EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/22/2026
8:05 PM
My
Worship Time Focus: “Zacharias’s Priestly
Responsibility”
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Luke
1:8-10
Message of the verses: Now it happened that while he was
performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his
division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot
to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in
prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.” (NASB)
Zacharias’s order of serving in the
temple of the Lord came two times a year, which is his priestly service
before God, as seen in the following portion of our text for this evening: “in
the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly
office. Luke’s understated, mater-of-fact
wording does not truly convey to modern readers how thrilled and excited
Zacharias would have been for this once in-a-lifetime opportunity. I have stated that his order came two times a
year, but that does not mean that he was in the temple like he is in this
situation two times a year. He was
serving inside the temple this time.
MacArthur writes “To be chosen by
lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense was the highest honor
for a priest. Because of the large
number of priests, many would never have the privilege of performing this
sacred rite. The priests kept the
incense in the temple burning perpetually (cf. Ex. 30:7-8; Lev. 16:12-13; 2
Chron. 29:11) in front of the veil that separated the holy place from the most
holy place (the Holy of Holies; cf. Ex 26:31-33).”
(cf. Ex. 30:7-8; Lev. 16:12-13; 2
Chron. 29:11)
“7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it.
Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight,
he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your
generations.”
“12 And he shall take a censer full of coals of
fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten
small, and he shall bring it inside the veil 13 and put the incense on the fire before the
LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the
testimony, so that he does not die.”
“11 My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD
has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his
ministers and make offerings to him.’”
(cf. Ex 26:31-33)
“31 ¶ "And you shall make a veil of blue and
purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim
skillfully worked into it. 32 And you
shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold,
on four bases of silver. 33 And you
shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in
there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from
the Most Holy.”
“The
incense altar, though located outside the most holy place, was closest associated with it (Heb. 9:1-5; cf. Ex.
30:1-10; 40:5, 22-27; Lev. 16:12-13).”
(Heb. 9:1-5)
“1 ¶ Now even the first covenant had regulations
for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in
which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is
called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the
second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark
of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn
holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the
covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim
of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in
detail.”
“One
priest offered incense each morning and evening while the other priests and
the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside the holy
place. Luke’s reference to a large multitude
of people suggests that this incident took place during the evening
offering, when there would have been a larger crowd.”
Now as we look at this process that
the priest was doing in would normally be done as quickly as possible because
he feared ministering so near the most Holy Place. He was afraid he might do something-even
something seemingly trivial—that might be blasphemous or dishonoring to
God. Now this process was different than
what was done on the Day of Atonement as that High priest would go into the
Holy of Holies to do that special offering and they could hear him moving
around there.
MacArthur concludes this section “The
ascending, aromatic cloud of incense smoke symbolized the people’s prayers of
repentance, of confession and thanksgiving, for the coming of Messiah, the
peace of Jerusalem, the nation, the family, salvation, and for the coming
kingdom. Thus the incense represented
the people’s dependence on God (cf. 1 Chron. 29:12), their submission to Him
(cf. Deut. 27:10; 1 Sam. 15:22-23), and acknowledged His sovereignty over them
(cf. Psalm 103:19).”
(cf. 1 Chron. 29:12)
“12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you
rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make
great and to give strength to all.”
(cf. Deut. 27:10; 1 Sam. 15:22-23)
“10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD
your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.’”
“22 And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great
delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23
For rebellion is as the sin of
divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have
rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.’”
(cf. Psalm 103:19)
“19 ¶ The LORD has established his throne in the
heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”
2/22/2026
8:39 PM
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