General Background of the writer, Luke
Who was Luke. He was a Gentile, Greek, Missionary, an artist, painter, a Doctor and a Historian and a disciple of Apostle Paul.
Colossians 4:11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
Luke was the beloved physician or doctor. Luke used more medical terms than Hippocrates, the father of medicine. He was probably a physician in Troas. He accompanied Paul on many of his missionary journey. Luke is named only three times in the New Testament.
Look in the Book of Acts. how many times “we” is used, since Luke wrote the book of Acts. Many times. He apparently joined Paul in Acts (“we” passages), indicating that he was the person, We.
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved
physician {or Doctor} and Demas greet you. .
Philemon 1:24 as do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful
to me for service.
Luke was chosen by the Holy Spirit to write some of the Holy Scriptures. Luke’s Greek is the highest form of Greek; The best of any New Testament writer. His writings are regarded as one of the finest pieces of historical writing in ancient literature.
Luke’s gospel is the most complete historical
narrative. Book of Luke to me is like
short snap shots of what happens. Research,
like a term paper. He collected information from all the Believers he could,
then put them in order, as a historian.
Luke lived in the city of Antioch in Ancient Syria.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are “Synoptic Gospels” because
the three books detail many of the same experiences, often in the same
sequence. The Synoptics highlight Jesus’ Galilean ministry while John’s gospel
highlights Jesus’ Judean ministry.
Historians say regarding Luke as highly accurate,
description of towns, cities, and islands, as well as correctly naming various
officials titles.
Luke gives us many features omitted by Matthew and Mark:
·
The account of the virgin birth
·
20 miracles, 6 of which are in no other Gospel
·
23 parables, 18 of which are nowhere else
·
Other details of the resurrection.
Dedication
to Theophilus
As a side, The first four verses of Luke’s
gospel are one sentence in the original Greek, classical style. The rest of the
gospel, Luke did not use the language of scholars but of the common person.
Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to
set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
Luke makes it
clear that he was not the first to write a narrative of the ministry of
Jesus. The sources for these narratives were eyewitnesses who delivered
their testimony to the church.
Theophilus is a believer. Other gospels / writings are in
circulation. Luke’s gospel is early. Luke identifies himself as a believer.
Luke 1:2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
These verses
suggest that Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’
ministry, but that he had access to statements of those who were.
They were eyewitnesses, in contrast to Luke. Luke says he was not an eye-witness of what
happen, wrote down other people account and was not a minister of the word from
the beginning.
Acts 1:22 beginning from the baptism of John to
that day when He was taken up from us,
one of these must become a witness with us of
His resurrection."
Luke uses “us” saying he is a Christian who believes in our
Lord Jesus. He as a companion of Apostle
Paul. To me, Luke writings are many
biographies, who he interviewed in his research, from many eyewitnesses, put
together for the Gospel of Luke.
Interesting, Luke is unique is the only New Testament
writer who was a Gentile, wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
Luke explains the reason for the writing of his Gospel.
Luke 1:3 it seemed good
to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from
the very first, to write to you an orderly
account, most excellent Theophilus,
Luke is writing as an investigator, not an eyewitness. He demonstrates diligence and thoroughness throughout his writings. Luke is a skilled historian. Luke covers from John the Baptist to Jesus ascension.
This verse represents characteristics that describe Luke
work in this verse.
1. Luke investigated his topic and he did it with care.
2. He did not claim to know everything about
Jesus, but what he described was studied and treated accurately. of all things:
3. The third characteristic of Luke’s
work was its thoroughness. from the very first:
4. The fourth characteristic of Luke was his
interest in even the earliest events tied to Jesus’
life. an
orderly account: Receive from Mary, Jesus mother
Who is Theophilus?
“Theophilus” = “lover of God,” most excellent”: probably a Roman
government official of some kind, was a common name during the first century.
He was probably the direct recipient of Luke’s gospel and
Acts, who then gave it wide circulation in the early church and for Apostle
Paul appeal of his trail in Rome. He had
some instruction about Jesus.
Luke 1:4 that you may know the certainty of those
things in which you were instructed. {orally instructed by the Apostles or
preachers of the gospel.}
Luke and Acts (“Luke Volume 2”) may have been the trial
documentation for Apostle Paul. Roman
law required historical background of a case to precede appeal to Caesar. Such
an undertaking was expensive and Theophilus may have been Paul’s sponsor.
