REFLECTIONS OF CHRIST IN THE TABERNACLE
Chapter 4
The Alter of Incense
God wanted man to approach Him, He first began at the mercy seat and at the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. Notice that the placement of the articles of the tabernacle from the brazen altar to the ark of the covenant form a pattern of a cross. Let us now proceed through the veil. The next article that we approach is the altar of incense, however, God did not go next to this altar of incense because this was a place of worship; instead, God describes or puts forth the candlestick and the table of shewbread in the holy place, then next the brazen altar out by the gate in the outer court yard. You have to be illuminated (the candlestick) before you can worship, and there must be communion with God (the shewbread) before worship. Why did God go to the brazen altar next instead of the altar of incense? First, man had to have a way to approach God, therefore, God reached out to man as He did through the Lord Jesus Christ. Man must come by the altar of sacrifice first. He must come where the blood was shed and realize that it was shed for his sin. Thus, we have Calvary where the Lamb of God was slain for the sin of the whole world, not as a limited atonement but all the sin of the whole world of all eternity was laid upon Him. He was not only a full atonement, but He was also a propitiation, therefore, He said while on the cross, “It is finished.” Therefore, by looking at God’s way of drawing man to Himself we have seen how God went from the inner part of the tabernacle to the outer court yard. It was here in the outer court yard where God provided an altar, the brazen altar, where man could approach God through sacrifice. Then after man was redeemed and accepted through this sacrifice then God presented a laver. It was here at the laver that the high priest was sanctified and cleansed which then allowed him to enter in to the holy place. Let us now consider the altar of incense.
“And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood thou shalt make it.” (Exodus 30:1) Acacia wood speaks of the humanity of Christ. Although He was God-man, He also was Deity in the flesh. This is very difficult for our small inadequate and earthly minds to comprehend.
“And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.” (Exodus 30:3) This altar was a place of worship, a place for the redeemed, a place for those who have accepted the shed blood. The high priest, after tending to the lampstand, offered up incense on this altar. This was a continuous incense before God. Notice from your reading in Exodus 30 that this altar was four square and had a crown of gold around the top edge. “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God.” (Revelation 9:13) Let us now consider what God told Moses while on the Mount as recorded in Hebrews 8:5, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”
If we look through the book of Revelation we will discover many articles of the tabernacle mentioned.
Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Revelation 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
This sea of glass speaks of the laver, compare the verses in 1 Kings 7:23-30.
Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Revelation 9:13 ¶ And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God.
Revelation 15:5 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The things that were shown to Moses were examples of types of heavenly things — and these same articles reveal the Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory.
Let us examine this golden altar. It was four square. Does this not speak to us of the completeness of God? This completeness is seen because there was a crown around the entire edge, showing that God is over all things, and that Jesus Christ has the preeminence in all things. In the book of Revelation we read that on this crown or on the top of the altar were four horns. This not only reminds us of the four corners of the world, but it also speaks of the forgiveness of God.
Romans 11:33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
His riches to those who will believe are unfathomable. God in the believer’s life is also a crown or a border. We know that in Israel, “he hedged them about,” so He does with all His children. He puts His glory around us and protects us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ said that he would “never leave us nor forsake us.” He has surrounded us with His love. He has surrounded us with His grace and He has surrounded us with His pleasure in Christ. We see this in the crown of gold around the altar of incense. He is able to bring those from the outermost from the four corners of the earth to Himself. The gospel is to go into all the world to reach all those who know not the Lord Jesus as Christ.
Let us examine the incense. Revelation 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. Do you realize that your prayers each and every day form incense to God? They ascend up into the presence of God just as the incense on the golden altar ascended up to God. Jesus Christ, according to Revelation 8 is in heaven to make intercession for us and He tends the golden altar. Here on earth we have an altar of incense which is the prayers of all the saints. In the book of Thessalonians, Paul tells us to pray without ceasing and again in Ephesians, Paul tells us to make intercession for all the saints. How are we to pray? We are to pray that our prayers are like incense ascending up to God.
In this golden altar, it is very important for the Christian to see the beauty of the ascended Christ in glory, in prayer and in worship. In the gold we see the gold of Deity and the purity of His humanity. Do you realize that right now there is a man in glory who makes intercession for you? The man Christ Jesus, the Holy One, the Pure One, He who is the essence of Pure Gold intercedes for You.
This article is written by M.C.H.
The Altar of Incense, Part II, Chapter 5 coming soon.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible (KJV)