Bootstrap
Paul Mahan

The Tabernacle - The Alter Of Incense

Exodus 30:1-10
Paul Mahan • March, 27 1991 • Audio
5 Articles 3,891 Sermons
0 Comments
Paul Mahan
Paul Mahan • March, 27 1991
5 articles 3,891 sermons
The Tabernacle
What does the Bible say about the holiness of God?

The Bible declares God as holy, emphasizing His purity and moral perfection, which shapes all of His actions and decrees.

The holiness of God is a central theme throughout Scripture, serving as the foundation of His character and the essence of His being. As Isaiah 6:3 proclaims, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,' emphasizing that God is infinitely perfect and morally pure. This holiness is not merely a moral superiority but an all-encompassing purity that dictates how God interacts with His creation. Every act of God is a holy act, guided by His perfect justice and love. Understanding God's holiness is crucial for grasping our standing before Him, as it highlights our need for redemption through Christ. Psalm 99 also affirms God's holy character, stating 'Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy.'

Isaiah 6:3, Psalm 99:9

How do we know justification through faith is true?

Justification through faith is confirmed in Scripture, particularly in Romans, which teaches that we are justified freely by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of justification by faith is a foundational teaching of the Christian faith, significantly articulated in Romans 3:24, which states that 'we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.' This momentous declaration reveals that our acceptance by God is not based on our merit but solely on His grace. The impossibility of attaining righteousness through human works is emphasized throughout Scripture, establishing that faith is the only means by which we can stand justified before a holy God. The consistent witness of the law and the prophets also affirms this truth, highlighting that Christ's sacrificial death provides the righteousness God requires for salvation (Romans 3:21-22).

Romans 3:24, Romans 3:21-22

Why is the doctrine of atonement important for Christians?

Atonement is vital as it reconciles sinful humanity with a holy God through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, fulfilling divine justice and offering salvation.

The doctrine of atonement is central to the gospel because it addresses the fundamental need for reconciliation between God and humanity, given that our sins separate us from Him. Hebrews 9:22 declares that 'without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins,' highlighting the necessity of a sacrificial offering to satisfy God's justice. Jesus Christ, through His atoning work on the cross, fulfills the requirements of the law and absorbs the wrath of God on behalf of sinners. This act not only propitiates God's anger but also paves the way for us to be accepted into His holy presence, as emphasized in Romans 5:1, where we find peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Understanding atonement encourages believers to worship and serve Him with gratitude for the immense cost paid for our salvation.

Hebrews 9:22, Romans 5:1

What does the altar of incense symbolize in the Bible?

The altar of incense symbolizes prayer, intercession, and the mediation of Jesus Christ before God, representing the believer's access to the holy presence of God.

In Exodus 30, the altar of incense is a significant symbol in the tabernacle, representing the importance of prayer and intercession in the life of the believer. Just as Aaron would burn incense upon this altar, providing a perpetual fragrance before God, our prayers are offered through Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. The incense itself is symbolic of the holiness and righteousness of Christ, which makes it possible for us to approach God. In Revelation 5:8, the prayers of the saints are likened to bowls of incense, illustrating how our supplications are precious and pleasing to God. Thus, the altar represents the essential truth that access to the Father comes only through Christ, affirming His role as mediator who continually intercedes for His people.

