Chapter 4 - THE MIDDLE COURT
Having examined the construction and the covering of the Tent of Meeting, let us now enter into the Middle Court and examine the various articles of furniture found therein and see how they relate to the sanctification of our souls through the power of the Holy Spirit. In so doing the first item we come to is the Golden Lampstand located to our left which is the south side of the sanctuary (Ex.40:24). From Ex.25:31-40 & 37:17-24 we discover the following facts concerning the Lampstand. No dimensions were given for its height or breadth, only that it was made from one talent of pure gold (Ex.37:24). Unlike the foundation bases of silver used under the gold covered boards which formed the perimeter of the sanctuary, the Lampstand was not formed by being molded. It was hammered into shape (Ex.37:22). (See drawing 4A)
Furthermore, it was not made by attaching various pieces together, but from one piece (Ex.25:36). The Lampstand consisted of a central shaft with 3 branches coming off each side (Ex.25:32). Each branch was decorated with 3 almond buds, 3 almond flowers and 3 almond nuts, while the central shaft itself had 4 such sets (Ex.26:33-35 - see drawing 4A). The purpose of the Lampstand was to give light to the Middle Court, since it was completely cut off from all natural light by the covering and entrance curtain (Nu.8:1-3 & 4:9). The light was produced by burning wicks which were immersed in olive oil which had been obtained by pressing (beating) olives (Ex.27:40). We are then shown that it was the duty of the priests to keep the lamps burning (Ex.27:21).
Imagine the beauty of this site as the rays of light bounced off the gold covered boards thereby illuminating the linen curtain and ceiling as well as the Table of Shewbread and the Altar of Incense. But there is more to see from the Lampstand than merely that which it physically illuminates. Let's take a closer look at what God is revealing to us through this description. To begin with, we see from Rev.1:20 that the Lampstand is a clear representation of the Church. And, just as the Lampstand has a central shaft from which the branches emanate, so also are we the branches growing from the central vine of Jesus (John 15:5). Jesus is the head of the Church (Col.1:18) from which we, the branches, spring forth (Rev.21:7). Jesus is the dry root (Isaiah 56:3; 11:1 & 53:10) from which the many membered 42nd generation of Matt.1:17 will spring forth (see chapter 6 of The Last Enemy for a more detailed discussion of this area). Yet, like the Lampstand, we (the branches) are to be one with Him (the Central Shaft) (Gal.3:28; Eph.2:15 & I Cor.6:17).
What I about to say may not be popular, but we will not reach maturity in Him if we ignore the symbolism of the fact that the Lampstand was hammered into shape, not molded. The hammering has nothing to do with "beating the sin out of us," for the blood of Jesus in the Outer Court purified us in that realm (Rev.1:5). Remember, the Lampstand was made from PURE gold, yet it was still hammered into shape. In that fact we are being shown that while we are pure in spirit now because of Jesus' sacrifice (Heb.10:14 & 12:23), we still need to go through a hammering or maturing process. This is not say that we no longer sin, but it does show us that that which is hammered is our soul, and not our spirit. Jesus, the central shaft of the Lampstand, was pure at all times (II Cor.5:21 & Heb.4:15), yet He was made perfect (mature) through suffering (Heb.5:8 & 7:28).
Jesus said that we would be persecuted for His sake (II Tim.3:12 & John 15:20), we would be sifted by satan (Lk.22:31 & Rev.2:10) and we would suffer (Phil.1:20; Acts 5:41 & I Pe.4:12). He said this because He knew that this hammering and only this hammering would bring the Church into maturity (Ja.1:2-4; I Cor.4:2 & II Cor.1:8-9). Remember, the Lampstand was pure and perfectly formed, there was no wood (man's nature) in it. Likewise, the Church which Jesus returns for will not have any of its old Adamic nature, ie. impure mind/soul, remaining (Eph.5: 26-27) for that nature will have been thoroughly put to death (Col.3:5). While the power of that old nature was crucified with Jesus (Ro.6:6 & Gal.2:20), the manifestation must still take place in each one of us (Gal.5:24). Remember, the mind/soul which is controlled by the old nature is death (Ro.8:6). Our faith is tested, or brought into maturity through trials, and the goal of our faith is the salvation of our soul (I Pe.1:7-9 & Ja.1:21), not our spirit.
