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Leviticus 6:12,13
And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings…

Leviticus 9:24
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat:which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Leviticus 10:1
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

lay

Genesis 22:9
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

Nehemiah 13:31
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

shall put a fire on the altar
The altar referred to here is the bronze altar of burnt offering, located in the courtyard of the tabernacle. The fire on this altar was to be kept burning continually, as commanded inLeviticus 6:13. This perpetual fire symbolized God's eternal presence and the ongoing need for atonement. The act of putting fire on the altar signifies the priests' responsibility to maintain this divine command. In a broader theological context, fire often represents God's holiness and judgment, as seen in the burning bush (Exodus 3) and the tongues of fire at Pentecost (Acts 2).

and arrange wood on the fire
The wood was necessary to sustain the fire for the burnt offerings, which were a central aspect of Israelite worship. The careful arrangement of wood by the priests ensured that the fire would burn steadily and consume the sacrifices completely. This act of arranging wood can be seen as a type of Christ, who was laid upon the wood of the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. The meticulous preparation of the altar reflects the order and precision required in worship, emphasizing that approaching God must be done according to His instructions.

• God designated Aaron’s sons as ministers of the altar, underscoring that worship must follow His appointed order (Exodus 28:1;Numbers 3:10).

• Their lineage highlights the continuity of priestly service, pointing ahead to the perfect High Priest, Jesus Christ, who “lives to intercede for us” (Hebrews 7:24-25).

• Though only Aaron’s descendants could serve then, believers in Christ are now called “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), invited to draw near with reverence and obedience.

• The altar of burnt offering stood at the entrance of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:6), signaling that atonement is the first step into God’s presence.

•Leviticus 6:12-13 stresses, “The fire must be kept burning; it must not go out”. This perpetual flame symbolized God’s unending holiness and readiness to accept an acceptable sacrifice.

• The inaugural fire came “from the LORD” (Leviticus 9:24), so the priests’ duty was to maintain what God Himself ignited—much like believers are called to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6).

•Hebrews 12:29 reminds us, “Our God is a consuming fire,” a sober call to worship with awe.

• The wood provided the practical means for continual burnt offerings (Leviticus 1:8-9). Worship involved preparation, order, and diligence, not haphazard enthusiasm.

• Abraham prefigured this careful obedience when he “split the wood for the burnt offering” before ascending Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:3).

• Elijah later “arranged the wood” on Carmel (1 Kings 18:33), showing that true revival still honors God’s pattern.

• For us, arranging the wood parallels presenting our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1), intentionally ordering our lives so the flame of devotion burns steadily.

Leviticus 1:7 instructs Aaron’s sons to tend the altar by igniting and sustaining God-given fire with orderly preparation. The verse underscores that worship is both divinely initiated and humanly maintained—rooted in God’s holiness, carried out through obedient priests, and foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Our response today mirrors theirs: honor God’s order, keep the fire of devotion alive, and offer ourselves completely to Him.

And lay the wood.--No other fuel but wood was allowed for the altar, and no one was allowed to bring it from his own house, but it had to be the wood of the congregation. (Comp.Nehemiah 10:34;Nehemiah 13:31.) It had to be of the best kind; worm-eaten wood or timber from pulled-down buildings was not allowed.