October 30, 2020

The book of Exodus tells the story of the birth of the nation of Israel fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham.  From the seventy descendants of Jacob, Israel was fruitful and multiplied greatly until they filled the whole land of Egypt.  After four centuries of slavery, God answers the cries of His people for deliverance.  God raises up Moses for this calling, to lead his people out of bondage to a land of promise and deliverance. 

Some of the greatest stories of the Bible are featured in Exodus—from the Ten Plagues, and the Passover, to the crossing of the Red Sea, and the establishment of the covenant at Mount Sinai. The Passover lamb, the exodus from the land of Egypt, the seven feasts, the tabernacle, and even the high priest, are all foreshadows of the ministry of Christ.

Chapters 1-18 contains the events leading up to God’s delivering the Hebrews from their captivity in Egypt, and chapters 19-40 shares the events in the wilderness and the account of God’s instructions to Moses on Mount Sinai to direct the life and worship of the nation.

Exodus 30

The Altar of Incense

1 “You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The Census Tax

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

The Bronze Basin

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil and Incense

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, 24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. 25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. 30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. 37 And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Reflection:

  • The Altar of Incense is similar to the altar for burnt offering except much smaller. It was placed in the Holy Place before the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, whereas the altar for burnt offering was in the outer court.  Do you find it significant that the Altar of Incense was to be overlaid with pure gold while the altar for burnt offerings was overlaid with bronze?
  • Why do you believe God was so precise about the ingredients and making of the oil and incense?
  • What do you find significant about the bronze basin for the priests to wash their hands and feet being placed between the tent of meeting and the altar for burnt offering?
  • What was the consequence for the priests being careless by not washing their feet and hands before ministering to the Lord (v. 21)? Does God still take our worship of him seriously? Consider what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:27, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are deserving of pure and undefiled worship. You are holy and worthy of worship. There is no god besides you and you are the Lord Most High. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14).” In Jesus’ name, amen.

8 thoughts on “Daily Devotional-October 30th”

  1. Dear Heavenly Father,
    You are our God , most high, and should be lifted up and praised every day with the greatest of respect . Please help us to remember to serve you with gladness and a pure and happy heart. Hallelujah thine the glory, Hallelujah Amen, Hallelujah thine the glory, forever, Amen.

  4. Heavenly Father, we worship You and bless Your holy Name. Thank You for making Yourself known to us so that we can know You intimately and worship You personally and corporately. You alone are worthy. Holy, holy, holy are You God Almighty!

  5. Lord, thank you for saving me 55 years ago and the journey you have provided for me. My daily devotional time is so valuable. Help me help others to know you.

  6. The incense used is symbolic for the prayers of the saints. See Rev5:8. Intercessory prayer has a permeating effect.

  7. I wonder what worship will be like when we are made new, along with all creation, with God in glory.

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