Two observations about Luke’s writings: 1) Uprisings were
the fault of Paul’s Jewish adversaries and 2) Centurions are always portrayed
as good guys.
Birth of
John the Baptist Foretold
Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was of the priestly family. John by lineage, was one who was to become a
priest. His parents lived when Herod the Great ruled as king of Judea (from 37 to 4 B.C.).
The priesthood
of Israel was separated into twenty-four divisions, of which the family of
Abijah was one.
Course of Abijah: Zacharias was of the 8th of 24
“courses” (divisions or classes) of priests, drawn up in David’s time.
1 Chronicles 24:10 the
seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
Each course
took charge of the temple worship in succession, for a week at the time, twice
a year, beginning on a Sabbath. The heads of these twenty-four courses are
"the chief priests" so often spoken of in the New Testament. All serve during the spring and fall feast
days.
Zacharias was in the Temple serving his 8th course of Abijah
in the month of June/July. And when you follow the timeline from there on it
puts Jesus’s birth in the month of September/October. Fall Feast time.
Luke 1:6 Both of
them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's
commands and decrees blamelessly.
Zacharias = “God Remembers.” Elisabeth = “His oath.” The
two are one flesh: “God remembers His oath.”
Priest and his wife were
recognized by God as believers. They walked faithfully with God and kept His
law.
Deuteronomy 6:24-25 And
the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear
the LORD our God, for our good
always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. (25)
Then it will be righteousness for us,
if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He
has commanded us.'
This verse does not indicate they were sinlessness. What about Cornelius.
Acts 10:22 And they said, "Cornelius the centurion,
a just man, one who fears God and
has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely
instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from
you."
What about Noah
Genesis 6:9 This is the
account of Noah and his family. Noah was a
righteous man, blameless
among the people of his time, and he walked
faithfully with God.
Luke 1:7 But they were childless because Elizabeth
was not able to conceive, and they were both very
old.
Barrenness was a shame in the Jewish culture. That it was
an embarrassment to Elisabeth is evident in v. 25. God allowed several Old
Testament women to experience barrenness; the mothers of Isaac, Samson, and
Samuel. What did Samson, Samuel, John
have in common.
Old or advanced
in life, so as to render the prospect of having children hopeless.
Luke 1:8 Once when Zechariah's division was on
duty and he was serving as priest before God,
One of perhaps
18-20 thousand priests who served in a year. Offering the incense was something
a priest could do only once in his career. It was a great moment for
Zacharias, all the more so because of the plan God had for him and his
family. The most memorable day in his
and her life.
Before God; in the temple, where was the symbol of the divine presence, before the altar of the Lord; that Zechariah offered incense in the most Holy Place.
Luke 1:9 he was chosen
by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of
the Lord and burn incense.
Zacharias was chosen by lot to be the priest who offered
incense. God is over the casting of the lot.
Esther 3:7 In the first
month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they
cast Pur (that
is, the lot), before Haman to determine
the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month
of Adar.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is
cast into the lap, But its every decision is from
the LORD.
In the service
of the sanctuary nothing was left to accident or to human arrangement. The lot
determined who was to perform each separate portion of the sacred service, and
especially who was each morning and evening to burn incense before the Lord.
Burned on the
altar of incense in the Holy Place morning and evening. To burn the incense was
an office held so honorable, since it brought the offering priest nearer the
divine presence in the Holy of Holies than any other priestly act, and carried
with it the richest blessing from on high.
The part
assigned to each priest in his week of service was decided by lot. Three
priests were employed at the offering of incense.
1. to remove
the ashes {sweep / cleanse the altar} of the former service;
2. to bring in
and place on the golden altar the pan filled with hot burning coals taken from
the altar of burnt offering; and
3. to sprinkle the incense on the hot coals; and, while the smoke of it ascended, to make intercession {prayer} for the people {morning and evening}.
This was the
most distinguished part of the service, and this was what fell to the lot of
Zacharias at this time. Burn incense Before the Golden Altar of incense stood
before the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies {Lord
Jesus throne}. Next to the Holy of
Holies.
The top of the altar was square—one cubit per side—and the whole altar
was two cubits high. A cubit was about twenty inches, or just under two feet.
