Lance Carson
Prayer is a powerful force for good and a source of comfort, hope, and healing for many. In the Bible, prayer is compared to three things: oil, incense, and tears. In this paragraph, we will focus on the metaphor of incense and explore why our prayers are likened to incense before God. The Bible describes an altar of incense in Exodus 30, where God commands that an altar be made for the tabernacle with specific instructions for blending spices. This altar of incense is significant because it is where God met his people and priests would come closest to the Most Holy Place. In Psalm 141, David compares his prayers to incense, and in Revelation, we read that our prayers ascend to heaven like incense, collected by God in golden bowls. This metaphor highlights the continuous nature of prayer, its pleasing aroma, and its ability to reach heaven and bring us closer to God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | Comes from God |
| Burning | Ignited in a burning censer (our hearts) |
| Aroma | Pleasant to our senses and improves our environment |
| Direction | Ascends upward naturally |
| Purpose | Pleases God and perfumes heaven |
| Continuity | Prayers, like incense, must continue without end |
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What You'll Learn
Prayer as an offering
Prayer is a powerful force for good. It brings comfort, hope, and healing. The Bible uses several metaphors to describe prayer, including light, breath, and fire. One of the most evocative and beautiful metaphors is that of incense.
In Exodus 30, God commands that an altar of incense be made for the tabernacle, and he gives specific instructions on how the spices are to be blended. This altar stood in the middle, directly in front of the Most Holy Place, and was normally the closest the priests got to it. Incense was thus closely associated with the presence of God.
In the Bible, we see that our prayers ascend to heaven like incense. In Psalm 141, David prays: "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." In Revelation 5:8, John sees our prayers being offered as incense before Jesus, the Lamb of God. The elders are described as holding "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people."
Like incense, prayer is a raw material that comes from God and is ignited in the burning censer of our hearts. It purifies our thoughts and improves our environment, ascending upward naturally and pleasing God. Prayer, like incense, is also meant to be offered continually.
When we pray, we can imagine our prayers burning, smoking, and rising to God's throne. We can picture God closing His eyes and inhaling as our prayers arrive, taking pleasure in their aroma.
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The altar of incense
Aaron, the high priest, was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight as a daily offering to the Lord. The incense was made from fine spices, carefully blended according to a recipe provided by God, and its smoke symbolized the prayers of God's people rising up to Him. This symbolism is reflected in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you as incense".
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The aroma of incense
The Bible uses incense as a metaphor for prayer. In Exodus 30, God commands that an altar of incense be made for the tabernacle. In Psalm 141:2, David prays: "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice".
Incense is a fitting metaphor for prayer because it is a substance that is burned and rises as smoke. In the same way, prayers are ignited in our hearts and rise to God. Incense also has a pleasant aroma, and the Bible tells us that our prayers are pleasing to God. In Revelation 5:8, John describes seeing the prayers of God's people being offered as incense before Jesus, the Lamb of God.
The idea of prayer as incense also conveys the idea of sacrifice and gratitude. Just as incense was offered as a sacrifice to God, so we offer our prayers as a sacrifice of gratitude. Our prayers, like incense, should be pure and honest, without pretense. They should also be continuous, just as the beautiful smell of incense never left the altar.
The image of prayer as incense can change the way we pray. It encourages us to be thoughtful and intentional with our words, recognizing that our prayers are a precious offering to God.
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The Bible's metaphors for prayer
The Bible uses several metaphors to describe prayer, each illustrating a different aspect of its role and importance.
One of the most well-known metaphors in the Bible is that of a shepherd. In this metaphor, God is compared to a shepherd, who guides and cares for his flock of sheep. This illustrates God's role as a protector and caregiver, always watching over his followers and leading them towards salvation.
Another metaphor compares prayer to incense. In Exodus 30, God commands that an altar of incense be made and even provides a specific recipe for blending the spices. The smoke of this incense, along with the prayers of his people, rises to God, as described in Revelation 8:3-4. This metaphor emphasizes the idea that prayers are lifted up to God, who collects and savours them like a pleasant aroma.
The Bible also compares prayer to tears, emphasizing the idea of pouring out one's heart to God. Just as tears are an honest and vulnerable expression of emotion, prayers should be offered with similar sincerity and authenticity.
In another metaphor, prayer is like oil. In ancient times, olive oil was considered one of the purest and cleanest substances. By comparing prayer to oil, the Bible suggests that prayer has the ability to cleanse and purify.
Additionally, prayer is described as collapsing into the Father's arms. This metaphor illustrates the idea of surrendering one's sins and burdens to God, finding rest and comfort in His embrace.
These metaphors, and others like them, provide powerful imagery that helps believers understand the nature and impact of prayer in their lives. They serve as a reminder of the closeness and intimacy that can be achieved through honest and heartfelt communication with God.
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Prayer as a force for good
Prayer is a powerful force for good. It brings comfort, hope, and healing. While some may view prayer as an esoteric exercise, mysterious and far removed from daily life, the Bible presents a different picture.
The Bible uses metaphors to describe prayer, likening it to oil, incense, and tears. In the ancient world, oil, especially olive oil, was one of the purest and cleanest substances known. Similarly, prayers are seen as pure and honest offerings to God.
The comparison of prayer to incense is a recurring theme in the Bible. In Exodus 30, God commands the creation of an altar of incense for the tabernacle, with specific instructions on blending the spices. In Psalm 141:2, David prays, "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4 further reinforce this imagery, describing prayers ascending to heaven like incense, collected by God in golden bowls.
The incense metaphor conveys several ideas. Firstly, it suggests that prayers, like incense, rise and reach God in heaven. Secondly, the act of burning incense represents the passion and sincerity with which we offer our prayers to God. Incense also symbolizes the purification and transformation of our prayers as they ascend to God, filling the heavens with a pleasant aroma.
Prayers, like incense, are a sacrifice of gratitude and a sweet savour that delights God. They are an offering of our hearts, our hidden thoughts, and our deepest secrets laid bare before God. Just as the altar of incense was placed before the Lord in the Holy Place, our prayers are presented before God's throne, bringing us closer to His presence.
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Frequently asked questions
It is a metaphor that signifies the power of prayer and how it rises to God, like burning incense. It is also a reference to the Bible, where prayers are compared to incense in Psalm 141:2 and Revelation 5:8.
Prayers are compared to incense because, like incense, they are believed to be ignited in the heart and rise up to God. They are also a sacrifice, an offering of gratitude, and a source of pleasure for God, much like the aroma of incense.
The Bible also compares prayer to oil and tears. Oil is used as a metaphor for prayer because, in ancient times, it was considered one of the purest substances. Tears, on the other hand, represent the raw and honest emotions that are poured out before God, much like how one would pour out their heart in prayer.
Incense holds significant meaning in the Bible. In Exodus 30, God commands that an altar of incense be made for the tabernacle, and a specific recipe for blending the spices is given. Incense is often associated with offerings and sacrifices, and it is described as a pleasing aroma to God.