The salvation of the soul is directly linked to the work of the Holy Spirit, and in the Lampstand we see this relationship expressed through the use of olive oil. Before we examine the Holy Spirit - olive oil typology, notice that the oil was specifically derived by pressing or beating the olives (Lev.24:2). Therein we are again reminded of the trials we must go through. While we all know that Jesus' soul was so overwhelmed with sorrow in Gethsemane (Mk.14:34 & Matt.26: 38) that He actually sweat drops of blood (Lk.22:44), I wonder how many of us realize that the very word Gethsemane means "oil press."
Just as oil is derived from pressing the olives, so also do we have the Holy Spirit available to us to because Jesus was "pressed" in Gethsemane, died for us on Calvary and returned to the Father after having risen from the grave. The pattern which we see unfolding before us is not only beautiful, but it becomes more clear with each revelation. God's attention to detail is so complete that He even made sure that the place where Jesus suffered in the realm of His soul (which is the area dealt with by the Holy Spirit was named "oil press," which we can now see in more detail, is a definite typology for the Holy Spirit.
The relationship between the Holy Spirit and olive oil can be seen in two other ways. The first is somewhat indirect, but still perfectly valid. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit which descended upon Him was symbolized by a dove (Mk.1:10 & Lk.3:22), and when the dove returned to Noah signifying that all was well, he was carrying an olive branch (Gen.8:10-11). Secondly, and more directly, we know that Jesus, our Great High Priest (Heb.4:5-6 & 8:1) was anointed with the Holly Spirit (Acts 10:38) and the anointing of the High Priest Aaron in Moses' Tabernacle was accomplished with olive oil (Ex.30:24&30) which was itself called "holy." (Ex.37:29 & 30:31). Similarly, I John 2:27 tells us that we, as believers, are to have the anointing that teaches us about all things, and Jesus Himself specifically told us in John 14:26 that that anointing is the Holy Spirit.
As we saw earlier, the Lampstand was to provide light by burning oil. Now, while Jesus is the central shaft of the Lampstand, there are 6 (number of man) branches which are also to be burning brightly. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12 & 9:5), but we also, through Him (Eph.5:8) are to give light to the world (Matt.5:14). In fact, Eph.3:10 clearly states that it is through the Church that God's wisdom is to be made known to the world. Jesus is the one who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit (Matt.3:11; Mk.1:8; Lk.3:16 & John 1:26), and this is to be a continuous infilling (Eph.5:18). While it is true that the disciples received the Holy Spirit in John 20:22 (as do all believers when they accept Jesus as their Savior), it is also true that they were not baptized with the Holy Spirit, and therefore had not experienced His power and fullness until Pentecost (Acts 2:2). The ongoing nature of this infilling is revealed to us in the Middle Court by the fact that the Lampstand was to be continually tended and continually topped off with oil so that the fire would not go out (Ex.27:20 & Lev.24:4).
A denomination or body of believers which does not have the Holy Spirit actively flowing and burning in its midst, as described in the book of Acts and I Corinthians chapter 12, is overwhelmingly hindered in its attempts to bring light to the world. By denying the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and His use of the gifts of the Spirit in today's Church, these believers are attempting to complete the supernatural task of Matt.28::19-20 with nothing but human endeavor.
