Day 32: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22
“You are to place the altar in front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony—in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony—where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps." (Exodus 30:6-7, CSB).
"Another angel, with a golden incense burner, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up in the presence of God from the angel’s hand." (Revelation 8:3-4, CSB)
Everything about Israel's worship had significance. The detail may sometimes feel tedious, but our readings today serve as a reminder that what God placed visually before the people on earth is representative of our heavenly hope and home...as in heaven, so on earth. You noticed, I am sure, the placement of the incense altar before the curtain that hid the Ark of the Covenant, and in particular, the mercy seat. The 'once a year' (v.10) was related to the annual visit to the mercy seat by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. Though separated from the mercy seat, the incense was offered daily, its aroma wafting back into that most holy place. The visit once a year, the incense offered daily.
On the cross, that curtain was torn top to bottom and the mercy seat exposed (Matthew 27:51). By Jesus, our Great High Priest we now have the opportunity of entering that most holy place at any time and always for intimate communion with our Holy God Who is also our Abba Father (Hebrews 4:14-16). He hears our prayers!
The 'as in heaven, so on earth' revelation shows just how profound are those prayers offered at 'any time and always'...they constantly rise from the heavenly incense altar before the throne of God. No prayer is insignificant and not one is discarded. Indeed, they are a sacrifice of faith offered to God Who is deeply in love with us and greatly concerned about the heart of our prayers offered up to Him. Thank God for this gift of prayer! Thank God that He listens to His praying children with love and receives us with grace and mercy! It is no wonder God tells Moses: "The altar is especially holy to the LORD (v.10)."
"Another angel, with a golden incense burner, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up in the presence of God from the angel’s hand." (Revelation 8:3-4, CSB)
Everything about Israel's worship had significance. The detail may sometimes feel tedious, but our readings today serve as a reminder that what God placed visually before the people on earth is representative of our heavenly hope and home...as in heaven, so on earth. You noticed, I am sure, the placement of the incense altar before the curtain that hid the Ark of the Covenant, and in particular, the mercy seat. The 'once a year' (v.10) was related to the annual visit to the mercy seat by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. Though separated from the mercy seat, the incense was offered daily, its aroma wafting back into that most holy place. The visit once a year, the incense offered daily.
On the cross, that curtain was torn top to bottom and the mercy seat exposed (Matthew 27:51). By Jesus, our Great High Priest we now have the opportunity of entering that most holy place at any time and always for intimate communion with our Holy God Who is also our Abba Father (Hebrews 4:14-16). He hears our prayers!
The 'as in heaven, so on earth' revelation shows just how profound are those prayers offered at 'any time and always'...they constantly rise from the heavenly incense altar before the throne of God. No prayer is insignificant and not one is discarded. Indeed, they are a sacrifice of faith offered to God Who is deeply in love with us and greatly concerned about the heart of our prayers offered up to Him. Thank God for this gift of prayer! Thank God that He listens to His praying children with love and receives us with grace and mercy! It is no wonder God tells Moses: "The altar is especially holy to the LORD (v.10)."
Photo by Daniel Thürler on Unsplash
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Day 1: Genesis1-2; Matthew 1Day 2: Genesis 3-5; Matthew 2Day 3: Genesis 6-8; Matthew 3Day 4: Genesis 9-11; Matthew 4Day 5: Genesis 12-14; Matthew 5-6Day 6: Genesis 15-17; Matthew 7Day 7: Genesis 18-22Day 8: Matthew 8Day 9: Genesis 23-24; Matthew 9Day 10: Genesis 25-26; Matthew 10:1-25Day 11: Genesis 27-28; Matthew 10:26-42Day 12: Genesis 29-30; Matthew 11Day 13: Genesis 31-32; Matthew 12:1-21Day 14: Genesis 33-37Day 15: Matthew 12:22-13:23Day 16: Genesis 38-40; Matthew 13:24-58Day 17: Genesis 41; Matthew 14:1-21Day 18: Genesis 42-43; Matthew 14:22-36Day 19: Genesis 44-45; Matthew 15:1-20Day 20: Genesis 46-48; Matthew 15:21-39Day 21: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 22: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 23: Exodus 5-6; Matthew 17Day 24: Exodus 7-10; Matthew 18:1-20Day 25: Exodus 11-12; Matthew 18:21-35Day 26: Exodus 13-15; Matthew 19:1-15Day 27: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 19:16-30Day 28: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 29: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 30: Exodus 23-25; Matthew 20:17-34Day 31: Exodus 26-28; Matthew 21
February
Day 32: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22Day 33: Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:23-46-Day 34: Exodus 34-36; Matthew 23:1-22Day 35: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 36: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 37: Leviticus 2-3; Matthew 24Day 38: Leviticus 4-6; Matthew 25:1-30Day 39: Leviticus 7-9; Matthew 25:31-46Day 40: Leviticus 10-12; Matthew 26:1-16Day 41: Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:17-56Day 42: Leviticus 14-16; Matthew 26:57-75Day 43: Leviticus 14-16; Matthew 26:57-75Day 44: Leviticus 17, Matthew 27Day 45: Leviticus 18-20; Matthew 28Day 46: Leviticus 21-23; Mark 1:1-28Day 48: Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2Day 47: Leviticus 24-25; Mark 1:29-45Days 49-50: Numbers 1-3; Mark 3Day 51: Numbers 4-5; Mark 4Day 52: Numbers 6-7; Mark 5:1-20Day 53: Numbers 8-10; Mark 5:21-43Day 54: Numbers 11-13; Mark 6:1-29Day 55: Numbers 14-15; Mark 6:30-56Day 56: Numbers 16-20; Mark 7:1-13Day 57: Numbers 16-20; Mark 7:1-23*Day 58: Numbers 21-22; Mark 7:24-37Day 59: Numbers 23-25; Mark 8:1-21
March
Day 60: Numbers 26-27; Mark 8:22-9:1Day 61: Numbers 28-29; Mark 9:2-29Day 62: Numbers 30-31; Mark 9:30-50Day 63: Numbers 32-35; Mark 10Day 64: Numbers 32-35; Mark 10Day 65: Numbers 36 - Deuteronomy 1; Mark 11:1-14Day 66: Deuteronomy 2-4; Mark 11:15-33Day 67: Deuteronomy 5-7; Mark 12:1-28Day 68: Deuteronomy 8-10; Mark 12:29-44Day 69: Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 13:1-13Day 70: Deuteronomy 14-19; Mark 13:14-14:31Day 71: Deuteronomy 14-19; Mark 13:14-14:31Day 72: Deuteronomy 20-22; Mark 13:32-52Day 73: Deuteronomy 23-25; Mark 14:53-72Day 74: Deuteronomy 26-27; Mark 15:1-20Day 75: Deuteronomy 28; Mark 15:21-47Day 76: Deuteronomy 29-30; Mark 16Day 77: Deuteronomy 31-34; Luke 1:1-56Day 78: Joshua 1-2; Luke 1:1-56Day 79: Joshua 3-4; Luke 1:57-80Day 80: Joshua 5-6; Luke 2:1-21Day 81: Joshua 7-8; Luke 2:21-52Day 82: Joshua 9-10; Luke 3Day 83: Joshua 11-13; Luke 4:1-30Day 84: Joshua 14-17; Luke 4:31-5:26Day 85: Joshua 14-17; Luke 4:31-5:26Day 86: Joshua 18-19; Luke 5:27-39
Categories
no categories
No Comments