FINDING CHRIST IN THE TABERNACLE, PART 7.

Finding Christ in the Tabernacle, Part 7.

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” John 1:17.

The Golden Incense Altar (Exodus 30:1-10)

We are now at the HEAD of the CROSS within the Tabernacle, the GATE was the foot of the CROSS, then we passed over the BURNT ALTAR, latter the LAVER, then we had the TABLE of SHOWBREAD on our right (north side) and the GOLDERN LAMPSTAND on our left (south side), now we are at the HEAD of the CROSS.

The Golden Incense Altar was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, and like the Table of Showbread it had a crown around the top of it, and four horns at the four corners. It was situated just in front of the Veil, the curtain which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. It was square: half a metre by half a metre wide and one metre high or 11/2 feet by 2 feet high.

The priest had to burn incense at this altar in the morning and at twilight at the same time of the morning and evening burnt offerings (Exodus 30:7-8). Remember that the burning of the offering (meat) and the killing of the animals, there must have been a smell in the Tabernacle outer court.

It was an everlasting fragrance before the Lord. It had no fire upon it except what the priests brought in the censers of hot coals, which came from the burnt altar in the outer court, this they set on top of the altar.
And then crumbled the incense upon it, causing it to give forth a fragrant smoke or perfume, which filled the holy place with sweetness both day and night.

This altar points us to the prayer of the Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (John 17; Mark 14:32-42). The burning incense speaks of prayer:

Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Revelation 5:8 “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."

The Golden Incense Altar had a golden crown round the top of it. It was this “crown of gold” that kept the coals and incense from being scattered or falling from the altar. The directions for the march of the camp of Israel are contained in Numbers 4: there is no mention there of removing the coals or incense from this altar.

While the incense altar was carried over the rough and sandy desert on the shoulders of the priests, the fragrant incense continued to burn and its smoke to ascend toward heaven.
Then the crown was specially needed to keep the coals and the incense together on the altar. No matter how rough our way, and no matter how our feet may stumble in the path, all the children of God have, continually, an unbroken and unwavering memorial before God, in the incense held together by the crown of purest gold.

This crown also speaks of “Jesus, crowned with glory and honour” Hebrews 2:9. However, because the Golden Incense Altar is the place of prayer, the crown and the prayer together give us a hint of a kingly priesthood.
This thought is developed in the book of Hebrews: the Messiah, Jesus Christ has become a priest according to the order of Melchisedek. He can understand with us as our great High Priest, Hebrews 4:15”For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

He is able to minister His supply of mercy and grace to us as the King of righteousness and King of peace, Genesis 14:18 “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.” (Hebrews 7:25, 2; 4:16).
This is when Christ Himself appeared before Abraham. Remember what Jesus said in John 8:56-59 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Melchizedek the king of Salem (Jerusalem), the HIGH PRIEST of the LORD was seen by Abraham, when Abraham broke bread and wine with him, and offered up his tithe. This can only be JESUS our HIGH PRIEST.

Read Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:1, 10-11, 15, 17, 21. Melchizedek was of the order of priesthood BEFORE the Levi priesthood of Moses, and would come AFTER the end of the Levi priesthood, fulfilled in the HIGH PRIEST role of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:20 “Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7:11 “Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?” Hebrews 7:15 “And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest.”

Prayer is very important in the daily life of all believers in the Lord. We should pray without ceasing says I Thessalonians 5:17, using all kinds of prayers and petitions with thanksgiving, praying at every time in the Spirit.
However, when our prayer is genuinely at the Golden Incense Altar, the Lord causes much incense to be added to our prayer. That incense rises back to Him as we pray according to His will. The location of the Golden Altar of Incense (in front of the veil of the Holy of Holies) shows us how close a Christian can get to God with an effective prayer life.

The Tabernacle is the house of God, His dwelling place (Exodus 25:8-9) and a foreshadow of both Christ and the Church (Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 2:21-22). It is God's desire that His house should “be a house of prayer for all nations” Isaiah 56:7.

For us to pray at the Golden Incense Altar, blood must first be applied (Leviticus 4:7), the blood of the Sin Offering. Then the incense must be prepared with genuine acknowledgements and experiences of the Son's Name - His purity, holiness, subjection, faith and dependence on God the Father. Then “whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you; ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full” John 16:23-24.

We should pray at every time in the Spirit says Ephesians 6:18 in the Son's Name. This will be sweet incense to God the Father. Jesus' ministry was not just healing and teaching people; it was also a service to God the Father in His living and in praying (Mark 1:32-35).
The night before He chose His twelve disciples, Jesus spent the whole night in the “prayer of God” Luke 6:12. His reproach “Pray that you may not enter into temptation” and His inspection regarding praying that “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” Matthew 26:41.

So clearly come from One who is qualified to comment (Hebrews 2:14, 18). The disciples of Jesus never asked Him, “Teach us how to preach or heal,” but they did ask Jesus “Teach us how to pray!”
It is like having Jesus Himself at the Golden Incense Altar, on that night before the Veil (that is His flesh, Hebrews 10:20) will be torn from top to bottom, by God His Father (Matthew 27:46, 51). When He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane.

Such a fragrance of incense exudes from this deep prayer by the great High Priest for all those in the House of God!
Let us also come to the Golden Incense Altar and thence boldly through the Veil to the throne of grace (the Ark of the Covenant), that we may find the mercy and obtain the grace He has prayed for us in this great time of need! (Hebrews 3:6; 4:14-16).

Just as the golden altar was the last object to be reached in the journey from the gate to the veil which hid the mercy-seat from view, just so is worship the highest state to be reached on earth and the object for which all other things are preparations.

There were two altars connected with the Tabernacle. Both were made of wood, but covered with a different metal: the one with brass, and so named after it “the brazen altar” Exodus 38:30; the other with gold, and so called “the golden altar” Exodus 39:38. The one was placed outside the building in the court, just before the entrance; the other was inside the holy place, and stood before the veil.

These altars were closely connected, but served different uses. Their characteristic names point out their distinctive designs: the former being designated:
1. “The altar of burnt offering” Exodus 40:6, and was the place of sacrifice.
2. “The altar of incense” Exodus 30:27, and was the place of worship.
Both altars were needed to set forth our one and only Altar, the worship of Jesus our Lord.

IF YOU KNOW NOT THE CHRIST (SAVIOUR) OF THE TABERNACLE, WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU FIND HIM, CONTACT US AT: Internetpreachersforchrist@gmail.com

Part eight coming on site soon!