While they have been somewhat successful in the past, it should be noted now that primarily the Lord is using believers who accept the fact that the Holy Spirit and His gifts are moving today just as they did almost 2,000 years ago. They are the instruments through which God is accomplishing the greatest period of evangelism and revival the world has ever seen. And it has only just begun. You cannot minister before the Lord in the Middle Court without the light of the Spirit (Ex.40:25 & 25:37), and if there was no oil in the lamp, the light went out. Remember, a non-Spirit filled believer is definitely saved in the realm of the spirit, but he will never complete the renewal of his mind (total sanctification of the soul) without passing through the door of Pentecost which is symbolized in the tabernacle by the 5 pillars each 10 cubits high (5 x 10 = 50).
For those who question the fact that the Holy Spirit works in the Church today through the gifts of the Spirit which were poured out on Pentecost, a closer examination of the almond decorations we noted earlier may be helpful Each branch of the Lampstand contained 3 sets of decorations, with each set consisting of 3 parts - almond bud, flower, and nut, ie. each branch had 9 parts divided into 3 groups. This is a direct reflection upon what the Holy Spirit is doing in and for the Church today.
I Cor.12:1-11 lists 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit. These can easily be divided into 3 groups with 3 gifts in each group. These are the Speaking gifts: tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy; the Knowing gifts: wisdom, word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits; and the Doing gifts: faith, healing and miracles. These gifts are for the building up of the Church, and that task has not yet been completed. These gifts are among the first fruits spoken of in Ro.8: 23&27 and Acts 2:16-18.
Since there is more to the Holy Spirit than the impartation of gifts, the nine fold decoration we see on the branches of the Lampstand also directs our attention toward the fruit of the Spirit which has 9 portions (although it is 1 fruit). These are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Gal.5:22). Notice also that the almond was used both here and on Aaron's staff (Nu.17:8). The almond is the first fruit tree to blossom and produce fruit, and Jesus, our High Priest who is represented by the central shaft of the Lampstand which has the most fruits on it (Song of Sol.5:10-16), was the firstfruit from among the dead (I Cor.15:23), and was raised by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ro.8:11). Therefore, instead of believing that the gifts have passed away, we need to understand that they are going to increase in use as we approach the end times. We are quickly reaching the time when the 2nd anointing of the Spirit will be poured out, and as we saw in the case of Elisha twice as much happened under that anointing, not half as much.
Adding up the total number of decorations that were on the Lampstand, we find that there were 66 of them. I believe that this directs our attention to the 66 books contained in God's written Word. This points to the fact that it is absolutely necessary to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in order for His Word to be fully illuminated within us. It should be pointed out that the written Word did not eliminate the need for the Church to walk in the 9 portions of the fruit of the Spirit any more than it has eliminated the need for the Church to walk in the gifts of the Spirit. Having mentioned the written Word, let us now examine in greater detail the relationship which exists between it and the Holy Spirit as found in the Table of Shewbread.
This table is described in Ex.25:23-30 & Ex.37:10-16 wherein we are told that it was made of Acacia wood, covered in pure gold, and measured 2 cubits long, 1 cubit wide and 1 1/2 cubits high. There were 2 golden rims (or raised edges) around it, and there was about a hands breath distance between these two edges. There were 4 golden rings attached to it into which the carrying poles were inserted. Finally, we are shown that there were golden plates, ladles and bowls which were used in connection with the table. The plates held the Shewbread (aka "Bread of God's Presence" - Ex.25:30), and the bowls held the drink offerings (Nu.15:5,7&10 - see drawing 4B).
We know that Jesus referred to Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:33-35,41,50&58), and in John 6:51 he commanded us to eat the bread of His flesh Needless to say, this brings to mind Jesus' direction to us on that final evening before His crucifixion when, having taken the bread He said, "take eat; this is My body" (Matt.26:26; Mk.14:22 & Lk.22:19). Having established the link between Jesus and the Bread of God's Presence, we need only turn to John 1:1&14 to see that Jesus is the Living Word who became flesh for us. To eat His flesh is to feast on the Word of God. Man must have the bread of the Word in order to live (Matt.4:4).