Exodus 30:1-10, Revelation 5:8

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

100%
Exodus chapter 30. I hope, I believe, that I am
coming to some definite conclusion, or a definite conclusion about
this thing of preaching. It was two years ago, about two
weeks ago, March the 12th, that you called me here as your pastor. And I came here very green, very inexperienced,
and I'm still very green and very inexperienced. But I think
I've come to a conclusion a definite conclusion about this thing of
preaching. And it's the thing I want to strive for from here
on out, and I hope the thing that I have the Lord, by His
grace, has enabled me to do a little bit, at least, in the course
of these two years. And that is to preach the gospel
as clearly as I know how. every time that I step up here. I know that I haven't done that,
but I believe I'm coming to a conclusion about this thing that, as Paul
said, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. And I dare not
take it for granted that everybody in this room, and I look at every
face, and I have pretty much confidence in just about everyone
that sits here this evening, but I dare not be presumptuous.
concerning your soul and. And because I don't know who
has really heard it with the heart and who really believe
I dare not be presumptive. And there's only one thing or
rather there's only one who will meet every need that we have.
Whether it be the need of comfort assurance of peace strength whatever
it may be. Whatever need we may have, there's
only one message that will effectually meet all of those needs. And I don't know everyone's needs,
what's going through our minds and hearts, but God does, and
he's provided the balm of Gilead that will meet all of those needs.
One salve, one ointment will take care of it all. The gospel. It was the gospel that first
spoke peace to our hearts when we first heard it. It was the
gospel that first thrilled us. It was the gospel that first
enlightened our eyes. It was the gospel that kept us
coming back early on and kept on thrilling us. And I believe
it's the same gospel that will keep doing that. So I want to
do that every time that the Lord will remind me and give me the
strength and the grace. I want to stand up here and regardless
of The crowd, I want to claim the gospel just as clearly as
I know how. Just as plainly, just as simply.
I have found out, like on the basis of Sunday morning's message,
how many times have you heard Romans 8 preached from? How many
times? And yet it still distrills you
every time. It does me. So, like Paul said
in Philippians 3, to write the same things to you, to me, is
not grievous. And it's certainly not bad for
you, it's safe, it's salvation. So this message tonight, and
this too, I don't know who's going to come here and hear these
messages. So I can't prepare a message particularly for God's
people, just God's people, have them in mind. I don't know who's
coming to these services tonight. And so I have to prepare these
messages like There'll be some unbelievers
here, isn't there? Who was it that said, one of
them, I forget who it was that said, I preach, I want to preach as if
this, as if Christ came yesterday, died today. No, wasn't it? Christ died yesterday, rose again
today, and is coming again tomorrow. That's the way I want to preach.
All right, that's the importance and the seriousness of this thing,
because he may be. He may be coming tomorrow. And
woe is me, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. And
the gospel does everything, it warns, it exhorts, it encourages,
it admonishes, it does all these things. I don't, without me trying
to do so. Exodus 30. I just want to make
those comments because this message is going to be very, very basic. Exodus 30, beginning with verse
1. And thou shalt make an altar, an altar to burn incense upon,
of chitin wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length
thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof. Four square shall it
be, and two cubits shall be the height thereof. The horns thereof
shall be the same, of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with
pure gold, the top thereof, the sides thereof round about, and
the horns thereof, and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold
round about. And two golden rings shalt thou
make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof,
upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it And they shall be
for places for the staves to bear it withal. And thou shalt
make the staves of chitin wood, and overlay them with gold. And
thou shalt put it before the veil. This altar shall put it
before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before
the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet
with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon
sweet incense every morning. When he dresseth the lamps, he
shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps
at evening, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense
before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall offer
no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering,
neither shall you pour a drink offering thereon, just incense. And Aaron shall make an atonement,
or that is, apply the blood upon the horns of this altar once
