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Perhaps the most solemn references to the symbolism of the incense are the
following:--
"And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the
Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail; And
he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may
cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, THAT HE DIE NOT" (Lev. 16: 12, 13).
"Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go
quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them . . . . . And he stood
between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed" (Numb. 16: 46-48).
At first it may seem a strange thing that incense should be used "lest he die" and "to
make an atonement", but it will be observed in both cases that the fire is specified as
"from off the altar". Sacrifice has been made, blood has been shed, and even the horns of
the golden altar of incense have been touched with atoning blood (Exod. 30: 10).
Translated into the truth of the person and work of Christ, if we have been reconciled by
His death, we shall be saved by His life. If our initial salvation is found in His blood,
we remember with joy that "He is able to save them to the full end that come unto God
by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them . . . . . now to appear in
the presence of God for us" (Heb. 7: 25; 9: 24). The blood of Christ is not only
effectual for our initial justification--it is remembered by God in every act of daily
cleansing (I John 1: 7). He Who gave Himself for His church, will cleanse it and present
it blameless before the Lord.
There is no more sacrifice for sin. The Christ Who died, dieth no more, but the
fragrance of that offering and its sweet savour ascend as incense before the throne.
There, like Aaron, under the cloud of that fragrance, we draw near and meet with God.
There our prayers find "the effect of incense" given to them. No prayer should be offered
to God that is not presented "for Christ's sake". It is the incense of His blessed Name
that accompanies our prayers and makes them acceptable. We often have felt, even when
"grace" has been said before a meal, that the omission of the words "for the sake of
Christ" has robbed it of its sweet-smelling savour. At our altar of incense our lamps may
be trimmed and lighted with acceptableness, for our service is rendered "for the sake of
His name".
We saw in a previous study that the true meaning of consecration was to come before
the Lord with hands filled with the fullness of Christ; so we see here, that all our
acceptableness in prayer and worship is because of that blessed One at the right hand of
God, far above all.
"Accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1: 6).
"Unto you therefore which believe IS THE PRECIOUSNESS" (I Pet. 2: 7).