The Holy Spirit's relationship to the Word is made obvious when we turn to John 14:26, for we see that it is here that Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to remind us of all the WORDS which he had spoken. You see, we must have the anointing of the Spirit of God in order to understand His Word (I John 2:26-27). We should not attempt to be a Word Christian without the Spirit of God. This relationship between the Word and the Spirit is most clearly expressed in the Table of Shewbread. You see, the Shewbread was considered to be a part of the offering made by fire (Lev.24:8-9) and Lev.2:4-10 points out the fact that the bread placed before the Lord was made of fine flour and OIL which as we have seen before is a typology for the Holy Spirit.
In addition to the bread, this table also held golden bowls which were used to hold the wine of the drink offerings we saw listed in Numbers chapter 15 (Ex.37:46). Again our attention is drawn towards the Lord's supper, only this time I want to focus on a seldom discussed aspect of that sacrament as foreshadowed by the Tabernacle. The Bread and the Wine were to be consumed ONLY by the priests as part of their provisions from the Lord (Lev.22:10; 24:9 & Matt.12:4). However, I Sam.21:4-6 shows us that David ate of this bread and was not punished for something which was clearly a violation of the law (Matt.2:26 & Lk.6:1-4). David, the King of Judah who wore a priestly ephod (II Sam.6:14), knew the name or nature of God known as the Most High God (El Elyon - Ps.7:17; 9:2 & 18:13 - see chapter 11 of The Last Enemy), and he was therefore able to receive nourishment from this bread instead of punishment.
Going back to Scripture we find that Abraham, who also knew of God's nature as El Elyon (Gen.14:22), received bread and wine from Melchizedek who was both a king of old Jerusalem, and a Priest of the Most High God (Gen.14:18). We are now kings and priests (I Pe.2:9) in the order of Melchizedek (Heb.7:1) serving our High Priest Jesus (Heb.8:1). But this priesthood is to come into a realm of physical immortality (Heb.7:8&16 & Ro.2:7). The Holy Spirit, through Paul in I Cor.11:29&30, links premature death and some sickness to an inappropriate participation in the Lord's Supper. The bread (the Word + the Spirit) and the wine (the blood and divine nature of Jesus) are typologies of the physical immortality that God desires to impart to those of His children in the last generation who will totally seek Him (John 6:58). Remember, the ultimate destination which God has for the human body is not to rot in some grave, but to be transformed, ie. glorified, after the soul/mind has been thoroughly renewed by the Holy Spirit (Ro.12:2).
The bread and the wine of the table of God's presence point the way to physical life, just as surely as the Lampstand pointed the way to spiritual life. Notice that there were 12 loaves placed on the table. The number 12 is used throughout Scripture to denote divine order (I Ki.4:7; Gen.49:28; Matt.10:1 & Rev.21:12). The number of loaves shows us that there is an order or progression, or perhaps I should say divine pattern (Heb.8:5) which will be followed by those who physically enter the Holy of Holies and tabernacle with the Father without first tasting death.
There is order to God's plan. The LAW concerning the placement of the bread on the table was adhered to (II Chron.13:10-11) however, simply because the law has been fulfilled (Matt.5:17 & Col.2:13-14) does not mean that there is no longer any order or pattern or plan which God is following. Failure to recognize the order God is still working under led to early death for some of the members of the Corinthian church (I Cor.11:30). And that was a New Testament church. God is still a God of order and harmony (I Cor.14:33), and being led by the Spirit of God, which is the key to becoming a mature son of God (Ro.8:14), does not mean that God has abandoned His plan. It simply means that one part of that plan; namely, the law has been completed. You don't throw out the blue prints until the whole building is completed.
Paul preached the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and the Bereans examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true or not (Acts 17:11), and the Scriptures they had to search were the Old Testament. They were therefore able to find the whole counsel of God in the Old Testament. The Old Testament will confirm and enhance the New Testament. In fact, in order to completely understand all which God has revealed about Himself, and His plans for us, it is absolutely necessary for us to search BOTH Testaments. Part of the whole counsel of God which Paul preached was the statement that the tabernacle in the wilderness and the law are a shadow of things which were yet to come. To therefore pretend that we need no longer teach the Old Testament, is not only foolish, but may very well prove physically deadly.
