Exodus 30-32

The beginning of chapter 30 presents and introduction to the altar of incense.  The altar for burning incense provides a wonderful picture of the prayer life for a Christian.  The location of the altar in the tabernacle puts it right up against the curtain that visibly separated the holy place from the most holy.  The lampstand and showbread were further away from the mercy seat.  Most of the priests who burnt incense would never get closer to the ark of God’s covenant that this altar.  The smoke from the incense flowed through the curtain and connected the priest to God’s invisible presence on the other side of the curtain. So it is for the Christian in this life.  There is no time where we will be “closer” to God than when we are engaged in prayer.  The table was also overlaid with gold and a picture of how precious prayer is to God and should be to us.  The final picture of the wonder of prayer is seen in the covering of sacrificial blood on the altar.  The precious altar was made holy not because of the gold, but because of the blood that was put on it.  So too is the altar of our hearts made holy by the grace filled blood of Jesus.

Stuart