the top with gold (a
"golden altar") (xxxix. 38), is now to be prepared, on which incense of
sweet spices should be burned whenever a burnt-offering spoke of human
devotion, and especially when the daily lamb was offered, every morning
and every night.

This altar occupied a significant position. Of necessity, it was without
the Most Holy Place, or else it would have been practically
inaccessible; and yet it was spiritually in the closest connection with
the presence of God within. The Epistle to the Hebrews reckons it among
the furniture of the inner shrine[41] (Heb. ix. 4), close to the veil of
which it stood, and within which its burning odours made their sweetness
palpable. In the temple of Solomon it was "the altar that belonged to
the oracle" (1 Kings vi. 22). In Leviticus (xvi. 12) incense was
connected especially with that spot in the Most Holy Place which best
expressed the grace that it appealed to, and "the cloud of incense" was
to "cover the mercy-seat." Therefore Moses was bidden to put this altar
"before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the
mercy-seat" (ver. 6).

It can never have been difficult to see the meaning of the rite for
which this altar was provided. When Zacharias burned incense the
multitude stood without, praying. The incense in the vial of the angel
of the Apocalypse was the prayers of the saints (Luke i. 10; Rev. viii.
3). And, long before, when the Psalmist thought of the priest
approaching the veil which concealed the Supreme Presence, and there
kindling precious spices until their aromatic breath became a silent
plea within, it seemed to him that his own heart was even such an altar,
whence the perfumed flame of holy longings might be wafted into the
presence of his God, and he whispered, "Let my prayer be set forth
before Thee as incense" (Ps. cxli. 2).

Such being the import of the type, we need not wonder that it was a
perpetual ordinance in their generations, nor yet that no strange
perfume might be offered, but only what was prescribed by God. The
admixture with prayer of any human, self-asserting, intrusive element,
is this unlawful fragrance. It is rhetoric in the leader of extempore
prayer; studied inflexions in the conductor of liturgical service;
animal excitement, or sentimental pensiveness, or assent which is merely
vocal, among the worshippers. It is whatever professes to be prayer, and
is not that but a substitute. And formalism is an empty censer.