According to the diagram of the tabernacle and the outer court, the ark is the focus. However, in actual practice the center is the incense altar. This indicates that Christ’s interceding life is the center of the divine practice, the divine administration. In the universe there is something that may be called God’s economy, God’s administration, God’s practice. We may use different terms to describe this one matter: economy, administration, practice, dispensation, move, government. All these terms may be regarded as synonymous, as referring to the same thing. This means that God’s economy, dispensation, administration, government, move, and practice all refer to the same thing. God is not idle: He is a God of purpose. He has a purpose, and He is moving, working, acting, dispensing, administrating. This diagram of the tabernacle is a very accurate and detailed picture of God’s administration, God’s economy, in this universe.
When we study the incense altar, we are studying the greatest matter in the universe. There is nothing more central than this. Although we are not politicians, we surely are heavenly statesmen. Furthermore, we are studying universal “politics,” that is, God’s politics. The ark in the Holy of Holies is the central government, our heavenly Washington, D.C. The incense altar may be regarded as our heavenly White House. This means that everything is executed, motivated, and carried out from this divine center. The intercession of Christ is God’s White House. Christ’s interceding life, His prayer life, is the center of God’s administration.
The book of Revelation is a book of God’s administration, a book of divine execution. This book reveals the throne of God and the administration of God throughout the universe. However, the executing center actually is not the throne; the executing center is the incense altar in Revelation 8. Revelation 8:3 says, “And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given to Him that He should add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.” On this altar the prayers of the saints are offered to God, and Christ’s incense is added to these prayers. When the prayers of the saints ascend to God with the incense of Christ, God executes the policies of His administration.
The prayer life of Christ is the center of God’s execution of His government on earth. Revelation 8 indicates this. But some who read chapter eight of Revelation may say, “In Revelation 8 we cannot see Christ’s prayer. We can see only the prayers of the saints.” The saints, however, are one with Christ. The prayers in Revelation 8 no longer are merely the prayers of the individual Christ, but have become the prayers of the corporate Christ. In the matter of the execution that takes place at the incense altar, the saints truly are one with Christ. Therefore, when we speak in this message of the prayer life of Christ, we mean the prayer life of the corporate Christ.
Furthermore, we need to realize that whenever we pray in the spirit, Christ is praying in our praying. The New Testament speaks of praying in the Lord’s name. To pray in the name of the Lord Jesus is to pray in Christ. When we pray in this way, Christ is actually the one praying. For example, suppose you go to a bank to carry out a transaction in the name of another person. Will the bank honor your name or the name of the person you represent? To be sure, the bank will not recognize your name; instead, it will recognize the name of the person represented by you. In a very real sense, because you are representing that person, you are that person, for you are acting in his name. In like manner, when we pray in Christ’s name, we pray in Him. Also, when we pray in Him, Christ is actually the one praying. He prays in us; He prays in our prayer. In the sight of God, all the proper prayers of the saints and of the churches are prayers of Christ and are included as part of Christ’s intercession.