Heidi Norton
Incense is used throughout the Bible as an offering to God and is often mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. The sweet smell of incense and its rising smoke gave it a natural symbolism, with the smoke coming to symbolise a person's or people's prayers rising up to God. The Bible also makes reference to the consequences of misusing incense, such as in Leviticus 10:1–2, where Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, die for improper worship involving incense.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Stacte, Onycha, Galbanum, Storax, Frankincense, Myrrh, Cassia, Spikenard, Saffron, Costus, Aromatic Bark, Cinnamon |
| Symbolism | Prayer, reverence, dedication, worship |
| Usage | Burned in connection with burnt offerings of animals, placed before Commandments in the meeting tent, used in liturgical rites |
| Other | Incense was offered by priests, including Aaron and Zechariah |
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What You'll Learn
Incense symbolises prayer
Incense is used in the Bible as a symbol of prayer and the relationship between God and His people. The sweet-smelling smoke rising towards the heavens symbolises people's prayers rising up to God. In Psalm 141, David writes, "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you".
Incense is also mentioned in the Book of Exodus, where Moses is given a formula for incense to be used solely in the worship of Yahweh. The recipe includes equal parts of storax or stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, blended and ground into a fine dust. The incense was placed before the Commandments in the meeting tent.
The use of incense as a symbol of prayer is also seen in the Gospel of Luke, where Zechariah offers incense while the multitude prays, and an angel announces the birth of his son, John the Baptist. In the Book of Revelation, the incense in the heavenly temple is identified with "the prayers of the saints".
Incense is also used in liturgical rites in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches. The act of burning incense is a sign of reverence and dedication, often used in funeral masses, the blessing of the Gospels, and the altar, among other rituals.
Thus, the use of incense in the Bible symbolises prayer, the connection between God and humanity, and the sacredness of worship and ritual.
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Incense is burned as an offering to God
Incense is offered up to God as a sacred act of worship and prayer. In the Bible, the Book of Exodus describes how God gave Moses a formula for incense to be used in the worship of Yahweh. This holy incense was to be made of equal parts storax or stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, ground into a fine powder. The incense was then placed before the Commandments in the meeting tent.
Burning incense is symbolic of prayer and the relationship between God and His people. The sweet-smelling smoke rising towards heaven represents the prayers of the people rising up to God. This symbolism is reflected in Psalm 141: "Let my prayer come like incense before you." Incense is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation, where the prayers of the saints are likened to incense in heaven.
The act of burning incense is also a sign of reverence and dedication to God. In religious ceremonies, the incensing of the Book of Gospels, the altar, and the Easter candle all indicate a deep respect for Christ and His sacrifice. The smoke of incense in the tabernacle is seen as a sacred offering, and in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches, incense is still used in liturgical rites today.
The Bible also mentions severe consequences for the misuse of incense. For example, in Leviticus, two of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, died due to improper worship involving incense. The offering of incense was originally the duty of the high priest, but the Gospel of Luke shows a shift, with ordinary priests, like Zechariah, also permitted to offer incense.
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Incense is used in funerals and other ceremonies
Incense has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years, dating back to the ancient world. The burning of incense is an ancient tradition found in nearly every religion, with the first recorded use by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC. The word "incense" is derived from the Latin words "in" and "censere", which means to burn with fragrant substances.
In the Bible, incense is mentioned nearly two hundred times and is used in various ceremonies and rituals. In Exodus 30:34-38, Moses is given a formula for incense to be used solely in the worship of Yahweh. It was to be made of equal parts of storax, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, blended and ground into a fine dust and placed before the Commandments in the meeting tent. The sweet smell of the incense and its rising smoke became a symbol of something pleasing to God, and the smoke came to symbolize prayers rising up to God. Incense was also burnt in connection with animal sacrifices and offerings.
Incense continues to be used in Christian worship and funerals today. In funeral Masses, the priest incenses the coffin as a sign of honour to the body of the deceased and as a symbol of the faithful's prayers rising to God. Incense is also used at the celebration of the Eucharist, solemn celebrations of the Divine Office, funerals, benediction and exposition of the Eucharist, the consecration of a church or altar, and other services.
The use of incense in religious ceremonies is not limited to Christianity. Incense holds an important role in East Asian Buddhist ceremonies, Chinese Taoist rites, and Japanese Shinto shrines. It is also used in Islamic worship, based on the example of the Prophet Muhammad, who used incense in his own personal rituals. The burning of incense is also an ancient tradition in Hinduism and Judaism.
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Incense is made from a blend of costly materials
The use of incense in the Bible is symbolic of prayer and the relationship between God and His people. The sweet smell of incense and its rising smoke became a natural symbol of something pleasing to God. Incense is also a sign of reverence and dedication.
> 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...
The four components from the Book of Exodus are stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. Stacte is described as the extract of the transparent portion of the myrrh resin that exudes spontaneously from the tree, or a balsam from a tree such as opobalsamum or a styrax. 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, although a milder variety from the Levant or a close relative called narthex or giant fennel is also mentioned.
In addition to these four components, the Talmud lists seven additional ingredients from the oral Torah. These include myrrh, cassia, spikenard, saffron, costus, aromatic bark, and cinnamon. Other ingredients mentioned in smaller quantities are Carshina lye, Cyprus wine, Sodom salt, Jordan amber, and honey.
The Bible also mentions specific instructions for preparing and burning the incense. For example, in Exodus 30:34-38, Moses is given a formula for incense to be used solely in the worship of Yahweh. The ingredients, including storax, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, were to be blended and ground into a fine dust and placed before the Commandments in the meeting tent.
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Incense is mentioned in the Old and New Testaments
Incense is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In the Old Testament, Exodus 30:34-38 describes a formula for incense that was to be used solely in the worship of Yahweh. This incense was to be made of equal parts storax or stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, ground into a fine dust and placed before the Commandments in the meeting tent. The use of incense was often connected to burnt offerings of animals, with the sweet smell and rising smoke symbolizing something pleasing to God and representing prayers rising up to Him.
The Old Testament also mentions severe consequences for the misuse of incense, as seen in the case of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who died for improper worship involving incense (Leviticus 10:1-2). The role of offering incense was originally given to the high priest, but the Gospel of Luke reveals a shift, showing that ordinary priests like Zechariah were also permitted to offer incense (Luke 1:9-10).
In the New Testament, incense is referenced typologically, including a Christological reference in Hebrews 9:3-4 to the coals from the altar of incense on the Day of Atonement. Additionally, the prayers of believers are compared to incense in Revelation 5:8, and the smoke of incense in the tabernacle is often interpreted as symbolizing prayer (Revelation 5:8, 8:3).
Incense continues to hold symbolic significance in Christian traditions, representing reverence, dedication, and the act of prayer. Its use in liturgical rites persists in various Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches.
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Frequently asked questions
Incense is emblematic of prayer and the relationship between God and His people. The sweet smell of incense and its rising smoke gave it a natural symbolism. The smoke rising up to God became a symbol of a person’s or people’s prayers rising up to God.
The Book of Exodus lists four components of the incense: stacte, onychia, galbanum, and frankincense. The Talmud lists seven additional components from the oral Torah.
The incense offering in Judaism was related to perfumed offerings on the altar of incense during the Tabernacle and the First and Second Temple periods. It was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem.
