Lesson date:2/1/5856AA

Verses 1-10 – Whoa! I had to ask myself, “what just happened?” We started at the Holy of Holies and moved outward and now, all of a sudden, we are back in the Set-Apart Place, directly in front of the veil that separates the Set-Apart Place from the Most Set-Apart Place. Why were we not given the details of the Golden Altar of Incense before we went outside into the inner courtyard?

Then these verses of Scripture came to mind: Mat_27:51 And see, the veil of the Dwelling Place was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split,

Mar_15:38 And the veil of the Dwelling Place was torn in two from top to bottom.

Luk_23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the Dwelling Place was torn in two.

And then these reminded me that of the function of the altar relative to the role of the Messiah: Rev_5:8 And when He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the set-apart ones.

Rev_8:3 And another messenger came and stood at the slaughter-place, holding a golden censer, and much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the set-apart ones upon the golden slaughter-place which was before the throne.

Rev_8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the set-apart ones, went up before Elohim from the hand of the messenger.

We can now see that our prayers are the incense that reaches up to the Throne Room of Elohim. If this is the case what does Scripture say about our prayers: 1Th 5:16 Rejoice always,

1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing,

Luk 18:1 And He spoke a parable to them, that they should always pray and not lose heart,

Jas 5:13 Is any of you suffering evil? Let him pray. Is anyone in good spirits? Let him sing psalms.

Jas 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil in the Name of the Master.

Jas 5:15 And the prayer of the belief shall save the sick, and the Master shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he shall be forgiven.

Jas 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, so that you are healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous one accomplishes much.

Jas 5:17 Ěliyahu was a man with feelings like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain. And it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the land brought forth its fruit.

The priest could enter the Set-Apart Place but only the High Priest could enter the Most Set-Apart Place, and then, only once a year. We need to put this in the proper context. We, as His Bride,: 1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light,

But our Messiah is our High Priest: Heb_2:17 So in every way He had to be made like His brothers, in order to become a compassionate and trustworthy High Priest in matters related to Elohim, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

Heb_3:1 Therefore, set-apart brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, closely consider the Emissary and High Priest of our confession, Messiah יהושע,

Heb_4:14 Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, יהושע the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast our confession.

We as priest can go into the Set Apart Place but only our High Priest can go into the Most Set Apart Place. How did He do that? He tore the veil of separation from top to bottom. The veil that was a handwidth thick and tested with four horses, each pulling in a different direction, to make sure that it would not tear, He tore open the separation so that we could have access to the Throne room of Elohim. Hallelu-yah!!! When we look at the shadow given to us in this chapter we see that the order of worship was established and then, after it was corrupted, Yeshua came it set it all back in place with Himself as the Golden Altar of Incense to carry our prayers to the Most Set Apart Place, the throne room of the Most High: Heb 10:19 So, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Set-apart Place by the blood of יהושע, Heb 10:20 by a new and living way which He instituted for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

Heb 10:21 and having a High Priest over the House of Elohim,

Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in completeness of belief, having our hearts sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies washed with clean water.

Verse 10 – Once a year the High Priest would make an atonement by sprinkling blood from the sin offering upon the 4 horns of the golden censer.

Verses 11-16 – In these instructions we see YHVH giving Moses instructions not to just have a list of names of the people but to “enlist” all the males 20 years old and older into the army. H6485 – פָּקַד – pâqad – paw-kad’ – A primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy to oversee, muster,

Special Note: The measure of 20 gerahs per shekel becomes very important in prophecy, especially in Daniel, in determining time.

What is being implied is that each person must contribute 10 gerahs to the service of the Tent of Appointment and must also be willing to fight in Yah’s Army.

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of the belief, lay hold on everlasting life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.

Eph 6:12 Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies.

Eph 6:13 Because of this, take up the complete armour of Elohim, so that you have power to withstand in the wicked day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14 Stand, then, having girded your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Eph 6:15 and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;

Eph 6:16 above all, having taken up the shield of belief with which you shall have power to quench all the burning arrows of the wicked one.

Eph 6:17 Take also the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Elohim,

2Ti 2:3 Suffer hardship with us as a good soldier of יהושע Messiah.

2Ti 2:4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in the affairs of this life, in order to please only him who enlisted him as a soldier.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not fight according to the flesh.

2Co 10:4 For the weapons we fight with are not fleshly but mighty in Elohim for overthrowing strongholds,

2Co 10:5 overthrowing reasonings and every high matter that exalts itself against the knowledge of Elohim, taking captive every thought to make it obedient to the Messiah, 

2Co 10:6 and being ready to punish all disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

This is why we see not just the above Scriptures but, many more that speak with militaristic terms because, when we accept Messiah Yeshua as our Savior we are now enlisted into YHVH’s Army.

Have you seen something similar to verse 15 before?

Verses 18-21 – The bronze laver. The laver was used by the priest to wash the hands and feet of the priests after preparing the sacrifice and before going into the Tent of Appointment. Because of this it was situated between the bronze altar and the door of the Tent of Appointment. It appears to be of a two piece construction because it is always mentioned as the “laver and its stand”.

Here is an important distinction to make: the priest washed their hands and feet by using a bowl to take water from the laver and use the water from the bowl to pour on their hands and feet otherwise the water “would be muddied”. This is a very important point because we see this term in Scripture and it represents sin: Eze 34:18 “Is it not enough for you to have eaten up the good pasture, and the rest of your pasture you trample with your feet. Or that you should drink of the clear waters, and the rest you muddy with your feet?

Eze 34:19  “And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have muddied with your feet.”

Verses 23-33 – The annointing oil. Please note the warning: Exo 30:32 ‘It shall not be poured on the flesh of a man, and make no other like it, according to its composition. It is set-apart, it is set-apart to you.

There are people who sell this mixture of oil for anointing people in direct violation of Scripture.

Exo 30:33 ‘Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, shall be cut off from his people.’ ”

The underlined phrase above simply means excommunicated.

Verses 34-38 – Sweet incense. Once again we see the warning and prohibition in verses 37 and 38.