By this regulation, the symbolism of the altar of incense was kept free from ambiguity. atonement was made by means of the victim on the brazen altar in the court ontside; the prayers of the reconciled worshippers had their type within the tabernacle.

No strange incense - None made in any other way.

Nor burnt-sacrifice - It should be an altar for incense, and for no other use.

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.

Ye shall offer no {e} strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering {f} thereon.

(e) Otherwise made them this, which is described.

(f) But it must only serve to burn perfume.

[1] strange

(Cf.) Lev 10:1-3, two prohibitions are given concerning worship:

(1) No "strange" incense is to be offered. This speaks of simulated or purely formal worship.

(2) No "strange" fire was permitted. This refers to the excitation of "religious" feelings by merely sensuous means, and to the substitution for devotion to Christ of any other devotion, as to religious causes, or sects. (Cf) 1Cor 1:11-13 Col 2:8,16-19. See Scofield Note: "Ex 30:38".

9. Ye shall offer no strange incense-that is, of a different composition from that of which the ingredients are described so minutely.

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.