Word of Encouragement (08/16/2022)

And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. (Ex. 30:7-8)

We have been reflecting on the prayers of God’s people. This passage is not a prayer but I hope you understand why we are reflecting on it. After ratifying the covenant with Israel with a blood ceremony (Ex. 24), the LORD summoned Moses to Mount Sinai to give instructions concerning the building of the tabernacle (Ex. 25-30). Here, God is giving instructions regarding the altar of incense and what should be done with it. As many of you know, the burning of the fragrant incense symbolized the prayers of God’s people: “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Ps. 141:2); “…golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 5:8; also, 8:3-4). If the temple is called “the house of prayer” (Isa. 56:7; Matt. 21:13 et al), the altar of incense may be the main reason. So, what does this instruction teach us about prayer?

First, we are told, “Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it.” It was the responsibility of the high priest (and later, a priest assigned to this task by lot [cf., Luke 1:9]) to burn the incense. This didn’t mean that only the high priest (or, priests) could pray. To be sure, one of the main priestly responses, besides presiding over and administering sacrifices, was to pray. This was symbolized by the breastpiece that the high priest wore, which had twelve precious stones, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on it: “So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD” (Ex. 28:29). However, this didn’t mean that only he could pray to the LORD. The people of God have prayed throughout redemptive history. That is one of the essential characteristics of God’s people!

But this arrangement was a reminder that, as natural and instinctive as prayer may be for the people of God, they needed a mediator for the acceptance of their prayers to God. This is understandable, isn’t it? God is holy, in whose presence nothing sinful or impure can stand. But we are sinful. How can we hope to have an audience with this holy God and have our prayers accepted by Him? As Isaiah said, “Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isa. 59:1-2).

Of course, even Aaron and all the high priests and the priests that followed him were sinners themselves. So, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest had to offer sacrifice for himself before he could offer sacrifice for the people of Israel. In their imperfection (which was also demonstrated by their death, which is the wages of sin, Rom. 6:23), they pointed to our desperate need for a Priest, who is better than Aaron and all the Aaronic priests: “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but [Jesus] holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:23-25).

Praying in the name of Jesus Christ is not just a nice, religious ritual, which tells us that we are done with our prayer; it reminds us that, if God hears our prayers, it is not because we are desperate or we are sincere or we are eloquent; it is only because Jesus Christ has made us acceptable to God through His precious blood and mediates our prayers on our behalf as our Great High Priest. So then, let us boldly approach the throne of God and bring our petitions to Him in the name of Jesus Christ! Let us also take care that the prayers we pray are worthy of the name of Jesus Christ since it is in His name we pray!

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