Don’t forget where we are in this lesson. We are in the Holy Place, standing at the Golden Altar. Unlike the Bronze Altar, where a sacrifice perpetually burned, at this altar, incense perpetually burned. Quite a difference! This altar reminds us of our Great High Priest, our Advocate who sits at God’s Right Hand – living to make intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25)

We are appreciating the fragrance of the incense that has been burning on the altar. You breathe it in and you realize your clothes will bear this scent for some time. Whatever could be the ingredients of this incense that produces such a unique and rich aroma!

Before we look at the relevant verses, let’s remember we are about to read what most today would think are obscure verses, buried in the ancient book of Exodus. Are they really irrelevant to us and merit very little, if any consideration, by Bible students today? Could we ever see our blessed Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ in these verses? Look for Christ in these verses:

Exodus 30:34-38 NASB

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each.  (35)  “With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy.  (36)  “You shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you.  (37)  “The incense which you shall make, you shall not make in the same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the LORD.  (38)  “Whoever shall make any like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people.”

So you just read them – were you flooded with devotional thoughts about Christ?

Back in the mid-1800s, a godly believer, Henry Soltau, saw so much of Christ in these sections of Exodus and Leviticus he authored two books which have become valued textbooks over the last 150+ years for anyone studying this section of the Bible. Soltau was a young lawyer in his early 30s – successful in the world and living it up in society. However, when his mother died, he knelt at her coffin and cried: “Lord, if You don’t save me, I am lost forever.” After trusting Christ, he immersed himself in studying the Scriptures producing what we, in our day, continue to find immense value in.

Fast-forward to the 1960s. A young medical student, bothered about his spiritual condition two days before Christmas, read Hebrews 9:26 early in that morning. Later, the same day, driving through the busy streets of Philadelphia, he was reading John Chapter 3. Yes, reading as he drove! The truth of Christ as his personal Saviour became real to him as Hebrews 9:26 and John 3:36 converged. Dr. A. J. Higgins has authored many articles on the Person of Christ. Much of what you are about to read is taken from his writings on ‘The Perfume’ – Monday Meditations.

So yes, students of the Bible, over the centuries, have been able to beautifully trace Christ in the Scriptures – even in seemingly obscure verses like the ones we read above. Is it your desire and prayer to enjoy the Old Testament in this way?

Every priest entering the holy place would be met by the fragrance of the incense (perfume) which was burning on the Golden Altar. The fragrance would have filled all that holy chamber, imparting its fragrance to everything and everyone. God gave very specific instructions as to its composition and a very clear command as to any imitation.

There was in His life, and there is in Him, at His place at God’s right hand, a fragrance to Christ which fills all the sanctuary. In the typology of the Tabernacle, it reminds us that His fragrance is added to all our prayers. The instructions for the perfume were given in great detail.

It was Balanced

Four spices were to be taken, and they were to be of equal weight. Three of the four are only mentioned once in the Bible – here. So unique! No one spice was to predominate. Christ was balanced. There was never a virtue or attribute which dominated His character. Truth was never compromised because of love; mercy was never compromised because of holiness. Everything was balanced, and yet every attribute was present in its fullness.

It was Blended

The spices were to be tempered together or blended. All were to be present in equal proportion, but all were to be present together throughout. We trace the Lord Jesus and notice His faithfulness with the hypocritical Pharisees. But even on those occasions, God always saw His love for truth, His mercy, His longsuffering, and a host of other virtues on display in the Person of His Son.

We are accustomed to looking for outstanding traits. In Christ, everything was outstanding and yet nothing was outstanding; no virtue “stood out” at the expense of another virtue. Everything was balanced and blended. And God emphasized that it was pure and holy. All the virtues of Christ were against the backdrop of His absolute purity.

It was Beaten

For the full beauty and intensity of the fragrance to be appreciated, it had to be beaten “very small.” Apparently, the smaller the portion, the greater the fragrance that was released. Can you apply this to Christ? Whether we think of Him coming as a Man amongst us, very small, or we think of His humiliation at the hands of men, the “smaller” He is beaten, the more lovely He appears to us.

It was Burned

Its fragrance was fully revealed and released when it was burnt upon the altar. Coals from the bronze altar were taken and placed on the golden altar. The incense placed on the golden altar would release its fragrance as the fire consumed it. Honey, in contrast, would become soured by fire. The incense was shown to be a sweet savour by the fire. There was nothing of earthly or natural sweetness about Christ. The best of nature’s sweetness, honey, was not in Him. All that marked Him was pure and had the character of spiritual fruit.

What was Banned

So unique and special was this perfume that God banned any imitation. There can be no imitation of Christ. His life and virtues can be reproduced in His people through the Spirit of God; but He cannot be imitated or duplicated by human effort. He is unique, and we can only say as did another, “Yea, He is altogether lovely” (the summation of all that is lovely).

“The sweet smelling incense was a beautiful picture of Christ in all His perfection and grace before God and [His creatures.] His life emitted a fragrant perfection of purity and holiness unmarred by sin or fleshly motives.” (1)

As we end this lesson, you should know that we are about to enter the room that was only entered once a year by the High Priest. But between the Golden Altar in the Holy Place and the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies chamber, hung a veil separating the two. In Lesson 15, we will study The Veil.

Sources:

• The Tabernacle – Shadows of the Messiah, David M. Levy, p.54, Kregel Publications