Exodus 30:10
Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD."
Once a year
This phrase indicates the annual nature of the ritual, emphasizing the importance of regular, repeated acts of atonement. The Hebrew word for "year" is "שָׁנָה" (shanah), which signifies a complete cycle of time. This annual observance underscores the perpetual need for atonement and reconciliation with God, reminding the Israelites of their continual dependence on divine grace and forgiveness.

Aaron
Aaron, the brother of Moses, serves as the first high priest of Israel. His role is crucial as a mediator between God and the people. The Hebrew name "אַהֲרֹן" (Aharon) can mean "mountain of strength" or "enlightened," reflecting his significant position in leading the Israelites in worship and maintaining the covenant relationship with God.

is to make atonement
The Hebrew word for "atonement" is "כָּפַר" (kaphar), meaning to cover or to purge. This act of atonement involves a ritual cleansing, symbolizing the covering of sins and the restoration of a right relationship with God. It points forward to the ultimate atonement made by Jesus Christ, who covers the sins of humanity once and for all.

on its horns
The "horns" refer to the projections on the four corners of the altar of incense. In ancient Near Eastern culture, horns symbolize strength and power. The application of blood on the horns signifies the altar's sanctification and the power of the atoning sacrifice to cleanse and purify.

Throughout your generations
This phrase emphasizes the enduring nature of the commandment. The Hebrew "לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם" (ledoroteichem) means "for your generations," indicating that this practice is not just for the present but is to be observed by future generations. It highlights the timelessness of God's covenant and the ongoing need for atonement.

with the blood of the sin offering of atonement
Blood is a central element in the sacrificial system, symbolizing life and the seriousness of sin. The "sin offering" (חַטָּאת, chatat) is a specific sacrifice for unintentional sins, emphasizing the need for purification. This foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose blood provides eternal atonement for sin.

It is most holy to the LORD
The phrase "most holy" (קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים, kodesh kadashim) signifies the highest level of sanctity. This designation underscores the sacredness of the altar and the atonement process. It reminds believers of the holiness of God and the reverence required in approaching Him, pointing to the ultimate holiness found in Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Aaron
The first high priest of Israel, brother of Moses, and a key figure in the establishment of the priestly system. He is responsible for making atonement on the altar's horns.

2. The Altar of Incense
Located in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, this altar is where Aaron is to make atonement once a year. It symbolizes the prayers of the people ascending to God.

3. Atonement
A central theme in the Old Testament, referring to the reconciliation between God and humanity. The Hebrew word "kaphar" means to cover or to make amends.

4. The Sin Offering
A sacrifice made to atone for sins, pointing to the need for purification and forgiveness.

5. The LORD (YHWH)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His holiness and the sacredness of the atonement process.
Teaching Points
The Necessity of Atonement
Atonement is essential for reconciliation with God. It highlights the seriousness of sin and the need for a mediator.

The Role of the High Priest
Aaron's role as high priest prefigures Christ, our ultimate High Priest, who intercedes on our behalf.

The Holiness of God
The altar and the atonement process are described as "most holy," reminding us of God's holiness and the reverence due to Him.

The Continuity of God's Plan
The annual atonement ritual points to the continuity and consistency of God's redemptive plan throughout generations.

The Fulfillment in Christ
The Old Testament sacrifices foreshadow the perfect and complete atonement made by Jesus, emphasizing the sufficiency of His sacrifice.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the role of Aaron as high priest in Exodus 30:10 foreshadow the role of Jesus as our High Priest?

2. In what ways does the concept of atonement in the Old Testament enhance our understanding of Christ's sacrifice on the cross?

3. How can we apply the principle of God's holiness, as seen in the atonement process, to our daily lives and worship practices?

4. What are some practical ways we can remember and honor the sacrifice of Jesus, our ultimate sin offering, in our personal and communal worship?

5. How does understanding the continuity of God's plan for atonement throughout the Bible strengthen our faith and trust in His promises?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 16
Describes the Day of Atonement, providing a detailed account of the rituals Aaron must perform, including the use of the blood of the sin offering.

Hebrews 9
Discusses the limitations of the Old Testament sacrificial system and how it points to the ultimate atonement through Jesus Christ.

Romans 3
Explains how Jesus is the propitiation for our sins, fulfilling the need for atonement once and for all.
The Altar of IncenseJ. Orr Exodus 30:1-11
The Golden Altar and the PerfumeJ. Orr Exodus 30:1-11, 34-38
People
Aaron, Israelites, Moses
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Aaron, Annual, Atonement, Atonements, Atoning, Blood, Clean, Generation, Generations, Holy, Horns, Offering, Sin, Sin-offering, Throughout
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 30:10

     4654   horn
     6615   atonement, necessity
     6616   atonement, in OT
     6648   expiation
     7308   Atonement, Day of
     8629   worship, times

