The Altar of Incense

Intro

Today we have arrived at the last element of the tabernacle before next week we get to enter the holy of holies where the ark of the convenant was. It is what we have been building to. I want to encourage you to not miss next week because we are going to see the culmination of everything we have learned throughout this series, when we get to the ark of the covenant.

But I believe God has something special for us today as we are going to look at what the altar of incense says about who Jesus is. Because again the whole goal of all of this is that each and every one of us leave not with head knowedge of a tent that existed thousands of years ago. but a deeper understanding and faith in the savior that we can know today.

And as we will see the savior that you and I can know today after he secured our redemption he is sitting at the fathers right hand interceding and advocating on our behalf. like the priests would intercede on the people’s behalf at the altar of incense.

Exodus 30:1–8 CSB

“You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood. It must be square, eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide; it must be thirty-six inches high. Its horns must be of one piece with it. Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. “You are to place the altar in front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony—in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony—where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.

We’ve been walking through the tabernacle — piece by piece — seeing how every part points to Jesus

Just beyond the altar of burnt offering stood another altar — the altar of incense. Every day, morning and evening, the priest would burn incense before the Lord, and the smoke would rise as a pleasing aroma to Him

Now, before you start picturing Bath & Body Works in the tabernacle — this wasn’t like lighting a lavender candle or diffusing essential oils to ‘set the mood.’ This was serious business — the incense represented the prayers of God’s people rising before Him.”

An interesting thing to point out here is that this is the second altar in the tabernacle. We already looked at the bronze altar several weeks ago. but now we see as second altar a gold one. but on this one there are no animal sacrifices. God did not instruct this altar to built for sacrifices he made it so the high priests could intercede for the people on their behalf.

These two altars serve different purposes, but they are connected. The fire used on the incense altar came from the fire of the sacraficial altar. The fire from the bronze altar fueled the candle stick as well as the incense altar.

1. Without Fire there is no Fellowship

Without the fire of the altar of sacrifice. nothing that happened inside the tent of the tabernacle would have been possible. Without the fire of the altar of sacrifice there would have been no light from the candlestick to guide the priests in the dark tent, they would not have been able to see and eat the bread and have that fellowship at God’s table. and there would have been no fire to light the incense that symbolized the prayers of the people rising to God and to purify the air to make it fit for worship.

Without the fire from the bronze altar there could be no burning of incense. and without the death of Jesus, the lamb of God there would be no intercessor for us before God’s throne.

The forever fellowship that we are invited into that we talked about last week is only made possible because of the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. He was the only sacrifice that was worthy and the fire from the altar was the only fire that would do for the altar of incense.

Why does that matter? Cause if you’re like me your first response is. fire is fire. why does it matter if comes from an altar, a cigaret lighter, or a flamethrower. It matter because of where the fire came from in the first place. look what happened after the tabernacle was completed and they made their first sacrifice.

Leviticus 9:23–24 CSB

Moses and Aaron then entered the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown.

The fire from the altar that was never allowed to go out was special because it came directly from God.

Not only did God provide the blueprints for the tabernacle, he provided all the materials they would need when they left Egypt. He even provided the fire.

He didn’t leave it up to them the fire they would need for their sacrifices, the fire for them to see in the tent and raise their prayers to Him. God provided it.

The two altars are linked together by the fire that fueled them both. For us God provided the blood of Jesus as our sacrifice on Calvary. and because that sacrifice is complete Jesus now sits at the throne of God and keeps us from falling, he maintains our fellowship with him.

If it wasn’t for the sacrifice of Jesus we would have no chance at having forever fellowship with God, to eat at his table, to walk in his light. without the fire of the sacrifice there is no fellowship.

This brings us to a hard truth that if you have never thought about it will rub you the wrong way. Which to be clear it is a good thing when you come across things in the Bible that you have to wrestle with or you disagree with. Because if you completely agreed with everything we see that the trinity said or did in the Bible than that means God would be perfectly in line with you and our culture.

But God does not aline himself with what we believe is right or fair, or what our culture says is good. It is our job to aline ourselves with what God says. and here is the truth that is hard to wrap our heads around that God is pointing us to this morning.

If our fellowship with God and our ability to pray to him is dependent on having recieved the sacrifice of Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins. Then there is no other conclusion to come to other than.

2. No Atonement, Not Access.

Prayer is a privilege only reserved for God’s people

Have you ever thought about that? We have spent the last 6 weeks talking about all these steps that were laid out so God’s people could be redeemed and he could dwell among his people. My prayer is that you have seen how serious God took this. and he made a way for fellowship with his people. but no Israelite, and no priest, was able to skip going through the one gate, skip the sacrifice, skip the cleansing at the basin and walk straight in to offer incense and prayers to God.

The sacrifice had to come first. the sin had to be paid for. so we could enter into the presence of a holy God.

Every time there is a national tragedy people say things like thoughts and prayers for the victims. or send up a prayer to whoever you pray to.

Those general thoughts and prayers are meaningless, the muslim prays to god who doesn’t exist meaningless, the buddist prays to dead man, meaningless. The hindus pray to hundreds of made up gods. meaningless. The mormons pray to a god they claim is the same as ours but if take 5 minutes to look into it youll realize its not meaningless. Modern day jews pray to our god but they don’t do it through the sacrifice of Jesus so their meaningless.