The altar of incense was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. It had
four “horns,” one at each corner, similar to the altar of sacrifice in the
courtyard.
In
Scripture, incense is often associated with prayers of God’s people, Israel and
Saints. David prayed,
Psalms 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may
the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
Revelation 8:3 Then
another angel, having a golden censer,
came and stood at the altar. He
was given much incense, that he
should offer it with the prayers of all the
saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne.
Exodus 30:1 "You
shall make an altar to burn incense on;
you shall make it of acacia wood.
Exodus 30:2-3 It is to be
square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high; its horns of one piece with
it. (3)
Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns
with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.
Exodus 30:6 And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. {before the throne}
Exodus 30:7 "Aaron
shall burn on it sweet incense every morning;
when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on
it.
Exodus 30:8 And when
Aaron lights the lamps at twilight,
he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
Exodus 30:9 Do not offer on
this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a
drink offering on it.
Remember, priest did and they
died. Important for one life.
Leviticus 10:1-2 Nadab
and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and
laid incense on it, and offered strange fire
before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. (2) Fire came out from before the Lord, and
devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.
Exodus 30:10 Once a year
Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made
with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD."
The altar of
incense was called “most
holy to the Lord Why, prayers
What is the incense made or composed of, to qualified to
be used on the Golden Altar.
Exodus 30:34 And the LORD said to Moses:
"Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha
and galbanum,
and pure frankincense with these sweet spices;
there shall be equal amounts of each.
The directions for making the incense are precise. The resulting mixture was a lavish, expensive, precious commodity.
sweet spices: From
an unused root meaning to smell
sweet; an aroma: - sweet
(spice).
stacte: a drop;
specifically, an aromatic gum
(probably stacte):
- drop, stacte. Stacte is simply the sap that drips from the tapping of
the wood of the balsam tree"
onycha: a scale
or shell, that is, found in the Red Sea, mussel: - resemble a
fingernail. Prepared
from certain vegetable resins or seashell parts.
galbanum: an
odorous gum (as if fatty):
- Persian plant species grown in northern Iran.
sweet spices
From an unused root meaning to smell sweet; an aroma: - sweet
(spice).
pure frankincense נָfrom its whiteness or perhaps that of
its smoke: - (frank-) incense. A resin
of a certain tree.
Exodus 30:35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound according
to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy.
The priest beat, compound, and mix several ingredients
together. Salt of Sodom put into the mixture.
Exodus 30:36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it
before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you.
It shall be most holy to you.
Mix together
the better, and be easier spread upon the coals, and the smoke thereof go up
the sooner
Exodus 30:37 But as for the incense which you
shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves,
according to its composition. It shall be to you holy
for the LORD.
For their own
use, for the scenting of their rooms, or to snuff up, or smell to,
Women like to
use scent in their homes.
Exodus 30:38 Whoever makes any like it, to smell
it, he shall be cut off from his people."
We are not to make this same ingredients for our own use,
as a side, Jews said if someone does and sell to the congregation, that is OK,
regardless what the Scriptures says.
Luke 1:10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled
worshipers were praying outside.
Zacharias was tending the Golden Altar (the Altar of
Incense), which is associated with the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of
Holies. Only the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, one time a year, on
the Day of Atonement. The Golden Altar was just outside the veil that separated
the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place.
The Altar of Incense represents the prayers of the
nation: Outside, the people were praying while inside Zacharias offered incense
at the altar. The Ark was not in the Temple in those days, but the altar
Zacharias tended is believed to be the original Golden Altar.
At that particular moment Zacharias was the focal point
of the entire Jewish nation in prayer. The hour of incense came twice a day, at 9 A.M. and 3:30 P.M.
Probably the afternoon offering is in view here. The men and women in separate courts, but the
altar visible to all.
Praying
without. The incense itself was a symbol of prayer, and
when offered by the priest a bell was rung as a signal to the people in the courts without, who
all engaged in prayer in deep silence.
Revelation 5:8 Now when
He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders
fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. {notice golden?}
Finally, remember what the Lord Jesus said about the
Temple
Matthew 21:13 "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"
General Background of the writer, Luke
Who was Luke. He
was a Gentile, Greek, Missionary, an artist, painter, a Doctor and a Historian
and a disciple of Apostle Paul.
