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Exodus 37

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1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the hight of it:

2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.

4 And he made staffs of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

5 And he put the staffs into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

6 And he made the mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and one cubit and a half the breadth of it.

7 And he made two cherubim of gold, beaten out of one piece he made them, on the two ends of the mercy-seat;

8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy-seat made he the cherubim on the two ends of it.

9 And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy-seat, with their faces one to another; even towards the mercy-seat were the faces of the cherubim.

10 And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was its length, and a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its hight:

11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made to it a crown of gold round about.

12 Also he made to it a border of a hand-breadth round about; and made a crown of gold for its border round about.

13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in its four feet.

14 Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staffs, to bear the table.

15 And he made the staffs of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.

16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, its dishes, and its spoons, and its bowls, and its covers to cover with, of pure gold.

17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold; of beaten work he made the candlestick; its shaft, and its branch, its bowls, its knobs, and its flowers were of the same:

18 And six branches proceeding from its sides; three branches of the candlestick from the one side of it, and three branches of the candlestick from the other side of it.

19 Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knob and a flower; and Three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knob and a flower: so throughout the six branches proceeding from the candlestick.

20 And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, its knobs, and its flowers:

21 And a knob under two branches of the same, and a knob under two branches of the same, and a knob under two branches of the same, according to the six branches proceeding from it.

22 Their knobs and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.

23 And he made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff-dishes, of pure gold.

24 Of a talent of pure gold he made it, and all its vessels.

25 And he made the incense-altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the hight of it; the horns of it were of the same.

26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and its sides round about, and its horns: also he made to it a crown of gold round about.

27 And he made two rings of gold for it under its crown, by the two corners of it, upon its two sides, to be places for the staffs to bear it with.

28 And he made the staffs of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

   

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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.