat the spiritual leaders in our churches? Let’s consider Exodus 30.

How was the altar of incense to be constructed for the tabernacle?

You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood. It must be square, (one cubit) 18 inches long and (one cubit) 18 inches wide; it must be (two cubits) 36 inches high. Its horns must be of one piece. Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. (Exodus 30:1-5 HCSB)

Are our prayers silly and trivial or like incense to God in heaven?

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8 NKJV; Psalm 141:2)

Where was the altar of incense to be placed in the tabernacle?

You are to put the altar in front of the curtain that is over the Ark of the Testimony, in front of the Mercy Seat that is over the Testimony where I’ll meet with you. Aaron is to offer fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he trims the lamps he is to offer it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he is to offer it as a continual incense offering in the Lord’s presence throughout your generations. You are not to offer strange incense, a burnt offering, or a grain offering on it, nor are you to pour out a libation on it. Each year Aaron is to make atonement on its horns with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. He is to make atonement on it each year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord. (Exodus 30:6-10 ISV)

Were the people to be assessed for a special offering?

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. (Exodus 30:11-13 KJV)

What was the age from which this perhaps half dollar assessment was made?

Everyone who is numbered, from twenty years old and over, shall give the contribution to Yahweh. The rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than the half shekel when you give the contribution to Yahweh to make atonement for your souls. And you shall take the atonement money from the sons of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may be a remembrance for the sons of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls. (Exodus 30:14-16 LSB)

What were the details regarding a basin and what was it used for?

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they do not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they do not die; and it shall be a permanent statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.” (Exodus 30:17-21 NASB)

Are we in the church also washed in a spiritual manner? So, is regular reading of our Bibles important?

that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27 NKJV)

What was the sacred blend for the holy anointing oil?

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. (Exodus 30:22-25 NIV)