We have before us a picture of Christ Our Intercessor. The angel here is not one of the creatures of God, but the Son of God, our Savior, in his mediatorial, priestly office. He is the Angel of the covenant and the Angel of God's presence. Here we see him performing his work as our High Priest and Intercessor before God. "Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hands."
You will recall that, during the Mosaic dispensation, there was an altar of shittim wood, overlaid with pure gold. Upon that altar Aaron burned sweet incense every morning and every evening (Ex. 30:1-10). Typically, this represented Christ's intercessory work as our great High Priest And Advocate. At this moment he stands before God as our Representative. He has in his hand a golden censer full of incense. The fragrance of that sweet incense makes the prayers which we offer up to God acceptable and well pleasing in his sight.
The doctrine of our text is clear: Our Prayers And Sacrifice Are Only Acceptable To God Through The Merits Of Christ.
Even the saints of God, those who have been redeemed and regenerated, and even those who are already in heaven, are accepted by God only through the blood and righteousness of Christ. We are "accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6). Man cannot approach God except through a Mediator, a Substitute and a Sacrifice. We must come to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon any other basis God consumes all who approach him. But this is our confidence and encouragement – We are accepted with God for Christ's sake. God does gladly receive all who come to him by Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:13-18; Heb. 4:15-16; 10:19-22; I Pet. 2:5). Every sinner who comes to God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting his blood and righteousness, is accepted.
Divisions:
1. The Lord Jesus Christ Is Our Only Intercessor With God.
2. All of God's Saints Are Praying People.
3. Our Purpose Are Acceptable To God Because Of Christ's Intercession.
4. The Prayers Of God's Saints Are Effectual.
I. Let me first show you that The Lord Jesus Christ Is Our Only Intercessor With God.
We are all priests unto God if we are in Christ. We do business with God ourselves, in the person of Christ. We do not need Aaron, Levi, or their sons. We have Christ. "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." I know that the angel mentioned in our text is Christ, because he is the only Mediator between God and men. It is sinful, idolatrous superstition for men to confess their sins to a man who calls himself "God's priest," or seek a man's favor for pardon, or approach a mere man for salvation. It is wicked superstition and idolatry to pray to the saints, or to the virgin Mary, or even to the angels. Our only Intercessor is Christ. Look at what John says about Christ our Intercessor.
A. Another Angel Came And Stood At The Altar."You know that there are no literal, material altars in heaven. The whole picture is symbolical. On the day of atonement burning coals of fire were taken from the altar of burnt offering and placed in a censer. They were then brought to the golden altar of incense. When the incense was put upon the fire in the censer, a cloud of sweet smelling incense arose before the Lord (Lev. 16:12-13).
1. These burning coals of fire and the sweet incense, beaten small, represent the sufferings of Christ in the place of sinners.
The wrath of God, like fire, was poured out upon our dear Savior. The agonies of his soul were the fires of God's wrath burning in him. His body, crushed under the wrath of God, was typified by the sweet incense beaten small.
2. The altar represents our Lord's Divine Nature.As the altar sanctified the gift, it was Christ's Divine nature, which gave virtue and merit to his blood and the sacrifice of himself.
3. All of this work takes place within the vail, before the presence of God.
As the burning coals were carried by Aaron within the vail, our Lord Jesus entered into heaven as our High Priest with the merits of his own blood, "having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb. 9:11-12).
Usually, our Lord is pictured as one who sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3; 10:12). But here he is standing before the altar. What is the significance of our Lord's standing before the altar.
a. Christ sitting in heaven tells us that his work of redemption is finished and complete.
b. The picture of him standing shows us that the merits of his sacrifice are perpetually effectual.
B. Next John tells us that "There was Given Unto Him Much Incense."
All the work of Christ as our Mediator was given to him by the appointment of God the Father in the covenant of grace. God's elect were given to him to redeem (John 6:39). The world was given to him to rule (John 17:2). His seed was given to him as the reward of his atonement (Isa. 53:10-12). As God, everything belongs to him by right of his Divinity. As our Mediator everything is given to him by right as the reward of his obedience.
1. The incense sprinkled upon the burning coals from off the altar formed a sweet-smelling smoke rising up to God. This smoke of incense is a picture of Christ's intercession for his elect. (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24).
NOTE: In the Old Testament the incense was specifically described. If anyone offered a strange incense, or tried to imitate the incense, they were to be put to death (Ex. 30:7-8; 34-39).
2. As the incense was sprinkled upon the burning coals, our Lord's intercession to God for us is based upon and arises from his sufferings and death as our Substitute.
The prayers of Christ for his people are always effectual, because they are enforced by the pleas and arguments of his precious blood (I John 2:12).
3. Did you notice the word "much"? "There was given unto him much incense." What a blessed word. There is a plentiful abundance and fullness of intercession arising from Christ for us!
The Lord Jesus Christ in heaven constantly makes intercession for the transgressors, for his elect, covenant people, who have no merit in themselves. We are all transgressors. We deserve God's wrath. But Christ makes intercession for us, according to the will of God.
a. Christ Jesus makes intercession for all his elect.b. Our Lord's intercessions for us are his prayers that all our needs be supplied and all the blessings of grace be poured out upon us by the grace of God.
c. And, be sure you get this, our Lord's intercession is always pleasing and acceptable to God, and always effectual with God – (Rom. 8:34).
NOTE: Our Lord does not plead the goodness of his people, the works of his people, the sincerity of his people, or even the weakness of his people. He pleads the merits of his blood and righteousness!
