The Tabernacle of God: The Altar of Incense

Exodus 30:1-10

Imagine you are standing in the desert. As strange as it seems, you are surrounded by more than 2 million people. Looking around you see something strange in the center of their camp. There are these curtains that form a rectangular enclosure. You enter into the front opening and a man you are told is a priest asks for your sacrifice. Then you see a massive altar where lambs are being sacrificed. You look beyond the altar and there is a large bowl they call a laver and a couple of priests are washing their hands and feet at it. Then you see this really strange tent. A priest pulls the opening back and you can see inside. Against the left wall is a table with bread on it. Opposite it, against the right wall is a menorah. Then, in the middle against the back ornate wall is a small altar with smoke rising from it. You ask one of the priests about it and he tells you this is the altar of incense. It is the last piece of furniture before the final room called "The Most Holy Place".

“You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 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. 3 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. 4 Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. 8 And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. 10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.”

Exodus 30:1-10

As we have seen through the pieces of furniture, Jesus is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world (brazen altar - Revelation 13:8), the living water (laver - John 4), the Bread of Life (table of shewbread - John 6:35), the Light of the World (menorah - John 8:12). Now, we see that He is our intercessor. The Psalmist said, "Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice" (Psalm 141:2). The picture here is of our prayers rising up to God just as the incense in the Tabernacle rose up toward heaven. It is more than just sound projected up. It is an offering of worship to a God who is worthy of the worship and able to answer the prayer.

In the book of Revelation we see incense and prayer connected again. John saw the following scene: "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. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand" (Revelation 8:3-4). While this is in Heaven, there is still incense and prayer mingled together and they arise to the throne of God. Even in Heaven, God's throne is "high and lifted up" (Isaiah 6:1)

As the priest burns the incense on the altar, the image is of him interceding on behalf of the nation of Israel. He is lifting their prayers up to Heaven with the offering he makes to God. Hebrews 7:24-25 tell us, "But He (Jesus), because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them". Jesus takes our prayers to the throne of God. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:2, "...as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma". Jesus is the sweet smelling incense that takes our prayers to God as our mediator.

I have one final thought on this topic. As we become more like Jesus, we too are to be a sweet smelling aroma to God. Paul told the Corinthian believers, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (II Corinthians 2:14-16). Not only does God view a life lived for Jesus as a beautiful life, but the world around us smells the fragrance of Jesus on us as well. Some will like it and be drawn to it for salvation in the name of Jesus. Others will be repulsed by it because they find Jesus repulsive. Regardless, God finds it to be a beautiful smell and that is who our lives are offered to as a sacrifice anyway. His opinion is the only one that matters in eternity.

Father, we thank You for Jesus being our High Priest and bringing our prayers to Your throne. I thank You that even as I am writing this, you have answered several prayers today. Help us to live lives that smell like Jesus. May we not worry about how others perceive the fragrance of Christ on us. Help us to wear it boldly for those who will be saved.

Interesting Fact: In Luke 1, Zacharias was offering incense on the altar inside the Temple when the Angel told him that he would have a son who would be named John (the Baptizer).