Colossians 4:11 and Jesus
who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God
who are of the circumcision; they
have proved to be a comfort to me.
Luke was the beloved
physician or doctor. Luke
used more medical terms than Hippocrates, the father of medicine. He was
probably a physician in Troas. He accompanied Paul on
many of his missionary journey. Luke is
named only three times in the New Testament.
Look in the Book of Acts. how many times “we” is used,
since Luke wrote the book of Acts. Many
times. He apparently joined Paul in Acts
(“we” passages), indicating that he was the person, We.
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved
physician {or Doctor} and Demas greet you. .
Philemon 1:24 as do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful
to me for service.
Luke was chosen by the Holy Spirit to write some of the Holy Scriptures. Luke’s Greek is the highest form of Greek; The best of any New Testament writer. His writings are regarded as one of the finest pieces of historical writing in ancient literature.
Luke’s gospel is the most complete historical
narrative. Book of Luke to me is like
short snap shots of what happens. Research,
like a term paper. He collected information from all the Believers he could,
then put them in order, as a historian.
Luke lived in the city of Antioch in Ancient Syria.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are “Synoptic Gospels” because
the three books detail many of the same experiences, often in the same
sequence. The Synoptics highlight Jesus’ Galilean ministry while John’s gospel
highlights Jesus’ Judean ministry.
Historians say regarding Luke as highly accurate,
description of towns, cities, and islands, as well as correctly naming various
officials titles.
Luke gives us many features omitted by Matthew and Mark:
·
The account of the virgin birth
·
20 miracles, 6 of which are in no other Gospel
·
23 parables, 18 of which are nowhere else
·
Other details of the resurrection.
Dedication
to Theophilus
As a side, The first four verses of Luke’s
gospel are one sentence in the original Greek, classical style. The rest of the
gospel, Luke did not use the language of scholars but of the common person.
Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to
set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
Luke makes it
clear that he was not the first to write a narrative of the ministry of
Jesus. The sources for these narratives were eyewitnesses who delivered
their testimony to the church.
Theophilus is a believer. Other gospels / writings are in
circulation. Luke’s gospel is early. Luke identifies himself as a believer.
Luke 1:2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
These verses
suggest that Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’
ministry, but that he had access to statements of those who were.
They were eyewitnesses, in contrast to Luke. Luke says he was not an eye-witness of what
happen, wrote down other people account and was not a minister of the word from
the beginning.
Acts 1:22 beginning from the baptism of John to
that day when He was taken up from us,
one of these must become a witness with us of
His resurrection."
Luke uses “us” saying he is a Christian who believes in our
Lord Jesus. He as a companion of Apostle
Paul. To me, Luke writings are many
biographies, who he interviewed in his research, from many eyewitnesses, put
together for the Gospel of Luke.
Interesting, Luke is unique is the only New Testament
writer who was a Gentile, wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
Luke explains the reason for the writing of his Gospel.
Luke 1:3 it seemed good
to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from
the very first, to write to you an orderly
account, most excellent Theophilus,
Luke is writing as an investigator, not an eyewitness. He demonstrates diligence and thoroughness throughout his writings. Luke is a skilled historian. Luke covers from John the Baptist to Jesus ascension.
This verse represents characteristics that describe Luke
work in this verse.
1. Luke investigated his topic and he did it with care.
2. He did not claim to know everything about
Jesus, but what he described was studied and treated accurately. of all things:
3. The third characteristic of Luke’s
work was its thoroughness. from the very first:
4. The fourth characteristic of Luke was his
interest in even the earliest events tied to Jesus’
life. an
orderly account: Receive from Mary, Jesus mother
Who is Theophilus?
“Theophilus” = “lover of God,” most excellent”: probably a Roman
government official of some kind, was a common name during the first century.
He was probably the direct recipient of Luke’s gospel and
Acts, who then gave it wide circulation in the early church and for Apostle
Paul appeal of his trail in Rome. He had
some instruction about Jesus.
Luke 1:4 that you may know the certainty of those
things in which you were instructed. {orally instructed by the Apostles or
preachers of the gospel.}
Luke and Acts (“Luke Volume 2”) may have been the trial
documentation for Apostle Paul. Roman
law required historical background of a case to precede appeal to Caesar. Such
an undertaking was expensive and Theophilus may have been Paul’s sponsor.