in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. Once
in a year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy unto the Lord." Now, the scriptures say, Proverbs
9, 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. Now, I generally stop there.
There's another part of that verse. The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is
understanding. It's a two-part verse there. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy, or Holy One, is
understanding. And let everybody remember that
verse, Proverbs 9, 10. That is where we all must start.
This is where we must start. Very clearly, very plainly, very
boldly and emphatically, let me tell you the message of this
book, the message of salvation, the message of the gospel, the
word of truth. God Almighty is holy. Holy. The Creator, the Ruler,
the Sovereign Controller of all things, the Sustainer, the Provider
of all life is absolutely holy. That word is too holy to take
upon these lips, You must understand, I must understand this chief
attribute of God Almighty, this chief characteristic. Everyone must understand this
chief characteristic of God Almighty or you know nothing about God
at all, nothing. This is the characteristic, this
is the attribute of God which determines all of his purposes,
all of his works, and the rest of his character is determined
by his holiness. OK? God decrees holy decrees. God commits holy acts. God thinks holy thoughts. God judges, holy judgment. God loves with a holy love. Holy. The scripture says holy,
holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts. The seraphims, the angels,
the cherubs, those angelic beings stand before the throne of God
day and night and never quit saying this. Read it sometime. They never stopped saying this
throughout time and eternity. Holy. Holy. Holy. Christ holy. God is holy. Now turn with me
to Psalm 99. Psalm 99. Look at this powerful
portion of Scripture. dealing with the holiness of
God, his holy character. Holy, holy, holy. Psalm 99, look at verse 1 with
me. The Lord reigneth. Let the people
tremble. He sitteth between the cherubims. Let the earth be moved or staggered. The Lord is great in thy and
his church. He is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and
terrible name. Watch it, for it is holy. The King's strength also loveth
judgment, justice. This is the strength of his character.
Thou, God, dost establish equity, perfection. God executes justice,
judgment, and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt ye the Lord our
God and worship at his footstool, for he is Holy. Look at verse 9. Exalt the Lord
our God and worship at his holy hill, for the Lord our God is
holy. Holy. You recall when I told
you about that preacher who responded to an article of mine concerning
the holiness of God, and I was talking about this very thing.
How that all men must understand, must come to know something of
this holiness of God Almighty. How that all understanding or
wisdom begins right here. The holy character of God. And
this preacher responded in kind, well not in kind, but he responded
with a veiled reference to that by saying everyone knows about
the moral superiority of God. That man revealed right there
that he didn't know anything about it, did he? The holiness
of God is much more than moral superiority. It's much more than
morality. The holiness of God is just this. He is infinitely, immaculately,
immutably, amazingly, marvelously, majestically, Magnificently,
inexplicably, pure and perfect. It goes much deeper than just
morality. Pure, spotless, perfect. Turn with me to Job, chapter
25. Job, chapter 25. The scriptures say this, listen
to this, if you've never heard this verse before. Over in Habakkuk
1.13, it says, God is of purer eyes than to behold evil and
cannot even look upon iniquity. Well, you say, I thought the
scripture said, thou God seest me, and God beholds us in all
things, and naked before. I know it says that, but I know
it says this too. Somehow or another, God is aware of it,
but he cannot look his holy eyes upon it. Look at Job 25, look at verse
5 with me. Behold, even the moon, according
to the brightness of God, the moon doesn't shine. Yea, the
stars, are you looking at that? Verse 5, the stars are not pure
in his sight. The stars? The stars are not
pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a
maggot, that's the word, maggot. feeding on dead things, that
is, this dead earth, and the Son of Man, which is a worm.
In other words, as he said in verse 5 there, the moon shines,
not God who is light, who shines brighter and hotter and more
gloriously than the sun in the heavens. God dwells in this all-revealing
light, this all-consuming brightness which no man can approach unto
without being consumed. And nothing and no one is allowed
into his bright presence, his holy presence, except that which
can withstand it. Nothing and no one is allowed
into his holy presence except that which is absolutely positively,
spotlessly pure and immaculately holy like Him. Not one single imperfection will
be allowed in one person in the presence of God Almighty. No
impurities, because God is pure. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness,
perfection. It shall be perfect to be accepted. Do you hear that? Now, think
