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