THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
God spoke to St. Moses and Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saying, “Gather the censers of those who have perished and dispose of the fire, for the censers of these unrighteous individuals have been consecrated through their death. Break them into sheets for the altar, as they have been brought forth before the Lord and have become holy; they shall serve as a sign to the children of Israel.” This was the word of the Lord at that time. In the book of Exodus, it is recorded concerning Bezaleel, son of Uri, of the tribe of Dan, who oversaw all the arrangements: “This man made the altar of bronze from the censers of bronze that were offered by those who rebelled with Korah” (Ex. 38:1).
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What is the significance of this? It is beneficial to note that the altar, which represents Christ, along with other items such as the candlestick, the purificator, and the golden showbread, was created from the contributions presented by the people. Each offering was dedicated to God from what they possessed, signifying their commitment. It is pleasing to God the Father that these items bear fruit for Christ, embodying spiritual gifts. However, the altar of the law subtly and resonantly symbolizes the strife and opposition, almost foreshadowing the conspiracy against the great High Priest. Can you perceive this imagery? For Aaron serves as a figure of Christ. Yet the Jews contested Christ's glory, and the root of their contention lies in the sacred altar, as the old ministry has concluded in its shadow, while in Christ, we offer our prayers to the Father as a fragrant offering. Once more, He has demonstrated this to us through a model, instructing, “You shall make an altar of incense from acacia wood: its length shall be a cubit, its breadth a cubit; it shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits; its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around” (Ex. 30:1-3).