Exodus 30:1-10

     7302   altar

Exodus 30:7-10

     7438   sanctuary

Library
The Altar of Incense
'Thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon.' --EXODUS xxx. 1. Ceremonies are embodied thoughts. Religious ceremonies are moulded by, and seek to express, the worshipper's conception of his God, and his own relation to Him; his aspirations and his need. Of late years scholars have been busy studying the religions of the more backward races, and explaining rude and repulsive rites by pointing to the often profound and sometimes beautiful ideas underlying them. When that process is applied to Australian
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Ransom for Souls --I.
Then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul.' --EXODUS xxx. 12. This remarkable provision had a religious intention. Connect it with the tax-money which Peter found in the fish's mouth. I. Its meaning. Try to realise an Israelite's thoughts at the census. 'I am enrolled among the people and army of God: am I worthy? What am I, to serve so holy a God?' The payment was meant-- (a) To excite the sense of sin. This should be present in all approach to God, in all service; accompanying the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Ransom for Souls --ii.
'The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel....'--EXODUS xxx. 15. This tax was exacted on numbering the people. It was a very small amount, about fifteen pence, so it was clearly symbolical in its significance. Notice-- I. The broad principle of equality of all souls in the sight of God. Contrast the reign of caste and class in heathendom with the democracy of Judaism and of Christianity. II. The universal sinfulness. Payment of the tax was a confession that
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"Whereby we Cry, Abba, Father. "
Rom. viii. 15.--"Whereby we cry, Abba, Father." As there is a light of grace in bestowing such incomparably high dignities and excellent gifts on poor sinners, such as, to make them the sons of God who were the children of the devil, and heirs of a kingdom who were heirs of wrath; so there is a depth of wisdom in the Lord's allowance and manner of dispensing his love and grace in this life. For though the love be wonderful, that we should be called the sons of God; yet, as that apostle speaks,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Jesus Pays the Tribute Money.
(Capernaum, Autumn, a.d. 29) ^A Matt. XVII. 24-27. ^a 24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the half-shekel came to Peter, and said, Doth not your teacher pay the half-shekel? [The law of Moses required from every male of twenty years and upward the payment of a tax of half a shekel for the support of the temple (Ex. xxx. 12-16; II. Chron. xxiv. 5, 6). This tax was collected annually. We are told that a dispute existed between the Pharisees and Sadducees as to whether the payment
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

How a Private Man must Begin the Morning with Piety.
As soon as ever thou awakest in the morning, keep the door of thy heart fast shut, that no earthly thought may enter, before that God come in first; and let him, before all others, have the first place there. So all evil thoughts either will not dare to come in, or shall the easier be kept out; and the heart will more savour of piety and godliness all the day after; but if thy heart be not, at thy first waking, filled with some meditations of God and his word, and dressed, like the lamp in the tabernacle
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Copies of Things in the Heavens
'And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2. On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 3. And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. 4. And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 5. And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Jesus Attends the First Passover of his Ministry.
(Jerusalem, April 9, a.d. 27.) Subdivision A. Jesus Cleanses the Temple. ^D John II. 13-25. ^d 13 And the passover of the Jews was at hand [We get our information as to the length of our Lord's ministry from John's Gospel. He groups his narrative around six Jewish festivals: 1, He here mentions the first passover; 2, another feast, which we take to have been also a passover (v. 1); 3, another passover (vi. 4); 4, the feast of tabernacles (vii. 2); 5, dedication (x. 22); 6, passover (xi. 55). This
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Annunciation to Zacharias of the Birth of John the Baptist.
(at Jerusalem. Probably b.c. 6.) ^C Luke I. 5-25. ^c 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa [a Jewish proselyte, an Idumæan or Edomite by birth, founder of the Herodian family, king of Judæa from b.c. 40 to a.d. 4, made such by the Roman Senate on the recommendation of Mark Antony and Octavius Cæsar], a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course [David divided the priests into twenty-four bodies or courses, each course serving in rotation one week in the temple
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Last Events in Galilee - the Tribute-Money, the Dispute by the Way, the Forbidding of Him who could not Follow with the Disciples, and The
Now that the Lord's retreat in the utmost borders of the land, at Cæsarea Philippi, was known to the Scribes, and that He was again surrounded and followed by the multitude, there could be no further object in His retirement. Indeed, the time was coming that He should meet that for which He had been, and was still, preparing the minds of His disciples - His Decease at Jerusalem. Accordingly, we find Him once more with His disciples in Galilee - not to abide there, [3743] nor to traverse it
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Epistle xxviii. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [136] . Gregory to Augustine, &c. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke ii. 14); because a grain of wheat, falling into the earth, has died, that it might not reign in heaven alone; even He by whose death we live, by whose weakness we are made strong, by whose suffering we are rescued from suffering, through whose love we seek in Britain for brethren whom we knew not, by whose gift we find those whom without knowing them we sought.
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Prayer
But I give myself unto prayer.' Psa 109: 4. I shall not here expatiate upon prayer, as it will be considered more fully in the Lord's prayer. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to be given to prayer: he who prays frequently, is said to be given to prayer; as he who often distributes alms, is said to be given to charity. Prayer is a glorious ordinance, it is the soul's trading with heaven. God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer. What is prayer? It is an offering
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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