The Golden Altar of Incense
By Harry Morse
Apostolic Herald 5/1934 page 3,10
This article is based upon
Ex. 30:1-11
For some weeks past, we have been taking up studies in the tabernacle with our workers in their training. I feel led to glean a few thoughts today for our readers of the HErald on the Golden Altar of Incense. This was one of the three pieces of furniture in the outer part of the tabernacle called the Holy Place.
Primarily it typifies Jesus as our intercessor and next it typifies us as priests of God in the New Testament royal priesthood (
I Pet. 2:9). Much could be sad on the royal priesthood of Jesus up in Heaven at the Golden Altar (
Heb. 7:25-28;
Rev. 8:1-6;
Rev. 5:8, etc.) but space forbids it. It took three classes of nearly two years each to do justice to it just recently here.
Now, let us look briefly at it as it represents us as identified with Jesus in the intercessory work. None but priests were allowed to minister in the Holy Place (Chapters
2 Chr. 26:16-21 and
Num. 16:40). It was very important that first of all they meet God at the Brazen Altar of blood and next at the laver of washing (
Isa. 52:11). In the old regime it was only the sons of Aaron, who enjoyed this wonderful privilege but now we all can be a priest at the throne of Incense (
Rev. 5:10;
Heb. 4:14-16). In the tabernacle of the past, this Golden Altar stood up higher than some of the rest of the furnishings, etc. In these studies in the tabernacle I used other helps and among them is a wonderful little book entitled “Christ in the Tabernacle” by the late A.B. Simpson, deceased. On page 109 he says “The Golden Altar was several inches higher than the table of showbread, the lavar, or the brazen altar of sacrifice, showing us that prayer is the most exalted ministry in the universe and that you get higher when you get down on your knees than at any other times in your existence.”
I tell our class quite often that there is too much stress in Bible schools today laid on teaching young workers how to preach and too little teaching on the art of knowing how to pray. In my pastorate here in Oakland, I have a big chance to study preachers and I find the most successful ones are those who after they have preached, do not stop when the meeting is over and visit with the people but follow up the preaching by going in the latar service or go on to the prayer room with the rest, if a prayer room is used. If the preacher has preached himself out of wind or strength, he should go in anyway and kneel down, whatever he does, he should not stand around and talk expecting the rest to pray. Our influence is needed to encourage people to pray. Souls are won these days where prayer is want to be made (
Acts 16:13).
Prayer is the greatest of our ministries, it is far more than preaching says Mr. Simpson and he knew. It was while Zacharias was offering incense that the angel of the Lord said, “Thy prayer is heard.” (
Lk. 1:9-13). This is but a sample along this line of things that happened while people prayed. Often it is then that God speaks to us his hidden secrets. I get my richest and deepest thoughts while waiting upon God, often in quietness.
Dr. Simpson further says on page 109: “We observe how this altar was crowned”, etc. It means that Christ our high Priest is a crowned priest. He is not pleading with uncertainty, but with victory. He is not saying “I wish it might be” but “Father I will that those which Thou has given me be with me. Father, I will that Peter’s faith fail not. Father, I will that this child shall overcome today” and he shall.” It is a royal priesthood and it is for you today, beloved. We are also to enter into just this kind of a positive prayer life, etc.
Next note the incense. I can only call attention to its being beaten small (
Lev. 16:12). Some of these grains of frankincense and galbanum were pulverized, then they were to be burned in a little grate and go up sweetly, not one grain lost. There is no little petition, there is no little heartache, there is no little desire too small for Jesus to pray about or for you to pray about. That finely powdered incense just means the needs of your life all broken up and yet each one gathered by Jesus Christ in its minutiae and presented to the Father with the same care as tho it were the fortunes of a kingdom.
And last, I will mention the four horns on this altar as space forbids any more in this article. There was one horn on each corner pointing to the four points of the compass and to the different camps of Israel. There were four great camps. Mr. Simpson goes on to say, “The prayer of our Lord reaches North, and South and East and West. It is for all His people and for all the ages of His church and for all the quarters of the globe where they may be.” Now let me say that the scripture clearly teaches that Jesus in His intercessory ministry is appearing in the presence of God for us (
Heb. 9:24; Jeb. 7:25;
John 17:5-9;
Luke 22:31-32).
But to us He has committed the ministry of reconciliation, making us His ambassador-priest with a ministry of intercession for the world. Since Jesus is up there ministering for us he has left us down here ministering to the world in His stead. So then for us we too have a big world wide field to be concerned about. Do you ever get down definitely and pray for our dear missionaries in far away fields and for the work that they are engaged in and for the people, binding the devils of ignorance and of superstition and the power of the devil that is set against these dear workers, also standing with them one at a time that their needs will be supplied ? As you pray for them, maybe you will get into a quiet place before God, having taken them on your heart in prayer, then you may hear His voice telling you to send them an offering. It is when we pray that we hear God speak.
I have known people of God who gave themselves to God in prayer, who would enter into the intercessory prayer life for the missionaries to the degree that they would seemingly in the spirit for a few minutes, take a trip to Africa and enter into the needs of the workers and their work as they know of their needs both spiritually, physically and financially. Next they would move over to India likewise, and on to China, then Japan, etc., and enter into the work of God nearly as real as tho they were right there on the job praying and working and thus they were laboring together.
Yes, it takes a little time to do this, but it is time well spent. Remember this altar was foursquare and four horns. May we broaden out in our vision as priest in this royal priesthood which puts the ministers and people al in the same class before the throne of grace.