JESUS THE INTERCESSOR AND HIS INTERCESSION
The Bible is mainly a book of Redemption. It was the desire of God to express
His great design of salvation to His people. He has done so, in the Old
Testament books, through a variety of types, symbols and shadows that pointed to
the coming Redeemer. In the perception of them we understand the lesson of
grace, for a visual representation of truth is easier to be grasped than an
abstract statement.
One typical portion of Scripture is enormously important . I am talking of
the one where the Tabernacle is described (Exodus 25-40). Here we find symbols,
allegories, types, illustrations that clarify, explain and point to dogma
specifically verified in the Bible. Here we can trace important steps in the
Restoration of fellowship between God and man. The Tabernacle’s pattern starts
from the mercy seat (God’s throne) to where men are. It conveys God’s purpose as
stated in Exodus 25:8, “that I might dwell among them”. There are several
God’s dwelling places mentioned in the Bible: the garden (Genesis 3:8), the
tabernacle (Exodus 25:8), Christ (John 2:19,21; 2 Corinthians 5:19) and the
Believer (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20, 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19-22;
I John 4:4).
As God dwelling place the tabernacle was a shadow of:
- Jesus. John 1:14 …and the Word was made flesh and
dwelled (tabernacled, fixed His tent of flesh) among us…
- The church/the Bride of Christ. 2 Cor 6:16 … I will
dwell in them, and walk in them…
- Worship ,Ps 22:3… But thou art holy, O thou that
inhabitest the praises of Israel.
The Tabernacle contained 7 pieces of furniture. Each piece symbolized a
progressive revelation of God and His nature (by their material, their dimension
and their usage). From glory to glory He changes us.
In this particular meditation, I will concentrate on one important piece of
furniture that speaks of worship and intercession, It also speaks of Jesus, our
High Priest and Intercessor and of the believer as priest unto God. I am
referring to the ALTAR OF INCENSE.
GOLDEN ALTAR
The altar of incense, also called the golden altar, preceded the entrance to
the Holies of Holy (which speaks of the glory of God). Jesus was the brightness
of God’s glory and the expressed image of His person (Heb1:3). Likewise the
believer is to be a reflection of the glory of God. However to enter into glory,
God’s priest needed to know how to minister at the golden altar.
The golden altar had a crown around it. Crowns indicate royalty, therefore
those who attend to this altar belong to the company of Royal Priesthood.
Exod 30:1-10 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense
upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length
thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it
be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns
thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the
top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and
thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. And two
golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two
corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall
be for places for the staves to bear it withal. And thou shalt make the
staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put it
before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat
that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning:
when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron
lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual
incense before the LORD throughout your generations. Ye shall offer
no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering;
neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. And Aaron shall make an
atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the
sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement
upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
Verses 34-38 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet
spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure
frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And thou shalt make it a
perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together,
pure and holy: And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of
it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will
meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to
yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy
for the LORD. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall
even be cut off from his people.
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This altar is he last object to be discussed in the description of the
tabernacle. It is mentioned only after everything else and after the priest is
consecrated. Why? For three simple reasons:
1. Everything described before this piece of furniture revealed how God
would come to man but the Golden Altar demonstrated how man approaches God.
2. All others things, like garments, vessels etc. served as preparation
for this priestly ministry, for only the priest tended this piece of
furniture. The altar was not mentioned until there was a priest capable to
minister there.
3. This altar speaks of worship which is the highest state to be
reached on earth. Everything else serves as a preparation because the Father
seeks worshippers.
John 4:23 “ But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship him. (emphasis added).
1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the
praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light. .
The intercession offered at this altar is a form of worship per se because it
ministers to God first and foremost. For that reason the first thing mentioned
about this altar was its purpose: to burn incense.
Incense
Incense is a sweet smelling odor that is accepted to God. It is
obtained by a mixture of several spices, like galbanum, onycha, frankincense,
etc. Each of these speak of elements of prayer (like fervency, sincerity, zeal,
etc). The Song of Solomon speaks of the Bride as a spice garden (Song 4:12-16)
and the Word of God speaks of Jesus’ life as a sweet-smelling sacrifice
(Ephesians 5:12). Calvary was the altar of incense where He laid His life and
where the atoning smoke of that incense reached the Father’s nostrils in pure
worship.
Portion of those spices was to be beaten very small (verse 36).
The servant of God must approach the altar in humility and brokenness . Pride,
ambition and self will are laid down while the broken heart releases all
bitterness to the goodness found in Christ.