The Lord Jesus Christ is our only intercessor with God. But we need no other! He is an all-sufficient, accepted, perpetual, effectual intercessor. You can safely trust him.
II. Secondly, I want you to see that All Of God's Saints Are Praying People.
Our text speaks of "the prayers of all saints." Our prayers are spiritual sacrifices offered up to God and accepted by him through the blood of Christ (I Pet. 2:5). Christ, our High Priest, takes our prayers into his hands, perfumes them with the incense of his blood and righteousness, and offers them up to God our Father.
A. The Text Tells Us That All Of God's People Are Saints.The word, "saint," simply means "holy or sanctified one." God's people do not become saints by the decree of the "pope," or by the decree of the arch bishop of Canterbury, after they die. They are no more saints after they die than they are upon the earth. We who believe are saints, perfectly holy and sanctified, by virtue of our union with Christ.
1. We were sanctified, set apart, by God our Father in eternal election (Jude 1).
2. We were sanctified, declared to be holy, by God the Son in redemption (Heb. 10:10-14).
3. And we have been sanctified, given a holy nature, by God the Spirit in regeneration (II Thess. 2:13-14).
B. And All Who Are Saints, Sanctified By Grace, Are Men And Women Of Prayer – "Everyone that is godly shall pray unto thee" (Ps. 32:6).
Our text suggests several things to us about the prayers of God's people.
1. Prayer brings all the saints of God into communion with one another.You will notice that the Lord Jesus takes all the prayers of all the saints and puts them into one golden censer. The prayers of Bro. Mighty Faith and the prayers of Sister Feeble Faith go into the same censer.
In prayer, you are inspired by the Holy Spirit to draw near to God by Christ Jesus, who puts all our prayers into one censer, so that there is a holy bond of communion between God and all his people.
2. All of God's saints pray. And our Lord Jesus receives all the prayers we offer to God by him.
Every true prayer that is offered to God from a sincere, believing heart through Christ Jesus is received by God. It is not possible for a believer's prayers, even the groans of his heart, to go unheard by his heavenly Father.
3. Now get this, all the prayers of all God's saints are acceptable to God by Christ Jesus.
It is not the merit of our prayer that makes it acceptable, but the merit of Christ's intercession. It is not the smell of our prayers that prevails with God, but the smell of the incense of Christ's great sacrifice.
Let us consider this a little more closely –III. Our Prayers Are Acceptable To God Because Of Christ's Intercession.
How can we be certain that all our prayers are acceptable to God? Our text indicates three things, which make the prayers of God's saints acceptable to him.
A. Our Prayers Are Offered To God By A Fit Person, The Lord Jesus Christ.
1. He is a Man like us.He knows our imperfections, our weakness, and our needs. And he sympathizes with us.
2. He is a man who has finished his work.He brought his work of obedience to perfection. And now he undertakes to bring our work to perfection.
3. He is a Man who lives forever, in perpetual acceptance with the Father.
This Man is Jesus our Savior, the Christ whom God anointed, the Righteous One. And he is the eternal propitiation for our sins.
4. And this Man is himself God – "the only begotten Son of his Father, full of grace and truth."
What better Advocate could we want? If the well-beloved Son of God undertakes to make intercession for us, our cause is both safe and sure.B. Our Advocate Makes Intercession For Us In A Fit Place.
He is represented to us as standing before the altar. When the Lord Jesus pleads with God for us, he spreads his pierced hands, points to his wounded side and his pierced feet, and says, "Father, hear me on behalf of my people, for the sake of these wounds You inflicted upon me for them." And the Father hears him. He cannot deny him. The Lord Jesus does not stand before the altar of his sacrifice in vain!
C. And Our Prayers Are Always Acceptable With God, Because Christ Jesus Presents Our Prayers In A Fit Manner.
He does not offer them just as they are. No. He adds to them that "much incense," which makes them acceptable to God. In addition to perfuming them with the sweet incense of his sacrifice, our Lord wisely corrects our prayers. We do not know what to pray for as ought. So Jesus makes up for our ignorance – (Rom. 8:26-28).
IV. Let me briefly show you one last thing – The Prayers Of God's Saints Are Effectual.
It is true, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man (a saint of God) availeth much." Child of God, you may have what you will from God, if you can get the "much incense" of Christ's intercession mixed with your prayers – (I John 5:14-15).
I do not pretend to be an authority on prayer. I am sure that many of you could teach me much more about true prayer than I can ever teach you. But I am sure of these things.
A. Prayer, True Prayer, Is The Sincere Exercise Of The Heart – (Matt. 6:5-8).
B. All True Prayer Arises From And Is Regulated By Spiritual, Not Carnal Desires – (Matt. 6:9-13).
C. True Prayer Is Born OF A True, Sincere Heart – (Matt. 6:14-15).
D. True Prayer Arises From Real Need And Will Not Be Satisfied Until The Need Is Supplied – (Luke 11:5-13).
E. Real Prayer Is Founded Upon God's Revelation – (II Sam. 7:25-28).
F. True Prayer Seeks And Is Submissive To The Will Of God. G. True Prayer Approaches God Only Through The Merits Of Christ. H. All True Prayer Is Effectual Prayer.Do you mean to tell us, Don, that God always gives you what you desire from him in prayer?" All that I most truly desire from God, he either has given or shall give. I am certain of it, because Christ Our Intercessor must prevail.
Application:I must speak a word to you who are yet without Christ. The beginning and essence of prayer is faith. Come to Christ now in faith. Trust him. Pray and seek his mercy with a sincere heart, and you will have what you desire of him – MERCY!
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