25 They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high —its horns of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 29 They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.
Exodus 37:25-29 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/exo.37.25-29.NIV.
The altar of incense was an artefact made out of acacia wood overlayed with gold (a symbolism of our human nature covered by Christ’s valuable work on the cross). This altar was to be used to offer a perfumed scent to the Lord continuously. The ingredients of the perfumed scent had been given and were not to be changed. This is the same altar where the high priest was to apply the blood of the sacrificial lamb (on the horns) each year as atonement for the nation’s sin. Sounds familiar? Christ, our sacrificial Lamb shed His blood on the cross. As we accept Him into our hearts, we’re cleansed and rendered righteous just as the nation was rendered righteous when the blood was applied. The incense offered at the altar was a picture of …a symbol of the prayers of the saints. Revelation 8:4 states that the smoke arose from the altar…the prayers of the saints. Not a strange but a pleasant fragrance before God. Years later, Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons would offer a strange fragrance before the Lord leading to their death. Prayer is a moment of honoring and adoring God…a moment of confessing our sins…a moment of giving thanks to God…and lastly, a time to call upon God in petition. It’s not a time to be self-seeking or to shift our allegiances to other gods. It’s not a moment to mock God but one when we are to be true to Him in worship.
LIFE SCRIPTS 
Leave a comment