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98_The altar of incense

Ex 30:1-9 “You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The holy place of the Tabernacle appealed to the senses. The eyes of the priests were treated to the beautiful embroidery of the door covering and the veil, illuminated by the golden lampstand. The golden bells around the hem of the robe of the ephod tinkled gently as the High Priest moved around. The incense gave off its fragrant aroma, heated gently on the altar of incense. When we come to Christ, all our spiritual senses are stirred by the nobility, wisdom, living words, warm generosity, utter faithfulness, and unchangeable love, that make up the character of our Lord.

In Exodus 30:1-10, we read about the altar of incense, placed just before the veil that concealed the Most Holy Place, where God’s presence dwelt. Leviticus 16:12-13 describes how the high priest was commanded to take coals from the altar and place incense upon them, so that its fragrant smoke would cover the mercy seat. The smoke from the incense would rise and pass through the veil, entering the Most Holy Place. Our prayers must always rise before God.

Psalm 141:2 says, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!” In Luke 1:10, we see how, as the priest Zachariah entered the temple to burn incense, the people outside were engaged in prayer. The burning of incense symbolized the prayers of God’s people. In Revelation 5:8, we see the elders holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And in Revelation 8:3-4, an angel offers incense on the golden altar before God’s throne, and the smoke of the incense rises with the prayers of the saints. What a beautiful picture of how our prayers ascend before God and are fragrant to him.

C. S. Lewis once said of prayer: “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.” Our prayers must be cultivated with devotion and sincerity. Prayer is not a mere ritual but an offering to God, desiring his will to be done.

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest made atonement on the horns of the altar of incense with the blood of the sin offering. Jesus Christ entered the holy place with his own blood, reconciling us to God. Through his grace, our prayers, purified and guided by the Spirit of God, rise before God as a sweet-smelling offering. He is our sacrifice, ever-pleasing to God. It is only through Him that we approach the throne of grace with confidence.

The altar of incense bears similarities to the altar of sacrifice in the courtyard. Both were square, both had the same height, and both had rings on the sides with poles for carrying. Yet, while the altar of sacrifice was used for burnt offerings, the altar of incense was used solely to burn incense before the Lord.

The altar of incense speaks of the offering of true prayer. The composition of the incense was also prescribed by God. The incense was made of four sweet spices beaten fine, mixed in equal proportions, seasoned with salt, and compounded with the perfumer’s art. “His name is as perfume poured forth.” While the ingredients were not secret, this incense was strictly reserved for use on the altar before the Lord. Exodus 30:37-38, warns destruction for anyone who makes the incense for personal use. Prayer is not to be used for selfish purposes or to manipulate God. True prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will and seeks His glory.

Strange fire and unauthorized incense was strictly forbidden. In Leviticus 10:1-2, the fate of Nadab and Abihu is described. These were the sons of Aaron, who offered strange fire before the Lord and were consumed by fire from the altar. 1 Cor. 3:17 warns, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” This is a solemn warning to seek God’s will when we pray. We cannot approach Him on our own terms. Irreverent, self-serving prayers that seek worldly good in the name of Christ will leave only trouble in their wake. The altar of incense reminds us that unless we are followers of the Lord, any attempt to enter the presence of God is both futile and dangerous. “No one comes to the Father but by me.”

True prayer is acceptable for Christ’s sake, because it is inspired by His Spirit. It is offered to worship God, to thank him, and to seek his will. We cannot use prayer to force our own desires upon God. Our prayers must be shaped by humility, faith, and obedience, the sweet smelling spices of the Spirit.

Second, prayer must be continual. The incense was to burn regularly before the Lord, reminding us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Just as the incense was lit by coals from the brazen altar, let our reasonable worship be ignited by the fire of Christ’s love, who offered himself a sacrifice and an offering to God for a sweet smelling savor. Without this, our prayers would be like dry incense—without fragrance and without power.

The altar of incense also models Christ’s unceasing intercession for us. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, as our Mediator and Intercessor and High Priest. (Hebrews 7:25; 9:24). This is our great confidence—our prayers are not mere words lost in the air; they are carried to the Father by our great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us.

Let us never make our prayers just a ritual. In Isaiah 1:13, God rebukes His people, saying, “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me.” The people brought sacrifices and offerings, but their hearts were devoted to themselves. Empty prayer is abominable to the God of truth. He desires our obedience and love more than our gifts and offerings. He wants to see fruit in our lives, through mercy and justice to our fellow men, more than outward acts of worship. True prayer flows from a heart that loves God and desires His will.

Let us rest and rejoice in the fact that we do not need to earn God’s favor, because of Christ’s work. Let us, as God’s priests, cultivate a life of unceasing prayer as a fragrant offering to God. Let us pray with faith in Christ, with hearts filled with love, and minds aligned with His will. Let us pray from hearts devoted wholly to him, like the incense used solely for him. Let us examine ourselves, and take care that our prayers and our lives rise before Him as a sweet-smelling aroma. God bless.