The prayers come before God as a sweet-smelling fragrance—just as the fragrance of the incense, when it is ignited on the altar, rises up as a sweet-smelling fragrance, an aromatic perfume.1 It had to be offered in the Tabernacle and the Temple in the correct manner. The priest had to take fire from the brazen altar of sacrifice, with which to ignite the incense on the golden altar of fragrance. The fire from the altar of sacrifice had therefore also always to be kept burning.2 Unauthorised, ‘strange’ fire was not permitted to be placed upon it, as Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, did. They were consumed by the fire that came out from the presence of the Lord for doing so.3 The perfume had to be made of pure ingredients, mixed from four elements, pure and holy.4
Our prayers must be offered before the face of God in a purified state. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.5 These are especially the prayers of the souls under the altar and the multitude no one can count. Their prayers are like those in the Psalms which are asking for revenge, asking for God to repay their enemies for their deeds and their evil work. Give them what they deserve! “Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness. Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others.6 “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.”7 Psalm 83: 4 – 5. This man in Israel feels the deadly hatred of the enemies of the Jewish people and Israel. He says to God: “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.” Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against You!”8 Anti-Semitism, hatred of the Jewish people and Israel, plotting to destroy them all, is ultimately hatred against the God of Israel at its deepest level.
The Psalmist, by the way, is not that that much concerned about his personal safety, though. His deepest longing is that these demonic enemies by an incredible big blow will come to their senses. That they suddenly come to the awareness of Who is the One and Only True God. Psalm 83:16-18 “Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek Your Name. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that You, whose Name is the Lord; that You alone are the Most High over all the earth.”
“Do to them as You did to Midian, as You did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground.”9 The victories of the Jews in the time of the Judges serves as a model. May all the enemies of God’s people perish as Gideon conquered and killed the Midianites, with Oreb and Zeeb,10 their princes and Zebah and Zalmunna;11 their kings. Deborah conquered the Canaanites with their general, Sisera, whom Jael slew by hammering a tent pin into his skull in his sleep.12 And Psalm 141, which speaks of prayer as an offer of incense, says: “Let the wicked fall into their own nets.”
God’s love and grace in Christ do not come at the expense of His justice and righteousness. The bill is going to be presented when the measure is full.13
The unbelieving, rebellious and mocking and blaspheming people from all the ages have considered ‘praying’ to be a senseless, powerless, primitive performance. To them, might, power, money and violence made much more of an impression than those stupid people who prayed. They have never been able to imagine that the world will one day have to tremble as a result of the prayers of the saints!
• Revenge is not our prerogative. We must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, says Romans 12:9–21. Revenge does come, however and the chaff is thrown into the fire that is inextinguishable.14
• Two hundred and fifty men once wanted to sacrifice with ‘strange’ fire. They were consumed by the fire of God’s judgment. The brass incense censers remained intact, however. The brass surrounding of the altar of sacrifice was made from them.15 The plague upon the people ceased when Aaron went round with an incense censer. Here in the book of Revelation we are at the edge and at the beginning of the ultimate trials, plagues, tribulations and judgments of God.
Bible References:
1.Genesis 8;21; Exodus 30:1–10 2.Leviticus 6:13 3.Leviticus 10:1–3 4.Exodus 30:34–38, 37:29 5.Romans 8:26 6.Psalm 28:4 NLT 7.Psalm 83:1 8.Psalm 83:4–5 9.Psalm 83:9–10 10.Psalm 83:11; Judges 7 11.Judges 8:1–21 12.Judges 4 13.Genesis 15:16 14.Matthew 3:12; Mark 9:43 15.Numbers 16