about that verse that I first quoted. The fear of the Lord,
this holy Lord. The fear of this Lord, the understanding. The fear of the Lord is wisdom.
The beginning of wisdom. And the knowledge of his holy
character. And much more than that, his
holy one, his holy one that he provided, is understanding. So here's the question of all
questions found here in Job 25. Now, I've just very insufficiently, very inadequately
tried to explain, describe the holiness of God. An angel ought
to come down here and express this. But here's the question
of all questions, verse 4. Since God is holy like this,
since God is this bright being that no man can even get close
to without being consumed, how then, verse 4, how then can man
be justified? How can man be accepted? How can man, Ellen, be declared
acceptable, be allowed admittance, be granted access into the presence
of this God. How? Blessed are your eyes and
your ears, woman. Do you know? Does everyone in
here know this question, the answer of this? How can he be
clean? You've got to be clean. You've
got to be clean. It's a lot cleaner than a hound's
tooth. You've got to be as perfect as God. Be ye holy, for I am
holy. How? Well, look over at Romans
chapter 3. Basic gospel truth. Romans chapter
3. How? Are you interested? I know you know the answer. Some
of you. Most of you. But here's the problem
with our generation. They are ignorant of this holy
character of God. They're ignorant of what I've
just been trying to feebly—I can't even describe it. We don't
know much about it. We know an inkling. We have a
little inkling of it. If we knew more about it, we'd fear him
more. We'd worship him aright. We'd
serve him properly. But our generation is altogether
ignorant of this holy character of God, and therefore They're
ignorant of the only way to get to this holy God, the only way
they're going to get into his presence. And modern religion
has a God of its own imagination. They have a way they devise,
they've imagined, they've come up with a way of salvation that
seems right in their own eyes, right? But the scripture says
it's the way of destruction. Why? They've bypassed the only
way. Oh, they use some names, they
use some terms, but they're not coming by him. And they're attempting to come
before a God they don't know, and they're in for a terrible
surprise. And here's the first indictment,
verse 18, against our generation. The first indictment is there's
no fear of God before their eyes. No fear of God. Why should they? Why should anybody fear the God
of this twentieth century? The God that is preached and
believed today, who tries and fails. The God who wants to and
can't. Why should I fear somebody like
that? He's no more, evidently no more powerful than I am. Evidently,
John, his will's no more powerful than mine. He can't overcome
my will. His will's bound, mine's free, they say. Why should I
fear a God like that? I'll just make him my co-pilot.
I'll run the show. Why should I fear a God who loves
everybody? If he loves me, what have I got
to worry about? What have I got to fear? Perfect
love casts out fear, doesn't it? Why should I fear a God who's
waiting hand on foot for man to do something? He's waiting
on man hand and foot at man's beckoning call. Why should I
fear? He's my puppy dog. He's my servant. Why should I
fear a God who's powerless against Satan? It's Satan that I've got
to be afraid of, right? He's the one that's messing things
up. Why should I fear a weak, sentimental, helpless, emotional
mystic? Don't need to. Not that God.
But that's not the God of the Bible. That God is a lie. There is a God, though. Romans
chapter 3, verse 4. And the Scripture says that this
God is true, and every Man is a liar. In other words, every
man who believes in any other God, he's a liar. He's deceived. He's deceived himself, and he's
lying on God Almighty. Now, verse 10, as it is written,
now this is what the Scripture says about us, there is none
righteous, no, not one. There's none that understandeth.
There's none that seeketh after God. That is, there's none by
nature. First Corinthians 2, 11 says, what man knows the things
of a man? save the spirit of man which is in him. Even so
knoweth no man the things of God save the spirit of God."
In other words, no man, no man understands, no man knows this
God until God is pleased to reveal himself to that man. And the natural man won't receive
the things of God, their foolishness unto him, and their spiritually
discerned. But he says to some people, That
God has revealed these things unto us by his Spirit. He didn't
have to, but he did. But he has. What has he revealed
unto us? How we can approach this holy
God. How we can come to him. How we
can be accepted by this holy God. Look down at verse 21. Now
here it is. Here's the answer. Now, the righteousness
of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God. The righteousness, now
the first righteousness is the holy character I've been describing,
this holy character. And we're also talking about,
he's also talking about the way we can be made righteous. the
only righteousness that God will accept. And it ain't ours, is
it? Is it really? It ain't ours.
Isaiah said we have some. Yeah, we have a righteousness.
