A Small Study on Prayer - Part Five

"He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people."
~Revelation 5:7-9

These passages are speaking of the very throne of God! Before Him are these four living creatures that continually worship Him. They are holding golden bowls filled with incense. What is the incense? It is the prayers of the saints! It is every prayer spoken by you and I. Isn't that amazing?

In the Old Testament tabernacle the priests would burn incense before the throne and this was just a shadow of this picture we see in Revelation. Here is what is said in Exodus about this incense.

"Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come."
~Exodus 30:6-8

There was an altar of incense that was placed in front of the curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place. God's presence was behind the curtain. No one was allowed in there except the chosen priest once a year. God however required the priests to keep this incense burning regularly. For us today that is a reference to praying continually since the bowls of incense before Him in Heaven are the prayers of the saints.

That means like incense that burned before God our prayers are fragrant offerings to God. Isn't that amazing? And that curtain that separated anyone from coming into God's presence (in the temple) was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus opened a way for us to come boldly into the presence of God (Hebrews 4:16). And even better so He gave us the Holy Spirit who is the very living breathing God to live within us. That is some amazing stuff! What an amazing gift we have to come before Him in prayer. So why do we not use that gift as often as we should?

Thoughts?

Father, give us ears to hear You, help us desire to pray continually. Help us to grow in you. We are amazed by You and Your greatness. We are in awe of You ways. Thank You for making a way for us. In Jesus Name. Amen.