Page 13 - Prayer Ascends - English

Visualize the drama of the scene at the temple in Jerusalem
that day. With three sharp trumpet blasts at three o’clock in
the evening, the congregation of Israel is called to assemble
for prayer. One assistant Jewish priest goes in to the Holy
place of the temple to clear the ashes of incense from
yesterday’s prayer meeting. Another priest places the live
coals in preparation for Zacharias to do his work. Finally, now
Zacharias enters sacredly into the holy place of the Temple to
burn the fresh incense on the altar of incense, signifying the
prayers of God’s people who were praying outside.

As the smoke of the incense goes up in the Holy place,
it is symbolic of the prayers going up to God from the
congregation outside. But why the incense? It is to remind
us that our prayers go up before God and are precious to
Him.
In Psalm 141:1-2, David says, “Oh Lord, I call unto thee. Give
ear to my voice and let my prayer be counted as sweet incense
before thee.” Like incense, our prayers go up to God.
In Revelation 8:3, we read that in the Holy of Holies of
heaven before the very throne of God, angels hold a golden
censer and much incense was given to them “that they might
add it to the prayers of the saints, and that the smoke of the
incense with the prayers of the saints, went up before God”.

In Acts 10:3–4, we read that the prayers of a seeking non-
Christian, Cornelius, had ascended as a memorial before
God.
Wow, this is awesome! Something we need to remind
ourselves about over and over again is the fact that our
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