The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 195

HOMILETICS. Ver. 25.-The Two Alta,i•s of Juii,aism. This text is somewhat remarkable as bringing before us at the se.me moment the two altars of the Jewish Church-the great brazen altar of sacriftce and the golden altar of incense. The present is there- fore, perhaps, a fitting place to study their use and significance. For it is with good reason that they are here joined together. Though the ritual of the first was quite distinct from that of the second, yet each was an essential part of the same religious system; each was a centre of Hebrew worship. More- over, the second was the complement of the first. Incense was the appropriate adjunct of sacrifice. And the two together formed practically the sum of the ordinary ceremonial of the children of the old covenant. The altars themselves, however, will 1·equire but little notice, for they both alike derived their interest and importance from the purposes they served. The altar of sacriftce is not even mentioned by our historian in his account of the temple arrangements; while the chronicler dismisses it in a single verse. And neither the Kings nor the Chronicles describe the size, structure, &c., of the altar of incense. It is true the altar" sanctified the gift'' (Matt. xxiii. 19; Exod. xxix. 37, 44), perhaps sanctified the incense also (but see Exod. xxx. 85-87), but all the same, the sacriftce and the incense, not the brazen or the golden altars, are the important and significant things. The two altars, that is to say, really bring before us the two questions of Sacrifice and Incense. I. THE A.LTA.R OF SACRIFICE. But before we turn our thoughts to the sacriftces smoking on the altar, let us glance for a moment at the altar itself. Observe- !. Ita position. Outside the temple, the "house of sacriftce '' (2 Chron. vii. 12 ; Matt. x.x.iii. 85), but in the court of the priests, and, therefore, exclusively for the service of the priests. 2. Ita dimensuma. It was fifteen feet high, and its top was a square of thirty feet (2 Chron. iv. 1). It w,a,s designedly high-the altar of the tabernacle was but four and a half feet high. It was high, despite the inconveniences resulting there- from. The height required that a ledge or platform should be constructed round it; that a long slope or :flight of steps should be ascended in order to reach it; and that the lavers and sea should be high in proportion (eh. vii. 23, 25, 27, 88). Its great size and capacity-it presented a superficies of' 900 square feet-was because of the great number of victims which were occasionally offered upon it at one time. a. Its horns. These were no freak of the architect, but were of the essence of the structure, and of Divine obligation (Exod. :xxvii. 2). 'rhe blood was put upon them (ib. x:x:ix.12; Levit.iv.7,18,80,34; viii 15; ix. 9, &c.); the sacrifice, atleasfi in early times, was bound to them (Pea'. cxviii 27) ; the suppliant for life clung to them (eh. i. 50; ii 28, &c.) The altar was designed, that is to say, for sacrifice; but it also served at the same time for sanctuary. And now let us look at the sacrifice, at "the gift upon the altar." Observe- !. It u an offering. Whatever the character of the eacrifico, burnt offering, sin offering, peace offering, meat offering, it was an offering, a gift. Whether whole bullocks were consumed, or only the fat, kidneys, &o., it he.cl been first consecrated, devoted, given, to God. This is, perhaps, the primary idea of sacrifice. The vio~ mllllt be presented before it could be immolated. Oil, IX. 10-28.] '.llHE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 19'7