Exclusive Worship

[1] "You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. [2] "A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width--it shall be square--and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. [3] "And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. [4] "Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. [5] "You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. [6] "And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. [7] "Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. [8] "And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. [9] "You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. [10] "And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD." ... [22] Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: [23] "Also take for yourself quality spices--five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, [24] "five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. [25] "And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. [26] "With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; [27] "the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; [28] "the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. [29] "You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. [30] "And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests. [31] "And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. [32] 'It shall not be poured on man's flesh; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. [33] 'Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.' " [34] And the LORD said to Moses: "Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. [35] "You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. [36] "And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. [37] "But as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition. It shall be to you holy for the LORD. [38] "Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people." (Exodus 30:1-10, 22-38 NKJV)