Lance Carson
The burning of incense in the tabernacle was an important part of worship in the Tabernacle and Temple period. The incense was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation, and the recipe was stipulated by God. The incense was burned on an altar in the Holy Place of the tabernacle, and the smoke from the incense was thought to symbolise the prayers of God's people rising to Him.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Symbolism | The smoke from the incense symbolized the prayers of God's people constantly ascending before the Lord. |
| Ingredients | The incense was made of costly materials, including sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, with pure frankincense. |
| Preparation | The recipe for the incense was provided by God, and it was prepared by the House of Avtinas. |
| Ritual | The incense was burned on the altar each morning and at twilight as a regular offering to the Lord. |
| Purpose | The incense served as a protective covering, creating a pleasant aroma to mask unpleasant smells in the camp. |
| Uniqueness | The altar of incense was considered "most holy to the Lord," and only authorized incense was to be burned on it. |
| Mediation | The priests served as mediators between the people and God, symbolically bringing their prayers to Him through the incense. |
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What You'll Learn
The pleasing aroma
The incense also served as a protective covering. In the Old Testament, when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he carried a portable incense burner that provided a protective cloud of smoke. This ritual was not just a matter of formalities but a representation of the Lord's desire for His people to be holy in their hearts and lives.
The altar of incense was an essential part of the worship in the Tabernacle and temple, symbolizing the mediation between the people and God. However, in the new covenant worship, the church has replaced the old priestly rituals. Believers can now approach God directly through Christ, our Great High Priest, without the need for a protective canopy of incense.
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Symbolism of prayers
The incense offering in the Tabernacle was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple of Jerusalem. The recipe for the incense was stipulated by God, who instructed Moses to take "sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense". The incense was burned on an altar made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, with four "horns", one at each corner. The altar of incense was placed before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.
The burning of incense is often associated with prayer and symbolises the prayers of God's people constantly ascending before the Lord. In Psalm 141:2, David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you as incense". Similarly, in Revelation 5:8, John describes the elders around the throne as holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people. The smoke from the incense, constantly rising from the altar, represents the prayers of the people rising up to God.
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. This ritual was performed to cleanse the altar and symbolised the need for a pure heart before God, rather than just performing the rituals without sincerity.
In the New Testament, the old priestly rituals of the Tabernacle have been replaced by what they symbolised—the prayers of the saints. Through Christ, our Great High Priest, we can now approach God without fear and without the need for a protective canopy of incense. Christ is the mediator of the new covenant, and through His sacrifice, we are cleansed and able to draw near to God.
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Incense ingredients
The incense offering in Judaism was related to perfumed offerings on the altar of incense in the Tabernacle and the First and Second Temple periods. The recipe for the incense was given by God, who stipulated that no other incense should ever be burned on the altar. The sacred incense was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation.
The Book of Exodus describes the recipe as follows:
> 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 four components from the Book of Exodus are stacte, onychia, galbanum, and frankincense. Stacte is described as the sap that drips from the branches of the balsam tree, or the extract of the transparent portion of the myrrh resin that exudes spontaneously from the tree. Onycha, which means "nail" in Greek, is described as the operculum from a shell found in the Red Sea, or the exudation from the rock rose bush called labdanum. Galbanum is generally considered to be Ferula galbaniflua.
The rabbis of the Talmud expanded the description of the recipe from four ingredients to eleven ingredients. According to Josephus, the incense had thirteen ingredients.
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Incense as a sacrifice
Incense played a significant role in the sacrificial rituals of ancient Israel. The altar of incense was located in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, just before the veil that separated it from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The Tabernacle incense was made from a variety of costly spices and resins, including stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, following a specific recipe given by God.
The burning of incense on the altar was a sacred act, performed by the priests, and it held symbolic significance. Firstly, it represented the prayers of God's people rising to Him. In Scripture, incense is often associated with prayer, as seen in Psalm 141:2, where David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you like incense." The smoke from the burning incense symbolized the constant offering of prayers before the Lord.
Additionally, the incense served as a sacrificial offering to atone for sins. When a sin offering was required due to the high priest's failure, the blood of the offering was smeared on the horns of the incense altar, as described in Leviticus 4:3-7. This ritual was also performed for sin offerings made on behalf of the entire community. The high priest would enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, carrying a portable incense burner that provided a protective cloud of smoke under which he could safely apply the blood of purification offerings to the mercy seat.
The altar of incense was constructed from acacia wood, overlaid with gold, and had four "horns" at each corner. It was placed next to the curtain dividing the Holy Place from the Most Holy, and the incense was burned on it twice daily, in the morning and at twilight, as a regular offering to the Lord. The sweet fragrance of the incense not only created a pleasing aroma for God but also helped mask any unpleasant smells that may have been present during the wilderness wanderings of Israel.
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Incense in the New Testament
The use of incense in the Old Testament is referenced multiple times in the New Testament. In Revelation 5:6-8, John describes his vision of the throne:
> "And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."
Here, the incense is described as being the "prayers of the saints", a reference to the Old Testament use of incense as a symbol of the prayers of God's people. This interpretation is supported by David's prayer in Psalm 141:2, "May my prayer be set before you like incense", and Zechariah's offering of incense in the temple in Luke 1:10 while the "assembled worshippers were praying outside".
Jesus is described as the "mediatorial Priest", serving as a mediator between the people and God. Through him, our prayers are pleasing to God, and his sacrifice ensures that God hears our prayers.
The New Testament also references the Old Testament's use of incense in relation to prophecy. "Types" in the Old Testament, such as the tabernacle-temple arrangement, are seen as prophetic pictures of the blessings that God will bring through Christ Jesus.
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Frequently asked questions
The altar of incense was significant as it was one of the items inside the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, where God's presence was. It was made of costly materials and was to be carried out by priests, who served as mediators between the people and God.
The incense in the Tabernacle represented the prayers of God's people rising to Him.
The recipe for the incense was given by God and included sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, with pure frankincense.
The priests served as mediators between the people and God, offering incense on their behalf as their prayers.
The altar of incense was associated with sacrificial rituals. When a sin offering was required, the blood was smeared on the horns of the altar and poured at its base. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies with a portable incense burner, creating a protective cloud of smoke.
