Exodus 30:8

8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense [offering] before the Lord throughout your generations.

Exodus 30:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 30:8

And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn
incense upon it
In the evening the priest went into the holy place to light the lamps that were gone out, (See Gill on Exodus 27:20) at the same time he burnt incense on the altar; and as the daily sacrifice was offered up morning and evening, so the incense was burnt every morning and evening, and much about the same time: the Jews say ^F20, that the incense of the morning was offered between the blood (i.e. the sprinkling of the blood of the daily sacrifice) and the members, or the laying of the pieces on the altar; and the incense of the evening was between the pieces and the drink offering: and with this Philo agrees ^F21, who says, twice every day most fragrant odours were offered, at the sun rising and setting, before the morning and after the evening sacrifice:

a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations;
thus Christ's mediation and intercession is constant and continual; as his sacrifice continually takes away the sin of the world, in which it was the antitype of the daily sacrifice; so his blood continually speaks for peace and pardon, and every blessing of grace for his people, in which it is the antitype of the morning and evening incense; for he ever lives to make intercession; and so the prayers of the saints are directed to God both morning and evening, and they cease not praying as long as they live.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 4.
F21 De Victimis, p. 836.

Exodus 30:8 In-Context

6 "You are to place the altar in front of the veil by the ark of the testimony-in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony-where I will meet with you.

7 Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps.

8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense [offering] before the Lord throughout your generations.

9 You must not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it.

10 "Once a year Aaron is to perform the purification rite on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the purification rite for it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement. The altar is especially holy to the Lord."