What do you call it? What? Filthy rights. Filthy rights. Man's got a righteousness,
all right. But it's filthy rags. Will God
accept filthiness? No. Holy. I've been trying to
say God is holy, pure, spotless. Can't accept anything. If our
righteousness is anything other than perfection, God can't look
on us. Can he? All right. Now, the righteousness
of God is witnessed by the law and the prophets throughout this
tabernacle. We've seen the holy character
of God and how that only one person can come into his holy
presence. Verse 23, because all have sinned
and come short All are imperfect, all are impure, all are unholy
and come short of this glory, this holiness that God requires,
this spotless perfection, the requirements, the absolute strict
requirements of God's law. All men, women, and children
have come way short of that. So, how? How can man be just,
be declared righteous, be declared holy, be made pure, be accepted,
be allowed into the presence of this holy God? That's the
question of all questions, isn't it? It was Jobus, one of the
oldest recorded books in our Bible, and that was one of the
first questions, the gospel questions. How can man be just with God? How can he be clean as born of
a woman? Now, before God, look at verse
24. This is how they'll be justified
freely by His grace. Free grace. That's where we get
the term, right there, that verse. Romans 3, 24. Free grace. Free grace. By grace are you
saved. By grace are you saved. He said,
it's not of works, it's by grace. And nobody's going to boast,
because it's by grace. And Paul said in one place, Romans
11, verse 6, listen. And he said, if it's by grace,
then it's no more works. It's got to be one or the other,
right? Now, if it's by grace, and it are, it is. He said it over and over again.
Now, if it's by grace, then it's not works. Let this be firmly
established in our minds. If it's about grace, then works
don't play any part in it whatsoever, not our works. Otherwise, grace
wouldn't be grace, what Paul said. But if it's of works, then
grace ain't got a thing to do with it. And Paul said in another
place, and Christ came and died in man, didn't he? Otherwise, work wouldn't be work.
And let me illustrate this very, very simply. If I give you $20. If I give you $20. It's a gift. That's grace, right? I say to somebody, Charles, I
love you. Here's $20. Charles, he didn't do anything
to earn that. I just upped because of my affection
for him, my love for him. I said, here, buddy, take this.
It's yours. Thank you. Grace. Grace, right? Undeserved, unearned, unmerited
gift. Grace. Now, if Charles goes over
and cuts my grass, I say, here, Charles, I'm going to give you
$20. Oh, no. You're not giving me anything.
Charles said, I earned that twenty bucks. I worked for it. Right? Now, if you get to heaven
because you're moral, that's worse. If you get to heaven because
you're religious, that's worse. If you get to heaven because
you made a decision, that's worse. If you get to heaven because
you believed, that's worse. Right? But no, the scripture
says what? By grace are you saved. Through
faith, yes, but that's not even of yourselves. Even it's grace. God graciously bestows the gift
of thanksgiving. It's a means, but you can't drum
it up, you can't work it, can you? God must give it. Even that faith is a gift of
God. It's not of works, lest any man
should boast. Why? Why is this thing all of
grace and not of work? Why? Because to God be the glory. To God be the glory. Great things
he hath done. To him be all the glory. No flesh,
he said, no flesh will glory in my presence. Not going to
do it. He's not going to abide by it.
Not for a second. No room for boasting. All boasting excluded, all pride
will be abased, because we are only sinners. And if you save,
it'll be by grace. Right? No room for boasting,
no. But it's free, verse 24, we're
justified freely by his grace. It's free to us, but it costs
God something. It's not by works that we have
done, but it cost somebody a work, a priceless work, a lifelong
work. Right? Who was it? Who was it? Verse 24, we are justified freely,
accepted by God, by his grace, through our morality, our good—no,
through the redemption, that glorious work on Calvary's hill. That's in Jesus Christ or by
the Lord Jesus Christ. Go on. By whom God has set forth
or ordained to be a bloody sacrifice. That's what propitiation means.
Bloody sacrifice, sin atonement, propitiation through faith in
his blood to declare his righteousness. What righteousness? The only
righteousness God will accept. The only one God will accept
for the forgiveness of sins through the forbearance of God. To declare,
I say, Paul said, to declare, I'll say it, at this time, the
righteousness of Jesus Christ, the holy life, the shed blood
of Jesus Christ, that God might be judged. It's excluded. We conclude, verse
28, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the
law. Now turn back to Exodus chapter
30, would you? You say, what's all this got
to do with the altar of incense? Thirty minutes later. Well, I ask you like the Lord,
like the angel asked Zechariah, don't you know? What's all this got to do, what's
this blood got to do with the altar of incense? Don't you know? Huh? Paul said in Hebrews, almost
all things are by the law purified by, purged by what? Blood. Because it's the blood
