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THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE
The Golden Altar of Incense stood in the Temple directly behind the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant sat. Like the Ark of the Covenant, the Altar of Incense was made of wood which represented man. It was overlaid with “pure gold” which represented the “divine nature of Christ.” Read Exodus, Chapter 25, Verses 25-28 for more detail.
There were five aromatic spices which the Priests of the Temple would mix together to make incense. After mixing the incense they placed the mixture in a bowl which sat on the Altar of Incense. In the scripture we find that the number “five” represents God’s favor. We will find the “favor of God” at the “Altar of Incense.” The mixture of the spices in the incense included frankincense and myrrh. Gold, myrrh and frankincense were the three gifts which the Wise Men brought to Christ a few years after His birth in Bethlehem.
Incense signifies and represents the prayers, adoration and worship of the saints. (Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4). Gold, of course, represents the “divine nature of Christ” who is the Savoir of the World. The Wise Men came before Jesus with representations of His divine nature and the prayers, worship and adoration of the saints.
The Wise Men represent the wisdom of people coming before Christ as bearers of the “divine nature”. They entered into His presence with thanksgiving, adoration, worship, and gifts as signified by the gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should ALWAYS approach God with our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving as we enter into His presence.
The Hebrew word for altar is “mizbeah” which means “to slaughter.” An altar was and is a place of sacrifice. The Latin word for altar is “alta” which means “high place.” Altars were usually built and set in high places. Many altars were used in pagan religions to sacrifice animals, and at times humans, as well as children, to false gods. The Mosaic Law required altars to be used to sacrifice animals to Jehovah as a sacrifice for their sins.
In reference to the Temple of Jehovah, there was another altar called the “Brazen Altar.” This altar was also made of wood which represented mankind, and was overlaid in bronze which represented “judgment of sin.” The Brazen Altar was filled with “coals of fire” which were used to burn the animal sacrifices in the Temple. The animals used in the sacrifices were to be without spot or blemish just as Christ, the Lamb of God, was without spot or blemish.
The animal sacrifices were placed on the fiery coals of the Brazen Alter where they were burned to ashes. Once a year the HIGH PRIEST would take the fiery coals and ashes from the Brazen Altar. He would enter through the veil into the Holy of Holies and place the coals on the Altar of Incense as a sin offering to Jehovah. Read Hebrews Chapters 9 and 10 for more information regarding the preparation of the sacrifice. These actions were all types and shadows of things which were to come.
When Christ was crucified on the cross at Calvary, the veil in the Temple was rent which signified the way of salvation and forgiveness of sins had been accomplished through the shedding of His Blood. The sacrifice of Christ at Calvary made it possible for us to praise, adore and worship God with pure hearts. As Christians we have been cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb who was sacrificed at Calvary for our sins. Jesus, OUR High Priest, rent the veil which separated man from God through the blood of His sacrifice.
God’s “divine purpose” for mankind was for them to be able to enter through the spiritual veil which separated them from God. The renting of the veil enables our hearts to become a Holy Place of worship. The Bible says, “we are the Temple” (Holy of Holies) of God. We become one with Christ by being clothed with the garments of His “divine nature” through the “Power of His Blood.” In Christ we are able to put on the garment of praise and enter into the Holy Place to offer up sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise to our God.
The Bible tells us “God inhabits the praises of His people.” (Psalm 22:3). Our prayers, praises and worship reach God in the form of a “sweet smelling savor.” “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ (through the divine nature) among those who are being saved.” (2 Corinthians 2:15). Our praise is received and consumed by the Lord as a fragrance of love, worship, and adoration.
There is a direct correlation between the praise, adoration and worship of individuals and their dedication to the Lord and the will of God for their life. If we come before the Lord with sin in our life, our praise and worship will not be coming from a pure heart. Jesus said, “only the pure in heart” (the sincere) will see God. Sincerely confessing our sins before we enter into His gates with praise and thanksgiving will assure us our voices will be heard.
Many Christians struggle with sin in their lives which keeps them from being FILLED completely with the “divine nature.” This does not mean God does not love them or hear their prayers. However, it does mean that God’s favor and grace may be withheld from them at times because they are not living a life which is pleasing to Him.
Many Christians desire to worship God with a pure heart; however, they do not know how to get free from the sins which hinder and so easily beset them. Freedom to worship God with a pure heart for those who seek to be free comes from a contrite heart through prayer, fasting and deliverance.
Many Christians do not know how to find the pathway to freedom from sin. Therefore, they will continue to go down the path which leads to destruction unless they sincerely repent. Many are hindered in their walk with Christ because they are not being fed the entire TRUTH of God’s Word.
Christians who have impure attitudes and motives will not find it easy to worship God in spirit and truth. They will fail to worship God because they are not sincere about their relationship with Christ. Some Christians choose to follow Jesus closely, walking with Him hand in hand. Many others prefer to follow Him from a distance because they are constrained by their own selfish motives, attitudes, and desires.
When the priests took fire from any source other than the Brazen Altar and placed it on the Altar of Incense, the people and the priests were smitten with a plague and died. This was called “strange fire.” The “strange fire” was considered profane.
Strange fire was an abomination to the Lord because the fire did not come from the source which He demanded. It came from a source which had not been set aside and deemed as Holy. In other words, the sacrifice did not represent the sacrifice of Christ, but a substitute sacrifice.
Many Christians have a problem with discerning between the “holy” and the “profane.” Their “sacrifices of praise” do not come from a pure and sincere heart. Their sacrifices are equivalent to the ‘strange fire” which was placed on the Altar of Incense in the Temple. There are no shortcuts into the Holy of Holies. We can only enter into the Holy of Holies when we have pure motives and a heart which has been cleansed by the Blood of Christ. If we try to enter into the Holy of Holies with sin in our life, we will OFFEND God and our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving will be rejected.
Until we put to death the “works of the flesh,” our attitudes and motives toward true praise and worship will not be pure. We must put aside everything in our life which exalts itself against the knowledge and wisdom of God. We must come before the Throne of Grace with a humble heart and with true praise, worship and adoration which can only come out of a sincere and pure heart.
The sacrifice of goats, bulls and lambs are no longer acceptable to the Lord. They were only types and shadows of things which were to come. Today the Lord seeks our sacrifices of praise and adoration--the fruit of our lips giving honor to Him. (Hebrews 13:15). The Lord seeks the sacrifices of righteousness and trust. (Psalm 4:5).
The “Golden Altar” is the place within the heart where those who are filled with the “divine nature” worship God in spirit and truth. The “Golden Altar’ is the place where adoration, praise and true worship comes from the heart of those who are fully clothed with the “divine nature” of Christ. There is a “Golden Altar” in the heart of every believer whose soul is blessed and enriched by righteousness found in the “divine nature.” The “pure in heart” will earnestly desire to continually and faithfully offer up “sacrifices of praise” to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.