Lance Carson
The burning of incense was a significant ritual in the time of Moses, with the Book of Exodus detailing God's instructions for its preparation and use. According to the Bible, Aaron, Moses' brother, was appointed as the “high priest” and was responsible for burning incense on the altar each morning and evening as an offering to the Lord. The Bible also mentions that Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, offered unauthorized incense, resulting in their deaths. The altar of incense, made of acacia wood and gold, held a prominent position in the temple, symbolizing the prayers of God's people. The incense itself was composed of costly spices and resins, with a recipe provided by God, and was considered sacred.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who started the fire | Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron |
| The fire was started in | Censers |
| Incense used | Strange fire, not commanded by God |
| Fire source | Fire from before Jehovah |
| Incense ingredients | Stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense |
| Incense recipe | Each ingredient of equal weight, to be made into a perfume |
| Incense offering | Related to perfumed offerings on the altar of incense |
| Incense significance | Symbol of the prayers of God's people |
| Incense in the Bible | Mentioned in Exodus, Leviticus, Luke, Psalms, Isaiah, Chronicles, Revelation, Hebrews, and more |
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What You'll Learn
- Aaron, Moses' brother, was instructed to burn incense on the altar daily
- Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, were punished for offering strange fire
- The incense was always taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary
- The recipe for the incense was provided by God and was to be followed exactly
- The incense offering was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem
Aaron, Moses' brother, was instructed to burn incense on the altar daily
The Bible describes the altar of incense as a significant component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Exodus, the altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, with four "horns" 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 resided—the presence of God.
The altar of incense was also associated with the Day of Atonement. Once a year, the high priest would put blood on the horns of the altar for cleansing. This ritual emphasised that God desired not just formalities but sincerity of heart and life from the Israelites.
The altar of incense held great importance, and its presence in the Bible underscores the significance of prayer and offerings in religious practices.
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Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, were punished for offering strange fire
The Old Testament describes the story of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, who were punished for offering "strange fire". The Book of Leviticus states that "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them". As a result, fire emerged from the presence of Jehovah and consumed them, leading to their deaths.
This event occurred after Aaron had been consecrated as the "high priest" and had inaugurated the ceremony of the Day of Atonement. Nadab and Abihu, being Aaron's elder sons, had previously accompanied Moses to Mount Sinai when he received the Ten Commandments. However, they were prohibited from coming "near the Lord" and were instead instructed to remain "afar off".
Commentators have offered various interpretations of Nadab and Abihu's sin. One suggestion is that they did not offer the incense at the proper time of day. The burning of incense was a significant ritual, with specific instructions outlined in the Book of Exodus. According to the text, God provided the recipe for the incense and stipulated that no other incense should ever be burned on the altar. The altar of incense was constructed from acacia wood and overlaid with gold, featuring four "horns" 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 resided, representing God's presence.
The altar of incense held profound symbolic value. It signified the perpetual nature of Christ's mediation, with the incense representing the prayers of God's people ascending to God. The continual burning of incense symbolised the importance of constant prayer. Additionally, the altar was considered "'most holy' to the Lord", and once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would atone for it by putting blood on its horns.
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The incense was always taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary
The altar of incense was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. It had four "horns", one at each corner, similar to the altar of burnt offering in the courtyard. The altar of incense was placed before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. On the other side of the veil was the Ark of the Testimony, where the presence of God was believed to be. Aaron was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight as a daily offering to the Lord. God provided the recipe for making the incense and stated that no other incense should ever be burned on the altar. The fire used to burn the incense was always taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary.
The altar of incense was situated before the mercy seat of the Ark, representing Christ's standing in the presence of God the Father. The incense was to be burned continuously, symbolising the perpetual nature of Christ's mediation. Christ's intercession on behalf of humanity is a sweet-smelling savour to God. Due to Christ, believers can now enter God's holy presence with full assurance.
In Scripture, incense is often associated with prayer. For instance, David prayed, "May my prayer be set before you like incense" (Psalm 141:2). John also described elders in heaven holding "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people" (Revelation 5:8). The smoke of incense ascending to God is likened to the prayers of believers rising to heaven. As the incense was burned with fire from the altar of burnt offering, believers' prayers must be kindled with heaven's grace.
The altar of incense and the altar of burnt offering are connected and play distinct roles in God's economy. The incense altar symbolises the interceding Christ, while the altar of burnt offering represents the crucified Christ. The altar of burnt offering is where Christ has redeemed humanity, washed away sins, and brought reconciliation with God. In contrast, the incense altar represents Christ's heavenly ministry, where He intercedes for believers to receive salvation.
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The recipe for the incense was provided by God and was to be followed exactly
The burning of incense was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem. The recipe for the incense was provided by God and was to be followed exactly. The Book of Exodus describes the recipe as follows:
> "And the Lord said unto Moses: 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. And as for the perfume which you shall make, you shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto you holy for the Lord. Whosoever shall make like unto it, to enjoy the smell thereof, shall even be cut off from his people."
The recipe for the incense was to be kept holy for the Lord, and those who attempted to recreate it were to be cut off from his people. The incense was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation.
The altar of incense was situated before the mercy seat of the Ark, and the incense was to be burned continually, showing the perpetual nature of Christ's mediation. The incense was burned each morning and at twilight as a regular offering to the Lord. The fire used to burn the incense was always taken from the altar of burnt offerings outside the sanctuary.
The Talmud lists seven additional components of the incense from the oral Torah, and Josephus mentions the incense as having thirteen ingredients. The rabbis of the Talmud expanded the description of the recipe from four ingredients to eleven.
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The incense offering was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem
The incense offering was an integral part of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Book of Exodus describes the recipe for the sacred 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.
The incense was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation. The Talmud, however, lists seven additional components from the oral Torah, and Josephus mentions the incense having thirteen ingredients. The House of Avtinas was responsible for compounding the incense in the days of the Second Temple.
The incense was burned on an altar made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. The altar was situated before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Testimony was kept. The fire used to burn the incense always came from the altar of burnt offerings outside the sanctuary. The incense was burned every morning and evening, and the high priest would put blood on the altar's horns once a year on the Day of Atonement to cleanse it.
The altar of incense is often associated with prayer. David's prayer in Psalm 141:2 reflects this: "May my prayer be set before you like incense". In Christian typology, the smoke of incense in the tabernacle signifies prayer, and this symbolism is seen in medieval Christian art.
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Frequently asked questions
Aaron, Moses' brother, was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight as a regular offering to the Lord.
The fire was used to burn sacred incense, which was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation. The incense was a symbol of the prayers of God's people.
The altar of incense was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. It had four "horns", one at each corner, and rings of gold built into it so that it could be carried with acacia wood poles.
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