that makes atonement for the soul. The whole tabernacle that
we've been studying, and everything in it speaks of blood, blood
sacrifice and atonement. The first thing you saw in going
into that tabernacle was the altar where the blood was shed.
The last thing you'll see when we finish this tabernacle is
blood being poured on top of that mercy seat. Blood going
in, blood coming out. It's a bloody religion, I know
that. It's an old-fashioned, yes, fashioned of old. He was
the Lamb slain, the sacrifice before the foundation of the
world. Because the only way to approach this Holy God, I've
been attempting to describe and explain, is through the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Holy Son, and his intercessory
prayer. We need these two things. One
is just as vital as the other. The blood before the Lord and
the incense before the Lord. OK? Now, read verse 10 with me. And Aaron shall make an atonement
upon the horns of this altar once in a year with the blood
of the sin offering of atonement. Once in a year shall he make
atonement upon it throughout your generation. Blood atonement. Because it's most holy under
the Lord. Now, the altar of incense. The
altar of incense is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, like
everything else. A perfect, a beautiful picture.
Not a perfect picture, but a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verse 1. He says, this
altar of incense is made of wood. That's the manhood of Christ.
We've seen that before. Verse 2. And verse 3, it is overlaid
with pure gold, pure gold. He's more than just a man, he's
God. Verse 2 says he's foursquare. He's a perfect man, and he's
a golden one, a spotless, pure one. You notice that pure? If
you'll go back and look it up, nearly every time it mentions
gold, it says pure gold, pure gold. God was in Christ, reconciling
the world unto himself. And this golden altar, look at
verse 6, this golden altar was placed before the veil, thou
shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony,
to burn incense. Before the ark of the testimony,
before the mercy seat, is over the testimony where I'll meet
with thee, and Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense. Every morning when he dresses
the lamps, you remember the lamp, he'll burn incense in the When
he lights the lamps in the morning, and in verse 8, and when Aaron
lights the lamps at evening, he'll burn the incense on them.
Now turn with me to Job chapter 9. I want you to look at this.
This is a blessed portion of scripture. Just as the high priest
dare not go into the holy place without blood, he goes in once
a year, Paul said in Hebrews, but not without blood. He dare
not go into that Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant
is, without blood. And even so, he dare not pass
through that veil except this incense be burning at all times.
He's not going to slip in. He's not going to come into the
presence of God except this incense be burning. Now, what's this
talking about, Preacher? Well, this is talking about there's
no access to the Holy God except through the righteousness and
shed blood of Christ, and there's no communion, no acceptance,
no access still apart from his prayers to the Father, right
now. His mediatorial intercessory
prayers, praying for his people, just like that high prayer, just
like the incense. Look at Job 9, verse Look at
verse 30 with me. Job 9, verse 30. Job said, And
if I wash myself, I don't think this is Job speaking. Yeah, it
is. This is Job. He said, And if
I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands ever so clean,
yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch. You won't take me. You'll plunge me in the ditch.
Get out of my presence. If I wash myself, my own clothes
shall abhor me. My rags that I've got on won't
allow me in there. God's not a man as I am, that
I should talk to him or speak to him or approach unto him.
You see, sinful men and women must have a mediator. This is
a basic gospel, Kurt. We must have a go-between, an
intercessor. We cannot pray, and I tried to
say it Sunday morning, we cannot even pray to God and have him
hear us. Somebody's got to pray for us,
because our prayers, our very best prayers are full of sin,
self, self. No amount of sincerity, no amount
of morality, no amount of separatism, no amount of self-denial will
do. Did you read the article in the
back of the bulletin? But Christ will do. Christ did. He did all that needed to be
done. And God is still holy. He's still
holy. And man must have a mediator,
one whom the holy God will hear. One as holy as God. That God will say, now I'll take
you. I won't take the rest of this
evil generation, but I'll take you. I'll hear you. And it must
be one that can have compassion on us. One who can understand
us, who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, who knows
where we're at, who knows what we need, just what we need. Is
there one? Job said, look at this, verse
32, God's not a man. I can't come to him. He won't
answer me. that we should come together in judgment, and there's
no daysman betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both." Oh,
yes there is, Joe. You speak as one of the foolish
men. Yes, there is, Joe. Is there
