Lance Carson
Incense is a substance burned to create a fragrant smoke, and has been used in many religious ceremonies, both Christian and pagan. In the Bible, incense is symbolic of prayer and the relationship between God and the people. The burning of incense is often accompanied by prayer, with the smoke representing the prayers ascending to God. The use of incense is described in several books of the Bible, including Exodus, Leviticus, Psalms, Luke, and Revelation.
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What You'll Learn
Incense as a symbol of prayer
Incense is a substance burned to produce a fragrant smoke, and it has been used in religious ceremonies by many ancient nations, including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, and Israelites.
In the Bible, incense is often associated with prayer and is seen as a symbol of the prayers of the saints ascending to God. This symbolism is reflected in Psalm 141:2, where David writes, "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!". Similarly, in Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4, the incense in the heavenly temple is identified with "the prayers of the saints."
The use of incense in the Bible is also connected to the idea of worship and sacrifice. In the Old Testament, the high priest was originally responsible for offering incense to God, but the Gospel of Luke shows a shift in this tradition, with ordinary priests, like Zechariah, also being permitted to offer incense. The act of burning incense was seen as a sacred ritual, and there were consequences for misuse, as seen in the case of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who died for improper worship involving incense (Leviticus 10:1-2).
The altar of incense, made of gold and acacia wood, was placed in the Holy Place outside the Most Holy Place. The smoke from the incense symbolized the prayers of the people rising up to God, even though they could not see past the veil into the Holy of Holies. This served as a reminder to the Israelites to pray and assured them that their prayers were pleasing to God.
In summary, incense in the Bible is a symbol of prayer, worship, and the relationship between God and His people. It represents the act of offering one's prayers and sacrifices to God, with the fragrant smoke symbolizing the ascension of their prayers to heaven.
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Incense in religious ceremonies
Incense is an aromatic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. It is used for religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonies. The use of incense in religious ceremonies is not limited to a particular faith or location.
Incense in Christianity
Incense has been used in Christian worship since antiquity, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Church, Orthodox Christian churches, Lutheran Churches, Old Catholic/Liberal Catholic Churches, and some Anglican Churches. The smoke rising from the burning incense is interpreted as a symbol of the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. Incense is also used in the purification ritual, where it symbolises the prayers of the saints in heaven.
Incense in Judaism
The use of incense in Judaism is rooted in the traditions of the Second Jewish Temple. Some Jews study the composition of the ancient Temple incense for future use in a restored Temple as part of daily Jewish services. Contemporary Judaism still uses aromatic spices in one ritual, the Havdalah ceremony ending the Sabbath.
Incense in East Asian Religions
Incense holds an invaluable role in East Asian Buddhist ceremonies and rites, as well as in those of Chinese Taoist and Japanese Shinto shrines. In Chinese Taoist and Buddhist temples, the inner spaces are scented with thick coiled incense, hung from the ceiling or placed on special stands. Worshippers light and burn sticks of incense in small or large bundles, which they wave or raise above their heads while bowing to statues or plaques of a deity or ancestor. Incense is also used in Japanese tea ceremonies.
Incense in Islam
Incense is used in the regular rite of purifying and cleansing the Ka'aba in Makkah. According to a hadith (tradition of the Islamic prophet Muhammad), the first group of people who will enter Paradise will be purified by the use of incense.
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Incense in the Old Testament
The burning of incense in the Old Testament is a divine command, with God giving Moses and Aaron detailed instructions for the times, places, and methods of burning incense. The offering of incense was a common element in the religious ceremonies of many ancient nations, including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Phoenicians.
The altar of incense is first mentioned 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 four "horns," one at each corner. Aaron, as high priest, was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight, every day, as a regular offering to the Lord (Exodus 30:7-8). The incense was to be burned perpetually before the Lord, and it was a holy act of worship.
The offering of incense was not without consequences, as seen in the case of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who died for improper worship involving incense (Leviticus 10:1-2). The altar of incense was never to be used for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or drink offerings (Exodus 30:9). Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would put blood on the horns of the altar to cleanse it (Exodus 30:10).
Incense is often associated with prayer in the Bible. In Psalm 141:2, David prays, "Let my prayer be set before you like incense." This idea is further reinforced in Revelation, where John sees the elders around the throne holding "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people" (Revelation 5:8). The smoke of the incense rising towards God is symbolic of prayers ascending to Heaven.
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Incense in the New Testament
The New Testament makes several typological references to incense. One such reference is to the coals from the altar of incense taken behind the veil on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:3–4). Another reference is to the prayers of believers as incense (Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4). In the Book of Revelation, John has a vision of heaven and a heavenly liturgy where the 24 elders worship the lamb that was slain. The elders hold harps and gold bowls filled with incense, "which are the prayers of the holy ones" (Revelation 5:8). Incense is also mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, where Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was chosen by lot to place incense on the altar in the temple while the people prayed outside (Luke 1:9-10). As the incense smoke rose, an angel announced to Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son (Luke 1:11-16).
Incense was also offered in the Temple during the time of Christ. The Magi offered incense to the newborn Christ, a symbol of his divinity (Matthew 2:11). The early Jewish converts to Christianity continued to incorporate incense into their worship practices, as evidenced by early Christian liturgies and archaeology of early church buildings.
In Christian typology, the smoke of incense in the tabernacle signifies offered prayer. This symbolism is also present in medieval Christian art. Incense continues to be used in liturgical rites in various Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches.
The burning of incense is a divine command and a holy act of worship (Exodus 30). It is offered to God throughout the Bible and has ritual and symbolic meaning for Christians today. Its sweet fragrance is pleasing to God and helps believers physically and spiritually lift up their hearts to God. Incensing the altar, for example, shows respect for Christ and his sacrifice. Incense is also used to show reverence for the body at a funeral Mass and for the word of God during a solemn liturgy.
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Incense ingredients
Incense was an aromatic substance made of gums and spices, burned especially during religious worship. The Bible mentions various uses for incense but gives special attention to the blend burned inside the tabernacle. The mixture that God instructed Moses to make and the Israelites to use within the tent consisted of plant and shellfish extracts.
The Bible, in Exodus 30:34-35, describes the recipe for the sacred incense 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..."
The sweet spice stacte, also called "gum resin," is derived from the bark of myrrh bushes and ground into powder. Onycha, derived from the Greek translation of the original Hebrew word shecheleth, meaning "a tear, distillation, or exudation", is made from ground mollusk shell scrapings. Galbanum is a resin derived from the ferula plant, and frankincense is a resin obtained from boswellia trees. Salt is also added to the blend to prevent decay with its antibacterial properties and to symbolise the purity of the ingredients.
The Bible also mentions that the sacred incense was to be used purely for holy purposes and not for personal use.
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Frequently asked questions
Incense is symbolic of ascending prayer. It is often likened to the prayers of God's people.
Incense is a fragrant composition prepared by the "art of the apothecary". It is a mixture of gums, spices, and perfumes such as stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense.
Incense was burned in the presence of God in the tabernacle of Israel. It was offered to God in the morning and evening by the high priest, who would enter the holy place with the incense while the congregation prayed outside.
