The altar of incense was made of acacia wood, and it was square, measuring a cubit (45 cm : 1.5 feet) in both its length and width, and 2 cubits in its height. Placed inside the Holy Place, the altar of incense was overlaid with gold in its entirety, with a molding of gold all around it. Four rings of gold were placed under its molding to hold the poles used to carry it. On this altar of incense, nothing else but only the holy anointing oil and the sweet incense were to be used (Exodus 30:22-25).
The altar of incense was where the incense of prayer was offered to God. But before we pray at the altar of incense, we must first find out whether we are qualified to pray to God at this altar or not. Whoever seeks to be qualified to pray to the holy God must first become sinless by washing away his/her sins by faith. To do so, one must be cleansed of all his/her sins by the faith of the burnt offering and of the laver.
God does not hear the prayers of sinners (Isaiah 59:1-3). Why? Because God accepts only those who have been washed of all their sins by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Because God has washed away all our sins by the truth manifested in the blue, purple, and scarlet thread and the fine woven linen. God, in other words, is pleased to hear only the prayers of the righteous (Psalms 34:15, 1 Peter 3:12).