Concerning the dimensions of the table, I believe that the Lord is showing us by its 1 1/2 cubit height (Ex.37:10), that our relationship to the bread and wine is totally dependent upon Jesus' sacrifice (grate on the brazen altar 1 1/2 cubits high) and God's mercy (Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant is 1 1/2 cubits high). The 2 cubit by 1 cubit surface dimensions show us that Jesus the Head, and we the believers, are one body (I Cor.12:13; Eph.3:6 & I Cor.10:17). It may also be said that the two golden rims speak to us both of the crown of life and the glory that Jesus bestows upon those who overcome (Rev.2:10 & I Pe.5:4), and the royal nature of our new covenant position as both kings and priests (I Pe.2:9 & Rev.5:10 KJV) in the order of Melchizedek.
It is the opinion of numerous theologians that the implements used for ministry at the table; namely, the dishes, spoons and bowls, were kept in the space of a hand breath which separated the two rims (Ex.25:25). Since hands are connected with ministry in Scripture (Lev.16:21; Deut.34:9; II Ki13:16; Matt.19:13; Mk.8:23 & Acts 9:17), it may well be that this space of a hand breath is speaking to us of the five fold ministry spoken of in Eph.4:11 that is to minister through the power of the Holy Spirit until the body reaches that state of maturity spoken of in those verses. The wood and gold overlay construction of the table shows us that men (both men and women), covered with the divine nature of God, are to be used in this ministry. God's direction to spread the Word was given to men (Matt.28:19), and His New Covenant was given to men (Heb.8:6) to be partaken of through the bread and the wine (Matt.26:28).
Under the New Covenant we need to go to the Altar of Sacrifice (the cross) only once (Heb.7:27) - we do not have to "get saved" every Sunday. However, the bread was to be continually before the Lord on the table (Ex.25:30). Likewise, we are to continually partake of the Word on a regular basis (Acts 17:11; II Tim.2:15 & Acts 2:42) and frequently eat of the bread and drink of the wine of the Lord's supper (Act 2:46 & I Cor.11:24-26). In short, we also are to be continually in His presence (Ps.95:2 & 100:2 with Heb.13:15). Again though I issue this word of caution- the Table of Shewbread is overlade with PURE gold (Ex.25:24). Under no circumstances should unbelievers come near it, and believers are cautioned not to do so unwisely.
Coming into God's presence requires holiness on the part of those who would do so (Isaiah 35:8-10; Ps.15:1 & Ps.24:3). On the Table of Shewbread holiness is represented by the PURE sfrankincense which was placed alongside the bread (Lev.24:7). The Hebrew word for frankincense is I voh nah, which means "white in color", ie. pure. This incense was to be used exclusively while ministering before the Lord (Ex.30:37). And as you will recall from chapter 9 of A Closer Walk, the word "holy" itself means "exclusively dedicated to God." The same goes for all believers no matter what position they may hold in the church, or what job God has called them to fulfil in the secular world. All believers are to be exclusively dedicated to God.
The use of incense now brings us to the 6th step in the tabernacle, which is also the final article of furniture in the Middle Court; namely, the Altar of Incense. This Altar, like the Table of Shewbread, was made of Acacia wood and also covered in pure gold. It was 1 cubit long, 1 cubit wide and 2 cubits high. Like the Brazen Altar it had 4 horns, one on each corner, but unlike the Brazen Altar, these horns were of gold instead of brass. The Incense Altar also had a rim of gold which surrounded it. The fire which was used to burn the incense was taken from the Brazen Altar in the Outer Court. All this information can be found by referring to Ex.30:1-10&34-38 and 37:25-29 (see drawing 4C).
