The Altar of Incense is the last piece of furniture before entering the Holy of Holies. Aaron burnt incense every morning, a sweet aroma before the Lord (Exodus 30:1-10). The priests must use the incense that God requires. They are not allowed to use any other incense. Once a year, Aaron pours the blood of an animal on the horns of the Altar of Incense for the forgiveness of sins. The smoke that came from the incense represented the prayer of the people of Israel. David said these words when he prayed before God, "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2)." Our God listens and values our prayers. God loves to listen to our prayers, and they are like sweet aromas to Him, especially when we pray with the right motives and heart before Him. When Jesus ascended back to Heaven after His resurrection, He sat at the right hand of our Father and continued to pray for each one of us. Romans 8:34 says, "Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."
1 Peter 3:12 says, "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." God hears our prayers because He made us righteous before Him through our Lord Jesus. When we are overwhelmed with the sufferings of this world and do not know what to say in our prayers, the Holy Spirit helps us to pray before our Heavenly Father. Romans 8:26 says, "Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." The Altar of Incense reminds us that God values and hears our prayers. God knows that we need His help to go through this life. He wants us to give Him our burdens to give us peace and rest (1 Peter 5:7).
God is always within reach through prayer. He is never weary of hearing our prayers. We don't need the Altar of Incense for God to hear us because we have our Lord Jesus representing us before our Heavenly Father, and we have the Holy Spirit aiding us in prayer. So, let us not get tired of praying, but let us pray all the more.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) What symbolizes the incense of the Altar of Incense? Who helps me to pray when I don't know what to pray? Who prays for me all the time?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for reminding me today that you value my prayers. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your constant prayer for me. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me to pray when I am too overwhelmed to do so and do not know what to say. Please continue to teach me to pray in a way that is acceptable to you and according to your will. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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