God has only promised to answer the prayers that come to him through the name of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19–22 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)—and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

It is only through the blood of Jesus that we can be in God’s presence. It is only through the blood of Jesus that our prayers are heard. We do not send generic prayers up to some generic higher power.

We pray to God the father, through Jesus the son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is the only way we can have fellowship with the father because Jesus is the only gate. Not just to salvation but into the presence of God.

Thank God there is one prayer that God does hear when your not one of his kids, and that is your prayer to humble yourself and declare Jesus as the only way. To go through that gate. He is always eager to hear sinners repent and come to him. To bring more people into his family.

But if you wont humble yourself. He’s not going to hear you.

He is a good father and a good father prioritzes his kids. I am a very long way from my kids having cell phones. The things I have been reading about the negative effects of opening that door to kids too soon and what it can do to their development. we might wait till their 30 to give them a full smart phone. but when that day comes and I were to get a call from my kids, a friend, and a work call at the same time. Its no question what I am answering first.

God is a good father. When his kids call he’s going to pick up. If you are his child today. Be grateful that regardless of what your relationship with your earthly father is or was. You have a father who is always there for you no matter what. Because the blood of Jesus covers you no matter what.

Jesus is the only way for salvation and the only way to talk to God.

We’ve seen that only those who belong to God can pray to Him. But even then, our prayers don’t reach Him on their own. They’re carried. They’re represented. They’re purified. Just like incense had to rise from the altar before entering the Holy of Holies, our prayers rise before the Father through Jesus — our perfect Intercessor.”

3. Jesus Advocates at the Altar

The altar of incense was where the priest stood between God and the people . And just like that incense rose before God, so now the prayers of Jesus — our intercessor — rise before the Father on our behalf.”

Hebrews 9:24 CSB

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.

Jesus doesn’t just serve as a phone line for us to talk to God he intercedes, he advocates for us. meaning he takes our prayers, and not only delivers them to the throne room of God he fights for them. He fights for you. He advocates for you.

The altar of incense reminds us that there is always something — or rather, Someone — between us and the Father. The incense was the symbol; Jesus is the substance. The smoke rose from the altar, but the Savior stands at the throne.”

I don’t know if you have ever had someone speak up for you. but it feels really good. The more respected the person is the better it feels.

When I was debating on whether or not to come here four years ago I called Dan Spencer for advice the pastor at first Baptist. we had a good conversation. leaving that conversation I felt better about the possiblility of coming here. but I thought that was that.

I would find out later that he actually called Jeff Lambert and encouraged him that I would be a good fit. he advocated for me. When I found that out it meant a lot to me. Heres what I think we can learn from that. 1. if you don’t like me being here I guess blame Dan and First Baptist. and 2 if it feels good to be advocated for by people we respect. how much better should we feel that Jesus. The son of God who died for us. Wasn’t content to just sit back and be like I did my part I died for them. but he still sits at the fathers right hand advocating for us, interceeding for us, standing in the gap for us, being our bridge to the father, mediating for us, acting as our high priest, representing us to the father.

However you want to describe what Jesus is doing for us right now, and what he does every time we pray. It should overwhelm us with gratitude.

In the Old Testament, the sweet smoke of incense filled the air before God’s presence. Today, the sweet sound of Jesus’ intercession fills heaven itself.”

“Incense was the symbol; intercession is the reality.

Conclusion

I don’t know how you came in this morning. Maybe it feels to you like no one is on your side. That there is no one who would speak up for you.

I got great news for you if you are a child of God you have an advocate. someone who will take your prayers into the throne room of God. Straight to his feet. and then not just deliver them like a mailman. but then speak up for you. Your savior died for you and if that wasn’t good enough your savior is in heaven right now speaking up for you every single day.

Every single mistake you make he is there speaking up for you.

Every selfish request you make he is there speaking up for you.

Every time you don’t know what to say, he is speaking up for you.

Your savior speaks up for you.

If you are not a child of God this morning i got bad news for you.

God is not listening to your prayers for blessing, he’s not listening to your prayers for deliverance from the difficult situation you find yourself in, That’s because in order to experience fellowship with God you need the sacrifice of Jesus to pay the penalty of your sins. You need him to bridge the Gap between your brokeness and God’s holiness. Prayer is for God’s people.

But the good news is that if you cry out and acknowledge Jesus as the only way. you accept the sacrifice of Jesus, You will be added to the family of God and nothing can keep God from hearing you. From that moment through all of eternity.

There is no other way to end a sermon about Jesus being our advocate than to go to God in prayer through the power of Jesus. Maybe you realized that if prayer is only for God’s people than there’s some people you need to pray on the behalf of. you need to interceed for people that havent gone to God on their own yet. Maybe there is someone in your life that God is laying on your heart to interceed for.

Maybe you have realized that you are not taking advantage of the fact that you have an advocate in heaven nearly enough and you need to make changes in your life to pray without ceasing.

Maybe today you need to enter through the gate and say Jesus you are the way, the truth and the life. and I want to come to the father through you. and enter the family of God today.

Jesus stands between our brokenness and God’s holiness.