In the book of Revelation an angel is represented as offering upon this golden altar much incense with the prayers of all saints.  “And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.”  Rev. 8:3, 4.  This passage seems to warrant the interpretation above given to this symbol; not that the ancient covenant people understood fully its meaning, or that of the other symbolic rites, but that such was the mind of the Spirit, to be made manifest in due time.

There is a view of the Mosaic ceremonial, which makes it simply a scenic representation of a king’s court; in which the tabernacle represents the royal palace, the incense the homage rendered to the monarch (compare Dan. 2:46), the sacrifices, show-bread, and other unbloody offerings the provision made for his table, the priests his ministering servants, etc.; by which the whole is reduced to the idea of service rendered to Jehovah as the national monarch, and all typical representation of the provision made by God for man’s spiritual wants is excluded.  This interpretation of the Mosaic ritual is as superficial as it is false.  In this ritual, service is indeed rendered to God; but it is a service which typically shadows forth the provision which God makes for man’s wants as a fallen being—­light for his darkened understanding, life for his spiritual nature dead in trespasses and sins, and reconciliation to God through the blood of Christ.  This is the constant interpretation given in the New Testament of the “carnal ordinances” of the Old.

11.  In the court before the tabernacle stood the brazen altar with its laver.  Here the blood of the sacrifices flowed from age to age—­a lamb every morning and evening, and on the Sabbath day two lambs morning and evening, besides all the public sacrifices connected with the national festivals, and the private sacrifices of individuals.  The New Testament teaches us that the Levitical priests who ministered at the Jewish altar typified Christ, our great High Priest.  In the one hundred and tenth psalm, which the Saviour himself quotes as written by David “in spirit,” and as referring to himself (Matt. 22:41-45; Mark 12:35-37) the Messiah is represented as uniting in himself the kingly and the priestly office.  There is a remarkable symbolical transaction in Zechariah (chap. 6:9-14) which contains the same representation.  The prophet is directed, in the presence of competent witnesses, to “take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua [the Hebrew word answering to the Greek Jesus, which stands in the Septuagint rendering of this passage] the son of Josedech, the high priest.”  In his office as high priest Joshua typifies Christ our great High Priest.  By the symbolical act of crowning Joshua is typified the kingly office of Christ as united with the priestly.  Hence the prophet is directed