INTERESTING FACTS : The word "testament" is the King James-era English word for "covenant," or today what we might call a "contract." Therefore, the books of the Bible are divided according to the two blood covenants God has made with mankind. The Old Covenant was made between Abraham and God (Genesis 15) and covered Abraham's descendants through Isaac and Jacob, the natural race of Israel. The New Covenant was made with Jesus as both parties, God and man; the sacrifice; and the mediator. A mediator is someone like an attorney who works out the clauses to a contract with both parties[1].

DAILY READING : [EXODUS 30 - 32]

TEXT : Exo 30:1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. Exo 30:2 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. Exo 30:3- 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. Exo 30:4 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. Exo 30:5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. Exo 30:6 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. Exo 30:7- And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. Exo 30:8- And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. Exo 30:9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon

THEME : Prayer

In chapter thirty, we read the specifications for the altar of incense. This article of the Tabernacle was in the Holy Place and was positioned directly before the curtain that separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies. Matthew Henry comments on the meaning of the Altar of Incense -

"The altar of incense represented the Son of God in his human nature, and the incense burned thereon typified his pleading for his people. The continual intercession of Christ was represented by the daily burning of incense thereon, morning and evening. Once every year the blood of the atonement was to be applied to it, denoting that the intercession of Christ has all its virtue from his sufferings on earth, and that we need no other sacrifice or intercessor but Christ alone[2]."

Below, is a beautifully illustrated picture of Aaron standing before the Altar with the golden censer and incense burning on the Altar -

[3]

TRUTH FOR TODAY : WE WILL MAKE IT BECAUSE THE FATHER HEARS OUR PRAYERS THROUGH CHRIST!

We see then, this "type" of Christ in the Tabernacle in the Altar itself and the incense that burned on it. Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King. As Priest, he prays for His people as Aaron did. Look at what Jesus says here -

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. [Luk 22:31 - 32]

Notice Jesus says - "when" you are converted, not "if." Jesus, as Priest, is never denied a request before the Father.

"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." [Joh 11:41 - 42]

In these verses observe Jesus says he is always heard. More than that, His prayers are always answered with a "Yes." This is because, as the Great High Priest, He always prays in accord with the will of the Father in the Triune Godhead.

Now, see what the Word of God says here about our Great High Priest -

"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. [Heb 7:22 - 28]

Here, we learn that Jesus remains our High Priest forever! Since He is raised from the dead, and cannot die, He will always be our High Priest. More than that, we have already seen His prayers are always answered in the affirmative. Therefore, we will make it to the Kingdom, because the Father hears Christ's prayers for us, and our prayers through Christ!