As we saw in the case of the Brazen Altar, the foursquare dimensions of this Altar also speak to us of the universality of the sacrifice which is offered at this station in the tabernacle. However, since the price for sin has already been paid in the outer court, the type and purpose of this sacrifice must be different than that which was offered out there. By examining the differences in the two altars I believe the purpose of the incense altar and its significance for us today will become more apparent.
The Brazen Altar was covered in brass, which stood for judgment; whereas, the Altar of Incense was covered in pure gold. This would seem to indicate that the Incense Altar has nothing to do with judgment. There was no crown on the Brazen Altar but we see one on the Altar of Incense. This should point our eyes and ears in the direction of the exalted ministry which Jesus is performing today instead of the one He carried out on the earth almost 2,000 years ago. According to Ro.8:34 and Heb.7:25 the ministry which our Great High Priest Jesus continually performs for us today is that of interceding with the Father on our behalf. The parallel is unmistakable when we realize that Aaron, the High Priest under the order of Levi, and his sons after him, were to continually keep incense burning (Ex.30:7-8), and that incense itself was liken unto prayer (Ps.141:1 & Rev.5:8 & 8:3).
Intercessory prayer is the sweet incense which is offered up continually before the Lord. While Jesus is our High Priest who continually intercedes for us, we, as His brothers (Heb.2:11) and seed (Gal.3:16&29 along with Isaiah 53:10) have been given the clear direction to continually pray (I Thes.5:16; Acts 1:14 & Col.4:2) in intercession (Phil.2:4; Job 42:10 & Ez.22:30). We are to do so not only for other believers (Col.4:12; Eph.1:17 & II Cor.13:7) and ministries (I Thes.5:25; II Cor.1:11; Col.4:3-4 & Eph.6:19), but for everyone in general (I Tim.2:1), and our enemies in particular (Matt.5:44). And, just in case you might be deceived into thinking that this is really not an important area for us to consider, I ask you to recall the horns of the Brazen Altar. In that part of this study we saw that the horns indicated the power of the blood of Jesus to fully pay the price for our sin Likewise, the horns on the Altar of Incense proclaim the power of prayer. We are told that prayer is effective (Ja.5:16), and that it has divine power to demolish the strongholds of the enemy (II Cor.10:4).
While we are comparing the Brazen Altar with the Altar of Incense, one final point should be brought out. I Tim.2:5 and Heb.12:24 both show us that Jesus is the only mediator we have. In the Tabernacle this relationship is expressed by the fact that the fire on the Altar of Incense was taken from the brazen Altar. We are also reminded in Ex.30:10; Lev.16:18 and Lev.4:7 that on the Day of Atonement, the blood of the sin offering was also sprinkled on the horns of the Altar of Incense, thus signifying to us that like everything else in the tabernacle, prayer is dependent upon the sacrifice of Jesus before it can be effective. You see, only priests could offer incense. And prayer, other than the prayer of salvation, can be offered only by believers. Not only is prayer to originate only from believers (Ps.66:17; Isaiah 59:2 & John 9:31), but the Altar of Incense makes it clear that prayer is to be directed to no one other than God (Ex.30:37), and it is to Him only that we should pray.
Before we take a look at the incense itself, I would like to address a second aspect of the Altar of Incense. If you will recall, this altar was 2 cubits high. It was the final station prior to entering into the physical presence of the Father in the Holy of Holies. Ps.100:4 tells us quite clearly that we enter into His presence with praise. Praise and prayer are to be uniquely joined together. Phil.4:6 tells us that "... in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Notice that said in everything.