Two observations about Luke’s writings: 1) Uprisings were
the fault of Paul’s Jewish adversaries and 2) Centurions are always portrayed
as good guys.
Birth of
John the Baptist Foretold
Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was of the priestly family. John by lineage, was one who was to become a
priest. His parents lived when Herod the Great ruled as king of Judea (from 37 to 4 B.C.).
The priesthood
of Israel was separated into twenty-four divisions, of which the family of
Abijah was one.
Course of Abijah: Zacharias was of the 8th of 24
“courses” (divisions or classes) of priests, drawn up in David’s time.
1 Chronicles 24:10 the
seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
Each course
took charge of the temple worship in succession, for a week at the time, twice
a year, beginning on a Sabbath. The heads of these twenty-four courses are
"the chief priests" so often spoken of in the New Testament. All serve during the spring and fall feast
days.
Zacharias was in the Temple serving his 8th course of Abijah
in the month of June/July. And when you follow the timeline from there on it
puts Jesus’s birth in the month of September/October. Fall Feast time.
Luke 1:6 Both of
them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's
commands and decrees blamelessly.
Zacharias = “God Remembers.” Elisabeth = “His oath.” The
two are one flesh: “God remembers His oath.”
Priest and his wife were
recognized by God as believers. They walked faithfully with God and kept His
law.
Deuteronomy 6:24-25 And
the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear
the LORD our God, for our good
always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. (25)
Then it will be righteousness for us,
if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He
has commanded us.'
This verse does not indicate they were sinlessness. What about Cornelius.
Acts 10:22 And they said, "Cornelius the centurion,
a just man, one who fears God and
has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely
instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from
you."
What about Noah
Genesis 6:9 This is the
account of Noah and his family. Noah was a
righteous man, blameless
among the people of his time, and he walked
faithfully with God.
Luke 1:7 But they were childless because Elizabeth
was not able to conceive, and they were both very
old.
Barrenness was a shame in the Jewish culture. That it was
an embarrassment to Elisabeth is evident in v. 25. God allowed several Old
Testament women to experience barrenness; the mothers of Isaac, Samson, and
Samuel. What did Samson, Samuel, John
have in common.
Old or advanced
in life, so as to render the prospect of having children hopeless.
Luke 1:8 Once when Zechariah's division was on
duty and he was serving as priest before God,
One of perhaps
18-20 thousand priests who served in a year. Offering the incense was something
a priest could do only once in his career. It was a great moment for
Zacharias, all the more so because of the plan God had for him and his
family. The most memorable day in his
and her life.
Before
God; in the temple,
where was the symbol of the divine presence, before the altar of the Lord; that Zechariah offered
incense in the most Holy Place.
Luke 1:9 he was chosen
by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of
the Lord and burn incense.
Zacharias was chosen by lot to be the priest who offered
incense. God is over the casting of the lot.
Esther 3:7 In the first
month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they
cast Pur (that
is, the lot), before Haman to determine
the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month
of Adar.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is
cast into the lap, But its every decision is from
the LORD.
In the service
of the sanctuary nothing was left to accident or to human arrangement. The lot
determined who was to perform each separate portion of the sacred service, and
especially who was each morning and evening to burn incense before the Lord.
Burned on the
altar of incense in the Holy Place morning and evening. To burn the incense was
an office held so honorable, since it brought the offering priest nearer the
divine presence in the Holy of Holies than any other priestly act, and carried
with it the richest blessing from on high.
The part
assigned to each priest in his week of service was decided by lot. Three
priests were employed at the offering of incense.
1. to remove
the ashes {sweep / cleanse the altar} of the former service;
2. to bring in
and place on the golden altar the pan filled with hot burning coals taken from
the altar of burnt offering; and
3. to sprinkle the incense on the hot coals; and, while the smoke of it ascended, to make intercession {prayer} for the people {morning and evening}.
This was the
most distinguished part of the service, and this was what fell to the lot of
Zacharias at this time. Burn incense Before the Golden Altar of incense stood
before the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies {Lord
Jesus throne}. Next to the Holy of
Holies.
The top of the altar was square—one cubit per side—and the whole altar
was two cubits high. A cubit was about twenty inches, or just under two feet.
