Submission is the Key to Salvation

Exodus 40:26: Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the curtain and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD commanded him.

I can imagine the priest walking into the tabernacle and seeing the visible reminders of the way of atonement for himself and his people. As he walked into the most holy place, he would look to the right and see the table of bread prepared and to the left the lampstand with golden almond buds. He would then approach the golden altar of incense to present an offering of incense to the LORD. All of this would occur before he could go through the curtain into the Holy of Holies.

In reflecting upon Christ, we can see ourselves walking through the tabernacle in the OT. As we look toward the right, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the bread of life . . . the offering that is the sacrifice for the sins of the world. As Jesus Himself so aptly said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty . . . . And I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:33-40).

As we look to the left, we see the golden lampstand with seven lamps in the shape of almond blossoms. We remember that Jesus said that He is the Light of the World. In John 8:12, Our Savior said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

As we walk forward in the Most Holy Place, we are then separated from the curtain leading into the presence of the LORD by the altar of incense. Incense was offered to deities to acknowledge their deity and to demonstrate submission to their lordship over one's life. Before we can enter into the presence of the LORD, we must first come to a point in which we submit to the LORDship of Jesus Christ. We capitulate our wills and our lives to the one who is Sovereign, and who has initiated our reconciliation with Him through His sacrifice on the cross and His triumph in His resurrection.

Once we offer the sacrifice of submission to the LORD (Romans 10:9-10), we are then able to enter the Holy of Holies. Again, this admittance is offered through Jesus Christ and our submissive response to Him. We then walk into the presence of the Lord, where the atonement altar is located. Here we find three objects at the altar . . . The ten commandments (representing God's law that tells us that we have sinned (Romans 3:20), Aaron's rod that budded (the instrument that was used to affirm that he was the one who would be the intermediary between God and man, and manna (divine bread that brought physical life to a people wandering in the wilderness of sin). Blood of a perfect sacrifice was offered upon the atonement altar, for without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22). And as the blood was poured out on the altar, the shadows of crimson would befall the standard of law, the intermediary, and the deliverance . . . all presenting testimony of the coming Messiah who would take away the sins of the penitent.

With the death of Christ, the curtain has been torn at the entrance into the Holy of Holies. So we all have opportunity to approach the presence of the LORD and receive forgiveness of sins. But we still find blocking our way the Altar of Incense. To our left and our right are the evidences that Christ is our bread of eternal life that provides us the light of truth for salvation. Will we respond at the altar of incense? Will we submit to His Lordship? Then let us boldly approach the throne of God and celebrate the sacrifice of blood for our salvation and the immeasurable blessings afforded to us as sons and daughters of the Almighty!