one? The psalm says, yes, there's one. Only one. Jesus, the Lord Jesus Christ,
he's the one, the only one. The scripture says the only mediator
between God and men. Men now, get that correct, get
that translation right. The only mediator between God
and men, not man, men, elect people, certain people, people
on the name of, names on his breastplate. The only mediator
between God and men, and it ain't the Pope, and it ain't Mary. Mary had to pray to him, didn't
she? And it ain't Saint Jude, it ain't
the preacher, it ain't the priest. It is a man, though, but more
than a man. The man, the God-man, Christ
Jesus. And he stands before the Father,
before the Holy of Holies like that that altar of incense, he
stands there in the gap. That's what daismon, one that
can lay his hand on me and hand on God and judge between us.
That's what daismon betwixt us, an umpire, one who can rightly
judge things, who can rightly judge the holy character of God,
what he requires, and who can rightly judge our state and bring
us together as only one. Job, there's one, buddy. There's
one. He found that later on, didn't
he? And he said, I know he lives. My Redeemer. I know he lives. A daveman. He always has been
before the Father, interceding, and he always will. Look back
at the text again, real quick. Exodus 30, verse 7. And like Aaron burned that incense
in the morning, Christ was at Intercessor that mediator before
the foundation of the world in the morning and the dawn of time
Christ was there with the father. He was there and in the evening
verse eight at evening. He'll burn that incense perpetual
incense. The scripture says Christ ever
liveth to make intercession for us. He never stops. And you know
what? He really doesn't even have to
say a word. He really doesn't even have to say a word. Just
him being there intercedes for me. That mediates for me. The
fact that there's a man at the right hand of God means that
another man can come too. Another man. But only in that
man. Verse 9, and I'll wrap this thing
up. Now you're not going to offer any strange incense there on.
No strange incense. Henry, he doesn't hear our prayers
in and of our prayers, does he? Isn't that what we study over
there in Romans 8? That spirit must make intercession for us,
groanings that cannot be uttered? He doesn't hear our prayers.
He hears them, but they're sifted. They're purified. They're corrected. Or rather, they're blotted out
and made anew. They're made awry. through our
mediator, our intercessor, because no strange incense will do no
strange fire. I recall one fellow coming in
trying to burn some strange fire, don't you? They drug him out
of there by his heels. Strange fire. What's that smell? Selfish smell. Self-righteous
prayer coming up in my nostrils, God says. I won't have it. And
you've heard them pray. where you can reek of self-righteousness.
God won't hear these prayers. He won't hear it. It's only that
pure and lovely, God-honoring, altogether God-honoring, exalting
prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ, because He's the only one that
ever had a heart to really pray for the will of God, the holy,
the good of God, God's glory. Only one. Always has, always
will be. No strange incense allowed. God won't accept it. God won't
receive it. God won't hear and answer you,
me, or anybody else apart from the blood, the merits, and the
prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Look at the very last line
in verse 10. Because he's the only one who's
most holy under the Lord. Only one. Only one. And it shall be perfect to be
accepted. But there is good news, though. God will receive all that come
to him by Christ, through Christ. But you dare not rush into God's
presence. I hear people pray all the time.
I hear them pray without even mentioning the name of Christ.
Oh, they might at the end, you know, in Jesus name. Amen. Oh, my, I hear you men pray.
And the prayer is full of Christ, Christ, in the name of Christ,
for Christ's sake. Christ, what? That's that, that's
that incense going up in God's mouth. He likes that name. It's
a sweet smelling. I like that. It sounds sweet
to my ear. Doesn't it, Yuri? Christ. Christ, the only name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, and
we must pray through him. All right, stand with me, and
we dismiss and pray. Our prayers seem so hollow at
times like this, after looking at your word, after
looking at the truth of the matter. It seems so hollow. So, Lord, take these prayers,
these supplications, take these words and transform them, transform
them, and transform our very minds Our very lives conform
us, mold us, and make us into the very will and mind of Christ
himself, the will of God, the mind of Christ. Let this mind
be in us, mold us daily, until someday we might be able to pray
with just one half ounce of sincerity and one half ounce of desire
for the glory of God. We thank you for Christ, our
mediator. Hear Him. Hear us because of Him. In His
name we pray. Amen. You're dismissed.
Paul Mahan
About Paul Mahan
Paul Mahan has been pastor of Central Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, Virginia since 1989; preaching the Gospel of God's Sovereign Grace.
Broadcaster:
Central Grace Church
Theology:
#Soteriology #Faith Alone #Grace
More from Paul Mahan

