What is the context?
The workers make the gold-covered altar for incense, with its horns, rings, and carrying poles. This is distinct from the bronze altar for burnt offerings described next. The incense altar belongs to the service inside the tent, before the inner veil, following the instructions in Exodus 30:1–10.
They also make the sacred anointing oil and fragrant incense. Their preparation completes another part of the earlier instructions: the dwelling and its service are set apart for God. The account records the work being done, rather than giving a new recipe or changing its appointed use.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Wesley understands the incense as a picture of the prayers of God’s people and Christ’s intercession. Calvin again draws attention to the correspondence between God’s directions and the completed oil and incense.
Where does this fit in God's plan?
Revelation explicitly connects incense with prayer. In Revelation 5:6–10, bowls of incense are the prayers of the saints, surrounding the Lamb who has redeemed people from every nation to serve God. Revelation 8:1–5 shows incense rising with their prayers before God as His judgments unfold.
The oil has a further supported connection with being appointed for God’s work: Acts 10:34–43 says God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power. These connections direct attention toward God receiving His people’s prayers and accomplishing His purposes through Christ.
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.