Christ-centered daily scripture readings for the month of December designed to prepare your heart for Christmas! We will look at Christ in scripture: preincarnate in the Old Testament, prophecies, miracles and key moments in his life, and finally h...
Hebrews 9:2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place.
From the outer court where we left off yesterday we will walk into the Holy Place, the larger of the enclosed rooms. Only priests are allowed into this room. To the right they would have the table of shewbread. Daily they were commanded to make 12 loves (bread of the presence) and place them in two piles of 6 and then pour frankincense over them. On December 17 we learned how Jesus is the bread of life, the provision of God that brings us eternal life. Compare it to physical bread which adds only to our physical life on this earth. I also find it interesting that frankincense is poured over the bread in the tabernacle, since that was one of the gifts the magi gave the infant Jesus, and it was also commonly used in the burial process during the time of Jesus.
On the opposite side of the room, to the left when entering, stood the lampstand. It was fashioned from solid gold into the form of a tree with a center trunk and 3 branches on either side, so in total there were 7 branches with each one being a lamp. In the Bible, 6 is the number of man, and if you recall 7 is the number of completion. With the trunk, Christ, at the center man is complete. In ancient times trees represented life. Remember the tree of life in the garden of Eden that they never ate from, then it is found again in Revelation 22:1-2 in the new heaven and earth. The priests were to keep each lamp filled will oil so that they would burn continuously night and day. On day 18 we learned how Jesus is thelight of the world, please reference that for more.
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John 1:4 In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men.
Before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was the altar of incense. Fire was taken from the sacrificial altar in the outer court and used to burn a specially prescribed incense. The priests were to burn incense every morning and evening when the daily sacrifices were made. Additionally as the high priest prepared to enter the Holy of Holies or Most Holy place on the day of atonement once a year, he was to take incense through the veil as he approached the presence of the Lord at the ark of the covenant so that he wouldn't die, according to Leviticus 16:12-13. It is a reminder of how dangerous we learned the glory of God is to sinful man on day 2 of this study. In a number of places in scripture, incense is equated or tied to the prayers of God's people. In Psalms 141:2 King David said, "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!" Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4 agree with this and reveal incense in heaven representing the prayers of believers. Another place we see this is at the time the angel spoke to Zechariah (John the Baptist's father) scripture says that people were praying during the "hour of incense."
Luke 1:8-10 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
