In the previous two chapters we have covered the relationship between the cross and prayer and the relationship between life supply and prayer. In this chapter we shall continue by speaking about the relationship between life illumination and prayer. These three chapters are related on the basis of the service of the Old Testament priests burning the incense in the Holy Place. Keep in mind that in the Old Testament types, when the priests entered the Holy Place to burn the incense, they had to pass through the altar of burnt offering. After getting into the Holy Place, they first placed the showbread on its table. Second, they dressed the lamps, and finally, they burned the incense. Hence, passing through the altar, the table of the showbread, and the lampstand is absolutely related to the burning of the incense before God. Everyone who goes before God to burn the incense must pass through these three places in his experience. The cross and prayer speak of the relationship between the altar of burnt offering and the incense altar. Life supply and prayer speak of the relationship between the showbread table and the incense altar. Life illumination and prayer are concerned with the relationship between the lampstand and the incense altar.
The priests going to the golden altar to burn the incense had to pass through the altar of offerings. They also had to pass through the showbread table and the lampstand. This means that everyone who goes before God to pray must pass through the cross. They must also experience Christ as life to such an extent that they are able to bring with them the Christ they have enjoyed and set Him before God. They must also experience Christ as light to the extent that they become illuminated within.
We know through experience that the more one draws near to God, the more he is in the light and becomes illuminated within. This does not mean that after you pray to God you will become illuminated within. Rather, it means that as you pass through the cross and enjoy Christ as life, this life becomes the illuminating light within you. Only such an illuminated one will have incense acceptable to God, and can therefore go before Him to pray.
No one should go foolishly before God to pray when he is in a darkened, dim, murky, and gloomy state. If we go before God in such a state, we will have neither many words nor much burden to pray. One who is able to go before God to burn the incense is one who has passed through the altar, has enjoyed Christ and set Him as the bread before God, has lit the lamp, and is shining within.
Notice here that if the light of the lampstand were put out so that the entire Holy Place were dark, there would be no way for anyone to burn the incense at the golden altar. Being in darkness, one would not know where to begin. It is entirely by the light of the lampstand that one is able to move and act and know what to do at the incense altar. This is a very clear picture. Many times when we go before God to pray, we have not lit the lamp and are without light inside. Therefore, we can only pray foolishly, groping entirely in darkness. Strictly speaking, if we are in such a situation, we should not even start to pray. We should first turn within to deal with the matter of illumination. When you are illuminated and can see clearly, knowing what and how to pray, you can start praying.
To care for the matter of illumination, we must first be dealt with at the offering altar. This means that we are broken by the application of the cross. We now experience Christ as life and enjoy Him as the showbread. Then according to what we have experienced and enjoyed, we bring Christ as the food of life and set Him before God for God to appreciate. Then the light within us will surely be shining, for that life we have experienced is the light. Now when we go before God to pray even for a few minutes, we will feel that we are illuminated within-the lamp within is shining. The Christ Whom we have experienced, Whom we have brought and set before God for His appreciation, is also the light of life that shines in us. At such a point we can easily pray before God. We also are very clear for which things we should or should not pray. We can touch the incense altar and know what we should do there. We know how to burn the incense. All those who have had the experience can testify of this. Hence, life illumination is absolutely related to prayer. Without lighting the lamp, we cannot burn the incense.
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