Incense, Ransom and Washing

Exodus 30 completes the tabernacle furniture. The golden altar of incense stood before the veil, directly in front of the ark. Incense burned there morning and evening as a perpetual incense before Yahweh (30:8). In Scripture, incense pictures the prayers of God's people (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4). Once a year on the Day of Atonement, blood was applied to its horns, because even worship needed cleansing from sin.

At the census, every man twenty years and older gave half a shekel as atonement money (30:16), a ransom for his life. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less. Everyone stood on equal ground before God, and everyone needed redemption. In the New Testament, 1 Peter 1:18-19 explains that believers are redeemed not with silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.

The bronze basin allowed the priests to wash their hands and feet before serving at the altar or entering the tent. Holiness required cleansing. The anointing oil, made by a special recipe, set apart the tabernacle, its furniture and the priests. Copying it for personal use was forbidden, because what is holy belongs to God. Christians have read this as a picture of the Holy Spirit, who anoints believers (1 John 2:20).