(9) Ye shall offer no strange incense.--By "strange incense" is meant any that was composed differently from that of which the composition is laid down in Exodus 30:34-35.
Nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither . . . drink offering.--All these were to be offered on the brazen altar, not on the altar of incense, which was in no way suited for them.
Verse 9. - By strange incense is meant any which was not prepared according to the directions given in vers. 34-38. None such was ever to be offered. Nor was the altar to be used for burnt-offering, meat-offering, or drink-offering. For burnt-offering it was manifestly unfit; but the prohibition of the others seems to show a determination to keep its use markedly distinct from that of the brazen altar in the court, which was to receive all that was offered either for expiation, or for self-dedication, or in gratitude. On the sole exception made to this general law, see the comment on the next verse.
30:1-10 The altar of incense represented the Son of God in his human nature, and the incense burned thereon typified his pleading for his people. The continual intercession of Christ was represented by the daily burning of incense thereon, morning and evening. Once every year the blood of the atonement was to be applied to it, denoting that the intercession of Christ has all its virtue from his sufferings on earth, and that we need no other sacrifice or intercessor but Christ alone.
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon,.... Which had not the same, but was made of other materials, or had more or fewer; whatever was not exactly the same was not to be offered; and so to make use of other mediators than Christ, whether angels or men, or to put up prayer to God for the sake of our own righteousness, pleading the merits of our works, and not the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, is to offer strange incense, unacceptable to God, and which will be of no avail to men:
nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; these were to be offered and burnt upon the altar of burnt offering:
neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon; as upon the other altar; everything in God's worship and service was to be done in the proper place and order; these offerings and sacrifices, though they were by divine appointment, yet must be offered on that altar which was peculiar for them.
Nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither . . . drink offering.--All these were to be offered on the brazen altar, not on the altar of incense, which was in no way suited for them.
nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; these were to be offered and burnt upon the altar of burnt offering:
neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon; as upon the other altar; everything in God's worship and service was to be done in the proper place and order; these offerings and sacrifices, though they were by divine appointment, yet must be offered on that altar which was peculiar for them.