The incense was to be continually burning before the Lord, and all you have to do is to turn to Heb.13:15; Acts 2:46; Phil.4:4 & I Pe.2:9 to see that our praises are to be continually before him. Remember, the Holy of Holies represents the Glory of God. You can experience God's mercy and grace without physically praising God, but you will never physically know His glory until you do. There was no praise or worship in the Outer Court. That does not mean that those who deny the Pentecostal experience are not saved, nor does it mean that they do not sing unto the Lord. Remember, the Outer Court is the place of spirit salvation which you enter by going through the gate of Jesus. Ps.100:4 says that you enter the gate with thanks giving, and that is what most of the singing is about in congregations which refuse to enter the Middle Court.
Notice, I am not saying that that is wrong, but I am saying that such thanksgiving is not the type of praise and worship represented by the Altar of Incense. All too often in such services the singing is listless and the organ is louder than the congregation. by no stretch of the imagination can this be called spirit led praise and worship as described in I Cor.14:14-16; Rev.4:10 & Ps.95:6 (see chapters 2,16&17 of Needful Things).
Let us now turn our attention back to the incense which was used on the Altar. In so doing I believe we will see that both the ingredients and method of preparing the incense will serve to better illustrate what I am saying. From Ex.30:34-36 (KJV) we know that the incense is composed of stacte, onycha, galbanum, frankincense and salt. Stacte appears to be the gum of a tree found on Mt. Gilead which flows freely from the trunk. Likewise, once Christ has truly taken charge of our life, we will allow prayer and praise to freely flow from us (II Cor.3:17 & John 7:38). Onycha was a ground shell fish taken from the depths of the Red Sea, and received its fragrance because of its diet. Likewise, we speak from the depths of our heart (Matt.12:34-35), and what comes out should be the Word (Matt.4:4), for it is the Spirit of Jesus, the Word, which is to be imbedded within us (Gal.4:6).
Galbanum, a Hebrew word meaning "fatty" stood for the best part of the sacrifice. It came from breaking a shrub which grew in Syria. This points out two other aspects of our prayer and praise. Like the shrub, we need to be broken (Phil.2:7-9 & Heb.5:7). Ps.51:17 goes so far as to tell us that the sacrifices acceptable to God are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. Just as importantly though we are being shown that a willingness on our part is needed. Since this shrub grew on the Syrian highlands, the perfumer had to be willing to go up and get it. Likewise, we need to willingly and eagerly go for all that God has for us (Isaiah 57:15; 6:8; I Sam.3:10 & Zech.14:17).
As we said before, the next ingredient frankincense, was pure, and speaks to us of the necessity of having a pure heart. What is important for us to consider here is that it was derived by piercing the resin bearing tree in which it was found and then allowing the fluid to flow during the night hours. This tells us that while public prayer and praise are necessary (Heb.10:25), we need to be entering into our own prayer closet (Matt.6:6) and develop a personal prayer life with God. Many times Jesus withdrew to private places in order to pray (Mk.6:46; Lk.5:16; Mk.1:35; Lk.22:39 & Lk.6:12), and as we have so often said before, "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." (I John 2:6).
The final ingredient added to the incense was salt. It was both a preservative - as we are also supposed to be (Matt.5:13) -and a spice, which should also describe us (Col.4:6). We are not to be dull or listless in either our prayer life or time of praise. While there is a time for silence before the Lord, many believers act as though they have never heard the verse, "rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice" (Phil.4:4 KJV).
As we have seen before, the number 5 is the number of grace, and it is through these 5 ingredients of praise and prayer that God's grace will be made manifest in the Church. God inhabits His praise (Ps.114:2 & Ps.22:3), and there is no quicker way to bring God's presence into a situation than to praise Him. It is God's desire to answer our prayer (John 15:7&16; 16:23 & Mk.11:24) otherwise He would not have directed us to do it on all occasions (Eph.6:18). Lastly it should be noted that the separate ingredients were finely ground together (Ex.30:36) thereby assuring an even distribution, or balanced blend. So also should we be balanced in each of the areas we have thus far discussed.
The following pictures were taken by the author while visiting the full scale reproduction of Moses' Tabernacle located on the grounds of the Great American Passion Play in Eureka Springs, AK.
