Katrina Rosales
Incense has been used in religious ceremonies and worship for centuries, with its origins dating back to ancient civilisations in India, Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, and more. The use of incense holds significant meaning in major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shinto, Judaism, and Christianity. In these religious contexts, incense is burned as a symbolic or sacrificial offering to deities, to serve as an aid in prayer, or to symbolise purification and sanctification. The act of burning incense is often accompanied by specific rituals and beliefs, such as waving or raising the incense sticks above the head while bowing to statues or plaques of deities. Incense plays a crucial role in creating a solemn atmosphere and connecting the earthly and heavenly realms during worship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Symbolism | The smoke from the incense symbolizes the prayers of God's people constantly ascending before the Lord |
| Incense materials | Gum resin, tree sap, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, salt, and spices |
| Incense altar materials | Gold and acacia wood |
| Incense altar location | Outside the Holy of Holies chamber, in the Holy Place |
| Incense maintenance | Maintained by regular priests daily, in the morning and evening |
| Incense burners | The priests, who served as mediators between the people and God |
| Incense offerings | Only authorized incense could be offered on the altar |
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What You'll Learn
- The altar of incense symbolised the prayers of God's people
- The sweet-smelling smoke from the incense represented the people's prayers ascending to God
- The altar of incense was placed outside the Holy of Holies chamber so that priests could care for it daily
- The incense was made from gum resin, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, and salt
- The altar of incense formed a pillar of smoke to accompany the lampstand's pillar of fire
The altar of incense symbolised the prayers of God's people
The altar of incense was a significant part of the worship of the tabernacle and temple. It was constructed with gold and acacia wood, with a square base of approximately 18 inches and a height of 36 inches. The altar was positioned in the Holy Place, between the golden lampstand and the table of showbread.
The incense burned on the altar was made from a specific mixture of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, with salt, and was carefully tended to by priests. The sweet-smelling smoke that rose from the incense symbolised the prayers of God's people, ascending to God. This symbolism is expressed in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you as incense".
The altar of incense, therefore, served as a constant reminder to the Israelites that prayer must be central to their lives as God's people. The act of burning incense was a continuous one, reflecting the idea of "praying without ceasing". The smoke from the incense filled the tent of meeting, wafting past the entrance to the tabernacle and even reaching the Holy of Holies, where the ark of the covenant was kept.
The priests played a crucial role as mediators between the people and God, bringing the prayers of the people into His presence. This role is no longer necessary, as Christians can now approach God through Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, who has cleansed us forever with His blood.
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The sweet-smelling smoke from the incense represented the people's prayers ascending to God
The altar of incense was a significant part of worship in the Tabernacle and the Temple. It was made of gold and acacia wood and was placed in the Holy Place, between the golden lampstand and the table of showbread. The inner structure of the altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold, with horns on each corner and golden rings on both sides. The incense burned on this altar was made from a mixture of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, and salt.
The priests played a crucial role in the altar of incense. They served as mediators between the people and God, bringing the prayers of the people into His presence. The priests would refill the special mixture of incense on the golden altar in the morning and evening, so a sweet-smelling smoke issued from it continuously. This act of burning incense was a symbol of worship and prayer, drawing the priests closer to God.
The altar of incense also had a role in the Day of Atonement. The high priest would dab the horns of the altar with blood during this annual ceremony. Additionally, the incense burner provided a protective cloud of smoke under which the high priest could safely carry the blood of purification offerings into the Holy of Holies.
While the altar of incense held significant value in the Tabernacle and the Temple, it is no longer required for new covenant worship. Today, Christians can approach God through prayer without the need for priestly mediators, thanks to Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest.
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The altar of incense was placed outside the Holy of Holies chamber so that priests could care for it daily
The altar of incense was a significant part of worship in the Holy Tabernacle. It was constructed with gold and acacia wood, with horns on each corner, and outfitted with poles for transportation. The altar was placed within the Holy Place, outside the Holy of Holies chamber, to allow for daily tending by the priests.
The incense burned on the altar was made from a sacred mixture of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, with salt, and was replenished in the morning and evening. The sweet-smelling smoke that rose from the altar symbolized the prayers of God's people, ascending to God. This symbolism is expressed in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you as incense".
The priests played a crucial role as mediators between the people and God, symbolically bringing their prayers into His presence. This act of "drawing close to God" was a daily occurrence, with the exception of the Day of Atonement, when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies.
The altar of incense, with its continuous burning of incense, served as a reminder to the Israelites of the centrality of prayer in their spiritual lives. It represented the work of prayer offered unto the Lord, emphasizing the importance of approaching God with sincerity and reverence.
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The incense was made from gum resin, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, and salt
Incense has long been a part of religious worship, with the smoke from the incense symbolizing the prayers of the worshippers rising to God. In the Bible, incense is mentioned as an offering to God, with specific instructions for its preparation and use.
The incense was to be made from a definite prescription of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense in equal proportions, and tempered with salt. The gum resin provided a sticky base for the incense, while the onycha, galbanum, and frankincense added fragrance. Onycha, in particular, is derived from the Greek translation of the original Hebrew word "shecheleth", meaning "a tear, distillation, or exudation". It is believed to refer to the opercula of sea snails, which, when burned, emit a pleasant fragrance.
The addition of salt to the incense is less clear. One theory suggests that salt may have been used to purify the incense, ensuring it was "sacred". It may also have served a practical purpose, such as improving the burning quality of the incense or drawing out impurities.
The preparation and burning of incense were highly regulated, and it could not be made or used for ordinary purposes. The high priest, Aaron, was responsible for offering the compounded incense morning and evening on the gold-covered altar in front of the veil. Later, priests were chosen by lot to perform this sacred function.
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The altar of incense formed a pillar of smoke to accompany the lampstand's pillar of fire
The altar of incense was a symbol of prayer and worship. It was made with gold and acacia wood, and it stood in the Holy Place between the golden lampstand and the table of showbread. The smoke from the incense, constantly rising from the altar, symbolized the prayers of God's people constantly ascending before the Lord. This is expressed in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you as incense".
The altar of incense was a central part of the worship of the tabernacle and temple. Priests would bring burning coals for the altar from the brazen altar in the courtyard, carrying them in censers. The sacred incense was made from a mixture of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, along with salt. The sweet-smelling smoke filled the tent of meeting and symbolized the people's prayers rising to God.
The altar of incense was directly connected to the morning and evening maintenance of the lampstand or Menorah. Aaron was tasked with burning incense in the morning when he dressed the individual lamps of the Menorah and again in the evening when he lit the lamps. The coals of fire used on the Altar of Incense were taken from the Altar of Burnt Sacrifice, with God being the source of fire on both altars.
Thus, the altar of incense formed a pillar of smoke, with the sweet-smelling fragrance rising constantly from the altar. This pillar of smoke accompanied the lampstand's pillar of fire, with both serving as symbols of God's presence and the people's prayers rising up to Him.
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Frequently asked questions
The use of incense in Christianity is inspired by passages in the Bible. The smoke of burning incense is interpreted by both the Western Catholic and Eastern Christian churches as a symbol of the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven.
Incense is used in many religious ceremonies, including Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Shinto, Jewish, and ancient Egyptian.
The first recorded use of incense was by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC.
