Tabernacle Lectures (136) The smoke of the incense

Exodus 30:6 “the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.”

The place where God meets with us is the mercy seat. God said to put the altar of incense before the mercy seat. He is saying to cover the mercy seat with the smoke of the incense. The reason they put the altar of incense near the mercy seat is because God wanted to smell the sweet fragrance. The fragrant smoke is the prayer of intercession that Jesus Christ is making for us.

The prayer that Jesus Christ makes for us pleases God. Because the blood of Jesus has saved us from all our sins, we can boldly go out to God. The fragrant smell of the burning incense on the altar of incense satisfies God by covering the mercy seat.

Even though the altar of incense is the smallest thing in the tabernacle, it is the closest to the Most Holy Place and the mercy seat, where we meet with God. So the altar of incense satisfies God whenever we meet him. We are weak and lacking, but we can stand before God with boldness through Jesus.