The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar, &c.— This fire, which was kept perpetually burning, was at first kindled from heaven, as we shall find, ch. Leviticus 9:24 to which we refer for a further account of it. If it be asked, how this fire could be preserved, when both the tabernacle, and the altar whereon it burnt, were in motion, as they evidently were when the Israelites journeyed in the wilderness? there seems to be no reason why we may not suppose, that upon these occasions there might be a certain portable conservatory of this sacred fire, distinct from the altar: and that there was some such vessel made use of, seems manifest from the injunction, Numbers 4:13 that at such times the ashes should be removed from off the altar, and a purple cloth spread over it.
Hence learn, 1. That they who are above stooping to the meanest offices for God's glory, are unfit to minister before him. 2. As they attended the sacred fire upon the altar by night as well as by day, and never permitted it to go out: so if God has kindled the fire of divine love in our hearts, it becomes us day and night to feed it with the fuel of prayer and praise.