When incense burns, it ascends. Prayers and Praise that ascend are those that
minister to God. They are made on behalf of God and are “before” God.
They are offered “to” Him and not to men. They are not supplications, but
worship. Incense then is a figure of Christ’s Intercession and praises which He
presents to God, even now in His exalted position. It is also the picture of the
prayers of the saints who minister to God.
Verse 8 - it was to be a perpetual incense “before” the
Lord. Christ ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrew 7:25) and the
believer is told to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians . 5:17). So, the
incense is to be never ending and continual (perpetual) and is it is to be set
“before” the Lord. It is for God and not for men (although men will enjoy the
benefits of it).
Ps 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense…
Mal 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of
the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place
incense shall be offered unto my name, …
Luke 1:8-9 And it came to pass, that while he executed the
priest's office before God in the order of his course, according to
the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense…
The type of prayers and worship that are “before” God and offered
unto His name, consist of those that are concerned about His character, His
reputation, His glory and His Name. This type of prayer blesses God. Here are
some examples found in the Scriptures:
John 17 “glorify me that I may glorify You”.
Matt. 6 Jesus thought us to say:: ”Allowed be Thy Name”
Isa 37:14-20 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the
messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD,
and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, O
LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art
the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made
heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O
LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to
reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid
waste all the nations, and their countries, And have cast their gods into
the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and
stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God,
save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that
thou art the LORD, even thou only. (Emphasis added)
This type of prayer involves itself not with problems but with God’s
promises. It gushes out as it looks to God as the Covenant keeper and to Jesus
as the mediator, the Surety, the Guarantee of that Covenant sealed in His blood.
Our approach to God is in the basis of Calvary. The priest in fact took
the fire from the brazen altar to ignite the fire in the golden altar, and so
must we. Our prayers and our worship must be a thanksgiving, a proclamation, a
declaration and an adoration of the accomplished work of the Cross. (Moses
prayed like that in Deut. 9:26-29).
Deut 9:26-29 I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord
GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed
through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a
mighty hand. Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto
the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:
Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not
able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he
hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness. Yet
they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy
mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.
A SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE
Verses 34-38 speak of incense as a perfume that is well
accepted by the Lord.
Heb 13:15 talks about the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips.
(See also Ephesians 5:2 and Philippians 4:18), and Peter writes:
1 Pet 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
A sacrifice is that which costs something. Worship is not
worship unless there is a sacrifice The very first time worship is mentioned in
the Bible is when Abraham offered Isaac . In Genesis 22:5 we read that when
Abraham approached Mount Moriah with Isaac he told his young men to wait while
he and Isaac went to worship. The cost therefore speaks of death. Death
to our judgments, opinion, desires and evaluation of what is right
A sacrifice acceptable not only costs, but it must be spiritual. A “spiritual
sacrifice” is that which is of the Spirit .Flesh cannot please God . Only
that which is inspired, energized and directed by the Spirit is acceptable to
Him
BY HIM
Spiritual Sacrifices are offered to God by Jesus Christ. By him, says
the writer of Hebrew, let us offer the sacrifice of praise “By Him “ or
“through Him” or - like some have translated this expression – “because of Him”.
Because of all that He is and all that He did.
It is also offered “by Him” because Jesus mixes His intercession (incense)
with ours.
Rev. 8:3 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to
them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the
altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense,
that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne…
Questo “altro” angelo descritto in questo versetto aveva il suo turibolo gia’
pieno di profumi da aggiungere a quelli dei santi. I profumi nel suo
turibolo quindi non erano quelli dei santi, perche’ quelli dei santi furono
aggiunti a quelli gia’ esistenti. Di chi erano quindi questi profumi? E’ chiaro
che essi si riferivano all’intercessione e la lode di Gesu’ stesso. Inoltre, la
parola “altro” proviene dal’originale “allos”, che significa “differente”,
diverso. Quindi questo “altro angelo” era diverso dagli altri sette menzionati
prima. (vedi pure Apocalisse 7:2-3 e Apocalisse 10:1-3 ove chiaramente questi
passaggi si riferiscono al Cristo Trionfante).
Read on! Something happens on the earth when the intercession of Jesus and
the prayers of the saints mix!
DIMENSIONS
Jesus mixes His incense with ours. This explains the dimensions of this
altar:
A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the
height thereof.
- The golden altar was two cubits tall, the tallest of all the
furniture. The number two is an element of division and it signifies that
the earth incense plus the incense of heaven makes a whole and it is offered
as one on the golden altar of heaven by Jesus Himself.
