June 28, 2022
You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. Exodus 30:1-3
The altar of incense was situated on the western boundary of the Holy Place, across from the entrance at the east end and just before the veil that hangs between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The beautiful crown of gold around its top forms a frame for rich heavenly lessons worthy of our focus and attention. Atop the altar within the golden crown was holy fire burning continually—for incense only. The incense was comprised of an equal weight of four fragrant resins and gums, per divine instructions (see vs.34-38) and was considered most holy.
Many valuable lessons from heaven are here given to us. An altar is a place of sacrifice. The sacrifice upon that beautiful altar of incense is our prayers. The privilege of the one who trusts in God to offer Him praise and thanksgiving, confession, intercession, and pleas for help is a privilege of indescribable worth and value. The earthly sanctuary is a “copy and a shadow” of the heavenly (Hebrews 8:5, see also Exodus 25:40) and Jesus, our High Priest, now serves in the heavenly on our behalf. We lift up our petitions in His holy name, and they are mingled with the fragrant incense of His righteousness. The continuous flame mixed with the holy incense in the earthly tabernacle are meant to communicate to us that as we live and breathe, there is never a moment that we cannot breathe a prayer to the Infinite One! Prayer in His name is powerful because of His character, of which His holy name is a representation.
Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. Revelation 8:3
John, the beloved disciple, was entrusted with visions in the heavenly sanctuary. Here he saw a heavenly being at the glorious golden altar of incense. It must have been exhilarating to behold much incense added to the faltering prayers of struggling saints on the earth, knowing they would then ascend up before the Ancient of Days.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:26-28