Did the seraph take the coal that was applied to Isaiah's lips from the altar of burnt-offering or from the altar of incense?

Is there a way to tell?

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.

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Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

Board Rules - Signature Requirements - Suggestions?

Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

Given the text does not say, neither should we.

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Brian Withnell
Deacon, OPC
Leesburg, Virginia

You cannot train for war in the midst of a battle. Prepare before the battle starts; if the battle is long and hard, you will wish you had.

But other texts may give an indication. As a hypothetical (it's not true) if "tongs" were always associated with the altar of incense, the use of "tongs" would be evidence that it was the altar of incense.

Hence the question.

It would seem that the altar in question would be the altar of sacrifice, seeing that the result is the cleansing of Isaiah's lips. The altar of Incense was not by design this kind of cleansing altar, but was to represent the prayers of the saints.

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Rev. Todd Ruddell
Pastor, Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCGA)
Wylie, TX
www.christcovenantreformedpc.org

Our best marks can contribute nothing to our justification, ...that is proper to faith. Faith cannot lodge in the soul alone, and without other graces; yet faith alone justifies before God.--G. Gillespie

I had time this evening to glance through the usage of "altar" in the Pentateuch, and concluded that this altar is the altar of burnt offering. When the altar of incense is mentioned it is called "the altar of incense" or the "golden altar", but in the books of Moses I found no instance where it is mentioned simply as "the altar", whereas that absolute usage is frequent in regard to the altar of burnt offering. Numbers 4 was a particularly clear text for showing the distinction in the usage.

I just wrote to my friend that when scripture is silent we should be as well....awesome haha.