The altar of incense was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. It had
four “horns,” one at each corner, similar to the altar of sacrifice in the
courtyard.
In
Scripture, incense is often associated with prayers of God’s people, Israel and
Saints. David prayed,
Psalms 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may
the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
Revelation 8:3 Then
another angel, having a golden censer,
came and stood at the altar. He
was given much incense, that he
should offer it with the prayers of all the
saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne.
Exodus 30:1 "You
shall make an altar to burn incense on;
you shall make it of acacia wood.
Exodus 30:2-3 It is to be
square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high; its horns of one piece with
it. (3)
Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns
with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.
Exodus 30:6 And you shall
put it before the veil that is before the ark
of the Testimony, before the mercy
seat that is over the Testimony,
where I will meet with you. {before the throne}
Exodus 30:7 "Aaron
shall burn on it sweet incense every morning;
when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on
it.
Exodus 30:8 And when
Aaron lights the lamps at twilight,
he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
Exodus 30:9 Do not offer on
this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a
drink offering on it.
Remember, priest did and they
died. Important for one life.
Leviticus 10:1-2 Nadab
and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and
laid incense on it, and offered strange fire
before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. (2) Fire came out from before the Lord, and
devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.
Exodus 30:10 Once a year
Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made
with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD."
The altar of
incense was called “most
holy to the Lord Why, prayers
What is the incense made or composed of, to qualified to
be used on the Golden Altar.
Exodus 30:34 And the LORD said to Moses:
"Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha
and galbanum,
and pure frankincense with these sweet spices;
there shall be equal amounts of each.
The directions for making the incense are precise. The resulting mixture was a lavish, expensive, precious commodity.
sweet spices: From
an unused root meaning to smell
sweet; an aroma: - sweet
(spice).
stacte: a drop;
specifically, an aromatic gum
(probably stacte):
- drop, stacte. Stacte is simply the sap that drips from the tapping of
the wood of the balsam tree"
onycha: a scale
or shell, that is, found in the Red Sea, mussel: - resemble a
fingernail. Prepared
from certain vegetable resins or seashell parts.
galbanum: an
odorous gum (as if fatty):
- Persian plant species grown in northern Iran.
sweet spices
From an unused root meaning to smell sweet; an aroma: - sweet
(spice).
pure frankincense נָfrom its whiteness or perhaps that of
its smoke: - (frank-) incense. A resin
of a certain tree.
Exodus 30:35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound according
to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy.
The priest beat, compound, and mix several ingredients
together. Salt of Sodom put into the mixture.
Exodus 30:36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it
before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you.
It shall be most holy to you.
Mix together
the better, and be easier spread upon the coals, and the smoke thereof go up
the sooner
Exodus 30:37 But as for the incense which you
shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves,
according to its composition. It shall be to you holy
for the LORD.
For their own
use, for the scenting of their rooms, or to snuff up, or smell to,
Women like to
use scent in their homes.
Exodus 30:38 Whoever makes any like it, to smell
it, he shall be cut off from his people."
We are not to make this same ingredients for our own use,
as a side, Jews said if someone does and sell to the congregation, that is OK,
regardless what the Scriptures says.
Luke 1:10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled
worshipers were praying outside.
Zacharias was tending the Golden Altar (the Altar of
Incense), which is associated with the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of
Holies. Only the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, one time a year, on
the Day of Atonement. The Golden Altar was just outside the veil that separated
the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place.
The Altar of Incense represents the prayers of the
nation: Outside, the people were praying while inside Zacharias offered incense
at the altar. The Ark was not in the Temple in those days, but the altar
Zacharias tended is believed to be the original Golden Altar.
At that particular moment Zacharias was the focal point
of the entire Jewish nation in prayer. The hour of incense came twice a day, at 9 A.M. and 3:30 P.M.
Probably the afternoon offering is in view here. The men and women in separate courts, but the
altar visible to all.
Praying
without. The incense itself was a symbol of prayer, and
when offered by the priest a bell was rung as a signal to the people in the courts without, who
all engaged in prayer in deep silence.
Revelation 5:8 Now when
He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders
fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. {notice golden?}
Finally, remember what the Lord Jesus said about the
Temple
Matthew 21:13 "It is
written," he said to them, "'My house
will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den
of robbers.'"
