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Exodus 37

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1 And Beseleel made also the ark of setim wood: it was two cubits and a half in length, and a cubit and a half in breadth, and the height was of one cubit and a half: and he overlaid it with the purest gold within and without.

2 And he made to it a crown of gold round about,

3 Casting four rings of gold at the four corners thereof: two rings in one side, and two in the other.

4 And he made bars of setim wood, which he overlaid with gold,

5 And he put them into the rings that were at the sides of the ark to carry it.

6 He made also the propitiatory, that is, the oracle, of the purest gold, two cubits and a half in length, and a cubit and a half in breadth.

7 Two cherubims also of beaten gold, which he set on the Two sides of the propitiatory:

8 One cherub in the top of one side, and the other cherub in the top of the other side: two cherubims at the two ends of the propitiatory,

9 Spreading their wings, and covering the propitiatory, and looking one towards the other, and towards it.

10 He made also the table of setim wood, in length two cubits, and in breadth one cubit, and in height it was a cubit and a half.

11 And he overlaid it with the finest gold, and he made to it a golden ledge round about.

12 And to the ledge itself he made a polished crown of gold, of four fingers' breadth, and upon the same another golden crown.

13 And he cast four rings of gold, which he put in the four corners at each foot of the table,

14 Over against the crown: and he put the bars into them, that the table might be carried.

15 And the bars also themselves he made of setim wood, and overlaid them with gold,

16 And the vessels for the divers uses of the table, dishes, bowls, and cups, and censers of pure gold, wherein the libations are to be offered.

17 He made also the candlestick of beaten work of the finest gold. From the shaft whereof its branches, its cups, and bowls, and lilies came out:

18 Six on the two sides: three branches on one side, and three on the other.

19 Three cups in manner of a nut on each branch, and bowls withal and lilies; and Three cups of the fashion of a nut in another branch, and bowls withal and lilies. The work of the six branches that went out from the shaft of the candlestick was equal.

20 And in the shaft itself were four cups after the manner of a nut, and bowls withal at every one, and lilies:

21 And bowls under two branches in three places, which together make six branches going out from one shaft.

22 So both the bowls, and the branches were of the same, all beaten work of the purest gold.

23 He made also the seven lamps with their snuffers, and the vessels where the snuffings were to be put out, of the purest gold.

24 The candlestick with all the vessels thereof weighed a talent of gold.

25 He made also the altar of incense of setim wood, being a cubit on every side foursquare, and in height two cubits: from the corners of which went out horns.

26 And he overlaid it with the purest gold, with its grate and the sides, and the horns.

27 And he made to it a crown of gold round about, and two golden rings under the crown at each side, that the bars might be put into them, and the altar be carried.

28 And the bars themselves he made also of setim wood, and overlaid them with plates of gold.

29 He compounded also the oil for the ointment of sanctification, and incense of the purest spices, according to the work of a perfumer.

   

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Apocalypse Revealed # 392

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392. Then another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer. (8:3) This symbolizes spiritual worship, which originates from the goodness of charity expressed through truths of faith.

The altar at which the angel stood, and the golden censer that he had in his hand, symbolize worship of the Lord springing from a spiritual love, which is worship that originates from the goodness of charity expressed through truths of faith.

The children of Israel had two altars, one outside the Tabernacle, the other inside the Tabernacle. The altar outside the Tabernacle was called the altar of burnt offering, because burnt offerings and other sacrifices were presented on it. The altar inside the Tabernacle was called the altar of incense, and also the golden altar.

They had these two altars because worship of the Lord originates from celestial love and from spiritual love - from celestial love in the case of angels in His celestial kingdom, and from spiritual love in the case of angels in His spiritual kingdom. Regarding these two kingdoms, see no. 387 above.

Regarding the two altars, see the following passages in the books of Moses: On the altar of burnt offering, Exodus 20:24-26; 27:1-8; 29:36-43, Leviticus 6:8-12; 8:11; 16:18-19, 33-34. On the altar of incense, Exodus 30:1-10; 31:8; 37:25-29; 40:5, 26, Numbers 7:1.

John saw altars, censers, and the burning of incense, not because things of that kind are found in heaven. They were simply images representative of the worship of the Lord there. John saw them because such things were instituted among the children of Israel, and are often mentioned, therefore, in the Word. Moreover that church was a representational church, for every aspect of their worship was representative, and therefore those things now symbolize the Lord's Divinely given celestial and spiritual elements which are connected with His church in heaven and on earth.

[2] These same things are therefore symbolically meant in the Word by these two altars in the following places:

Send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me... to Your habitations. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God... (Psalms 43:3-4)

I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Jehovah, and I will make to be heard the voice of confession... (Psalms 26:6-7)

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron... on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars... (Jeremiah 17:1-2)

God is Jehovah, who gives us light; bind the festal sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. (Psalms 118:27)

In that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt... (Isaiah 19:19)

An altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt symbolizes worship of the Lord originating from love in the natural person.

The thistle and thorn shall rise up on their altars. (Hosea 10:8)

These symbolize worship originating from evils and from the falsities accompanying evil.

See also elsewhere, such as Isaiah 27:9; 56:6-7; 60:7.

[3] Since an altar represented and so symbolized worship of the Lord, it is apparent that the altar here in the book of Revelation has no other meaning, and so, too, elsewhere. As for example:

...I saw under the altar the souls of those slain for the Word of God... (Revelation 6:9)

...the angel stood and said, ."..measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it." (Revelation 11:1)

...I heard another (angel) from the altar saying, ."..true and just are Your judgments." (Revelation 16:7)

Since representative worship was carried out principally upon the two altars, and since it was abolished by the Lord when He came into the world because He laid open the inner qualities of a church, we are accordingly told in Isaiah,

In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will regard the Holy One of Israel, and... not... to the altars, the work of his hands. (Isaiah 17:7-8)

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.