- It was much smaller than the brazen altar meaning that man is
more ready to receive that to give to God even in prayer.
- Number 1 is the number of unity . The altar was foursquare, it’s
length and width both of one cubit. Four is the number of the world.
Accordingly then, the prayers of ALL saints in unity with the Spirit and
with one another, throughout the whole world are the ones that ascend to the
throne of God with effectiveness and power.
- The altar being foursquare it also symbolizes the intercession
of our High Priest Jesus Christ that embraces all the people scattered
though the world and it reminds the believer priest that he is to pray “for
all men (I Tim. 2:1) and for all saints (Eph. 6).
MATERIAL
The golden altar was made of :
a. shittim wood or acacia overlaid with gold. The acacia wood
is the emblem of the perfect, incorruptible and spotless humanity of the
Son of God. His humanity was overlaid with gold, the symbol of God’s
glory. It is Jesus in His glorified position having a perpetual ministry
of intercession at the right hand of God. It is also the Resurrected and
Ascended Lord that we worship at this altar, not the dead Christ on the
Cross.
b. Horns. Horns on this altar are the emblems of the
strength and power of intercession and worship: His (Romans 8:31-39 )
and ours (2 Cor. 10: 4).
c. Crown of gold . The crown speaks of kingship,
authority and glory. In prayer and in praise is where the believer
rules . Because He interceded He now rules! The book of Revelation
portrays Jesus as the Lamb upon the throne, not the lion. He is now the
Lion of Judah because He was first the Lamb of God. His kingdom is made
of priests. The believer/priest rules on his knees.
3 pieces of furniture had crown of gold around them. All three point
to Jesus.
§ The table of showbread which represents
communion. This is the crown of the prophet who restores man and God
into fellowship through communication.
§ The Ark . this crown is the crown of the king,
the lawgiver and the law protector. Isa 33:22 “For the LORD is
our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he
will save us.”
§ Golden altar is crowned with the crown of the
priest whose priesthood is of a royal nature (royal priesthood).
There are 3 crown on Jesus’ precious Head: the one of the
Prophet, the one of the priest and the one of the king.
The same “crowns” will beautify His glorious Church that has
entered into its ultimate ministry at the golden altar.
d. 2 golden ring to transport the altar. The altar is on the
move. It went wherever Jesus went and it goes wherever we go. Prayer
is a way of life.
The number 2 is the number of witness. “At the mouth of two
witnesses…shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). From
a careful study about the “two” witnesses mentioned in the Bible, I
concluded that the are the Word and the Spirit,
as in the following expressions:
§ the law (Word) and the prophet (Spirit)
§ Moses and Elijah (Moses=the law and Elijah=the
Spirit)
§ Spirit and Truth
§ Urim and Tummim of Exodus 28:30 Urim (Light. The
Word is a lamp and a light) and Thummim (Perfection. The
number of perfection is 7. Isaiah 11:1-3 speaks of the
sevenfold Spirit of God, the Spirit in His Perfection).
The message of the two golden rings which sustain, uphold and
transport the golden altar beautifully portrays Jesus, the Intercessor
who, as the WORD made flesh, was filled with the fullness of the SPIRIT
of God. On the other hand, the same symbolism communicates that the
value of intercession and worship is spread around (transported) by the
believer-priest who worships God in Spirit and Truth.
STRANGE INCENSE
No strange incense could be offered at this altar. We have a clue about
strange incense from the story of Nadab and Abihu – the sons of Aaron who died
because they offered strange incense. Leviticus 10:1-2 tells us that they took
and offered strange fire before the Lord. That is the incense they burned was
not burned on the fire taken from the brazen altar, they made their own fire .
They offered worship that has a different foundation that that of the Cross,
they offered not in the merit of the work of Jesus but in the merit of their own
efforts. They approached the altar in the strength of the flesh instead of the
Spirit.
Pray with me:
Father, makes us like Jesus. Forgive us for burning strange incense at your
altar. We call upon your strength and faithfulness to meet us in our frailty and
unruliness. Ignite the fire of Jesus passion in our heart. Let it burn with new
fervor and zeal for your Name and grant that it may never go out. Although the
prayer altar can be a lonely place sometime, we embrace the prayer ministry of
the closed closet for we desire to burn incense and to offer sacrifices that are
pleasing and acceptable to You. Take us from where we are, change us, transform
us and lead us to the completion of the ministry you have chosen for each one of
us. For Jesus sake and for Your glory. Amen.
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