And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
The two altars correspond: as the burnt offering altar required sacrifice, so the incense altar needed blood sprinkled on its horns. Once yearly Aaron made this expiation, but the people were to remember it daily, offering up the death of Christ by faith and prayer, knowing their prayers have no savor except as they are sprinkled with atoning blood.
AI summary
I. The orders given concerning the altar of incense are, 1. That it was to be made of wood, and covered with gold, pure gold, about a yard high and half a yard square, with horns at the corners, a golden cornice round it, with rings and staves of gold, for the convenience of carrying it, Exo 30:1-5.
Commenting on Exodus 30:1-10
On the day of atonement, Aaron sprinkled the blood of the sin offering on the horns to expiate the altar itself. This yearly repetition proves that legal sacrifices cannot take away sin; every year the remembrance returns. Christ's mediation rests upon the virtue of His blood and the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice alone.
AI summary