I noticed this Truth several days ago, preparing to write these Leviticus Lessons. Then last night late it “impressed” me again.
“And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself. And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and HIS HANDS FULL OF SWEET INCENSE BEATEN SMALL, and bring it within the vail: and he shall put the INCENSE upon the fire before the LORD, that THE CLOUD OF THE INCENSE may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not. And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.” Leviticus 16:12-14
Particularly notice the “incense” here! (A Hebrew word meaning “to burn,” but translated “perfume” 3 times in the King James Version of the Bible!)
Not just a “handful” but “hands full!”
Lots of it!
Then two adjectives … “sweet” and (beaten) “small!”
This “incense” is normally burned on the “Golden Altar” nearest the Veil that separates the holy Place from the Most holy Place. But on that Day (the Day of Atonement) it is to be carried by Aaron into the very Throne Room of God (so to speak, Leviticus 16:2c) … a requirement, lest Aaron die.
This is indeed “burning sweet incense,” a double portion looks like … creating “smoke” (not the best word, a “cloud”) of protection for Aaron! Shielding him from the Very Glory of God … “which no man can see, and live.” (Exodus 33:20)
Now much could be said about this incense, but today I want to emphasize this: Aaron was to meet God “in the clouds!”
The clouds of sweet smelling smoke that “censer” would emit! (“A censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not.” Going back to verses 12 and 13.)
Today’s “point” …
Aaron was to meet God “in the clouds!”
And when Jesus comes back again to “receive us unto Himself” … we also shall meet Him “in the clouds!” As Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 … “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them IN THE CLOUDS, to meet the Lord in the air.”
Wow!
What a striking parallel!
We, as priests, shall meet the Lord (Who shed His incorruptible Blood for our Atonement) “in the clouds,” just as Aaron (Israel’s Priest) met the Lord so long ago. And both “meetings” are possible only through Blood offered unto Almighty God!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20, often called “the Bible’s last prayer!”
That incense “beaten small” and so very “sweet smelling” to the Nostrils of God … is likely a picture of Jesus our Lord as Intercessor on our behalf at the Right Hand of the Father. His Prayers being comparable to His many “requests” lofting upward for our sakes! (Beaten? And burned, the incense? Yes, symbols of Jesus’ suffering and pressure suffered here on earth … even prior to Calvary, during His earthly Life (as our Meat/Meal Offering, Leviticus chapter 2.) Not just “beaten,” but “beaten small!” Pulverized!
Wow!
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