Exodus 30:10

10 Once a year Aaron is to perform the ritual for purifying the altar by putting on its four projections the blood of the animal sacrificed for sin. This is to be done every year for all time to come. This altar is to be completely holy, dedicated to me, the Lord."

Exodus 30:10 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 30:10

And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in
a year
On the day of atonement, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra explain it; and the atonement here referred to seems to be an atonement for the altar itself, see ( Leviticus 16:18 Leviticus 16:19 ) and as the altar of burnt offering was first expiated and then used, ( Exodus 29:36 Exodus 29:37 ) so it seems the altar of incense had not only an atonement made on it, but for it: and this was done

with the blood of the sin offering of atonement;
by sprinkling the blood of that offering upon the horns of it, as we learn from the afore mentioned place; and this shows that Christ's mediation and intercession is founded upon the virtue of his blood, and the efficacy of his atoning sacrifice, see ( 1 John 2:1 1 John 2:2 )

once in the year shall he make atonement upon it, throughout your
generations;
which proves the insufficiency of all legal sacrifices of themselves to take away sin, since every year, as the apostle observes, there was a remembrance of it, ( Hebrews 10:3 Hebrews 10:4 )

it is most holy unto the Lord;
either the atonement made on the day of atonement, which was a most holy part of service, and pointed at the great atonement made by the most Holy One, the Son of God; or this altar thus expiated, and devoted to sacred use, was reckoned a most sacred one to the Lord, and so was to have nothing offered upon it but what he ordered; with which Jarchi agrees in his note,

``the altar is sanctified to these things only, and not to any other service.''

Exodus 30:10 In-Context

8 He must do the same when he lights the lamps in the evening. This offering of incense is to continue without interruption for all time to come.

9 Do not offer on this altar any forbidden incense, any animal offering, or any grain offering, and do not pour out any wine offering on it.

10 Once a year Aaron is to perform the ritual for purifying the altar by putting on its four projections the blood of the animal sacrificed for sin. This is to be done every year for all time to come. This altar is to be completely holy, dedicated to me, the Lord."

11 The Lord said to Moses,

12 "When you take a census of the people of Israel, each man is to pay me a price for his life, so that no disaster will come on him while the census is being taken.