Comments

0 / 2000 characters
Comments are moderated before appearing.

Be the first to comment!

More from Paul Mahan

Forgiveness for the Ignorant May 3, 2026 · Leviticus 4
Last Letter for these Last Days Apr 29, 2026 · Revelation 3:14-22
The Call & Confirmation of Christ Apr 26, 2026 · 1 Corinthians 1
A Runaway Rebel Now Home Forever Apr 19, 2026 · Philemon
The House That Wisdom Built Apr 15, 2026 · Proverbs 9
View All 3,891 Sermons

Related Sermons

Forgiveness for the Ignorant Paul Mahan · May 3, 2026
Last Letter for these Last Days Paul Mahan · Apr 29, 2026
The Call & Confirmation of Christ Paul Mahan · Apr 26, 2026
A Runaway Rebel Now Home Forever Paul Mahan · Apr 19, 2026
The House That Wisdom Built Paul Mahan · Apr 15, 2026

Same Scripture

Sermons on Exodus 30

The Holy Anointing Oil Frank Tate · Exodus 30:20-33
The Double Cure in The Courtyard Frank Tate · Exodus 30:17-21
The Laver David Pledger · Exodus 30:17-21
Christ Our Intercessor Frank Tate · Exodus 30:1-10
The One Foundation Clay Curtis · Exodus 30:11-16

Articles by Paul Mahan

A Man After God's Own Heart Sep 7, 2021 · 1 min read
Believers are Not Lawless Sep 4, 2021 · 1 min read
A License to Sin? Sep 4, 2021 · 1 min read
Are You a Calvinist? May 26, 2020 · 2 min read
License to Sin? May 25, 2020 · 1 min read
Joshua

Joshua

Shall we play a game? Ask me about articles, sermons, or theology from our library. I can also help you navigate the site.

0:00 0:00