Seamus Hammond
The altar of incense was a significant part of the worship of God in the Tabernacle and the Temple. It is first mentioned in Exodus chapter 30 as one of the items inside the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. The altar was made of acia wood and gold, with four horns, and was used to burn incense, which was a mixture of oil and spices. The incense created a pleasing aroma for God and its smoke symbolised the prayers of God's people rising up to Him. The altar of incense was also connected with the sacrificial rituals of Israel, with the blood of sin offerings being smeared on its horns for cleansing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials | Gold and acacia wood |
| Shape | Square top, one cubit per side, two cubits high |
| Placement | Before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies |
| Usage | Burning of incense, a symbol of the prayers of God's people |
| Incense ingredients | Oil mixed with spices |
| Incense recipe | Given by God |
| Incense smoke | Symbolized the prayers of God's people constantly ascending before the Lord |
| Incense aroma | Pleasing to God |
| Incense as a symbol | Symbol of the fragrant aroma of Christ covering all of the furniture and utensils in the temple |
| Incense as a reminder | Reminded Israel to pray |
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What You'll Learn
The altar of incense was made of gold and acacia wood
The altar of incense was a sacred object mentioned in the Bible, specifically in Exodus chapter 30. It was constructed from acacia wood, a type of hardwood native to various regions, including Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia. This wood is known for its durability, strength, and natural resistance to moisture and decay. The altar was then overlaid with gold, a material fit for a king, signifying the importance and holiness of the altar.
The altar of incense played a significant role in the worship rituals of the Israelites. It was used to burn incense, which symbolized the prayers of God's people rising up to the Lord. The smoke from the incense constantly rising from the altar represented the constant presence of their prayers before God. This idea is expressed in Psalm 141:2, where David compares his prayers to incense before the Lord.
The altar of incense was not only a symbol of prayer but also a reminder of the need for atonement and purification. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would smear the blood of a sin offering on the horns of the altar to cleanse it. This ritual highlighted that the Israelites' prayers were acceptable to God through sacrifices and atonement.
The construction of the altar of incense with gold and acacia wood underscores the significance of this object in the religious practices of the Israelites. The use of gold, a precious metal, and acacia wood, known for its beauty and durability, emphasizes the holiness and longevity of the altar.
The altar of incense, with its unique materials and purpose, served as a constant reminder for the Israelites to pray and maintain their spiritual connection with God. The combination of gold and acacia wood in its construction created a visually striking object that symbolized the importance of prayer and the ongoing relationship between the Israelites and their God.
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It was purified by the sprinkling of blood
The altar of incense was first mentioned in Exodus chapter 30 as one of the items inside the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The altar was made of acia wood and overlaid with gold. It was purified by the sprinkling of blood, which symbolised the atoning sacrifice in reference to God.
The altar of incense was purified by the sprinkling of blood from a sacrifice once a year on the Day of Atonement. This was done by the high priest, who would smear the blood on the four horns of the altar. The altar of incense was also connected with the sacrificial rituals of Israel. When a sin offering was required due to a failure on the part of the high priest, the blood of the offering was smeared on the horns of the incense altar and poured out at its base.
The sprinkling of blood on the altar of incense symbolised the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and ensured that God heard the prayers of His people. John Calvin commented on this, saying, "The altar of incense was purified by the sprinkling of blood, that they might learn that their prayers obtained acceptance through sacrifices." Today, the perfect sacrifice of Jesus ensures that God hears the prayers of His people.
The altar of incense was also a symbol of the prayers of God's people. The smoke from the incense constantly rising from the altar symbolised the prayers of God's people ascending before the Lord. In Scripture, incense is often associated with prayer. For example, David prayed, "May my prayer be set before you like incense" (Psalm 141:2). The altar of incense reminded Israel to pray and assured them that their prayers were acceptable to the Lord.
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It was a symbol of the prayers of God's people
The altar of incense is mentioned in the Bible, in Exodus chapter 30, as one of the items inside the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, with a square top and four "horns", one at each corner. It was placed before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Testimony was located. Aaron was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight as a regular offering to the Lord.
The incense burned on the altar was made from fine spices and created a pleasing aroma that symbolized the prayers of God's people rising up before His throne. In Scripture, incense is often associated with prayer, as seen in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "May my prayer be set before you like incense" (NIV). This idea is further reinforced in Revelation 5:8, where John describes the elders around the throne "holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people" (NIV).
The smoke from the incense constantly rising from the altar symbolized the prayers of God's people ascending before the Lord. The priests served as mediators between the people and God, offering incense on their behalf and symbolically bringing their prayers into His presence. This is reflected in the practice of the Israelites, who offered incense as a sacrificial ritual to atone for their sins.
Today, the perfect sacrifice of Jesus ensures that God hears our prayers without the need for priestly mediators or the burning of incense. The apostle Paul describes believers in Christ as having "the aroma of the knowledge of him," spreading the fragrance of Christ to those around them (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).
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The smoke from the incense symbolised prayers rising up to God
The altar of incense is mentioned in the Bible, in Exodus chapter 30, as one of the items inside the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. It was two cubits high and had a square top, with each side measuring one cubit. The altar also had four "horns", one on each corner, and rings of gold built into it, which allowed it to be carried with poles of acacia wood.
The altar of incense was an important part of the worship of the tabernacle and temple. It was used to burn incense, which created a pleasing aroma for God. The smoke from the incense symbolised the prayers of God's people rising up to Him. This is expressed in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you as incense". Similarly, in Revelation 5:8, John describes the elders around the throne "holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people".
The incense burned on the altar was made according to a specific recipe given by God, and only authorised incense was allowed to be used. The fire used to burn the incense was taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary. The altar of incense was to be purified with blood once a year on the Day of Atonement, and it was never to be used for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or drink offerings.
The smoke from the incense rising up to God symbolised the constant offering of prayers by God's people. It also served as a reminder to Israel to pray and assured them that their prayers were pleasing to God. The altar of incense, therefore, represented the work of prayer that the Israelites offered to the Lord.
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The incense was made from fine spices and oil
The altar of incense is mentioned in the Bible as one of the items inside the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The Book of Exodus describes the recipe for the incense as instructed by God:
> Take unto yourself sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And you shall make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [salted], pure and holy: And you shall beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with you: it shall be unto you most holy.
The Talmud lists seven additional components to the four components from the Book of Exodus, bringing the total number of ingredients to eleven. The four components from the Book of Exodus are stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. The seven additional components are myrrh, cassia, spikenard, saffron, costus, Jordan amber, and two kinds of cinnamon.
The incense was to be made by a perfumer, seasoned with salt, and kept holy. The recipe was to be kept secret, and it was forbidden to make the same incense for personal use. The incense was burned on the altar of incense, with the smoke representing the prayers of God's people rising to God.
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Frequently asked questions
The altar of incense represented the work of the Israelites offered to the Lord — the work of prayer. The smoke from the incense symbolized the prayers of God's people constantly ascending before the Lord.
The altar of incense was made of gold and acacia wood. It was square at the top with a side of one cubit and a height of two cubits. It also had four "horns", one at each corner.
The altar of incense was used to burn a specific mixture of incense, which was made from fine spices and oil. This incense was chosen by God, who also provided the recipe. The incense created a pleasing aroma for God.
