Exodus 30:8

8 and when he setteth the lanterns at eventide, he shall burn everlasting incense before the Lord, into your generations. (and when he setteth the lanterns in the evening, he shall also burn everlasting incense on it before the Lord, and so shall all your generations to come.)

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Exodus 30:8 In-Context

6 and thou shalt set the altar against the veil, that hangeth before the ark of witnessing, (and) before the propitiatory, with which the witnessing is covered, where I shall speak to thee. (and thou shalt put the altar outside the Veil, that hangeth in front of the Ark of the Witnessing, and in front of the propitiatory, that is, the mercy seat, or the lid, that covereth the Ark of the Witnessing, where I shall speak to thee.)
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon incense smelling sweetly early (And early each day, Aaron shall burn sweet smelling incense on it); when he shall array the lanterns, he shall burn it;
8 and when he setteth the lanterns at eventide, he shall burn everlasting incense before the Lord, into your generations. (and when he setteth the lanterns in the evening, he shall also burn everlasting incense on it before the Lord, and so shall all your generations to come.)
9 Ye shall not offer thereon incense of (any) other making, neither offering, nor slain sacrifice, neither ye shall offer flowing offerings thereon (nor shall ye offer any wine offerings on it).
10 And Aaron shall pray on the horns thereof once by the year, in the blood which is offered for sin, and he shall please (the Lord) thereon in your generations; it shall be the holy of holy things to the Lord. (And once every year Aaron shall put blood on its horns, from the yearly sin offering, and for all your generations to come, the priest shall cleanse, or shall purify, the altar in this way; for it is most holy to the Lord.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.