Incense as Symbol of Prayer in Biblical Worship
Incense as a Symbol of Prayer in Biblical Worship
In biblical worship, incense served as a potent symbol of prayer, a connection established through various scriptural references. The Psalmist explicitly links incense to prayer, saying, "Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice" [3]. This metaphor is reinforced in Revelation, where "the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand" [5].
The use of incense in worship was deeply rooted in Israel's tabernacle and temple practices. The incense was a specific mixture of spices, including stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense, as detailed in Exodus 30:34-36 [1]. This blend was to be used exclusively for sacred purposes, with any deviation considered "strange incense" [2]. The high priest would offer incense on the golden altar in the holy place, a ritual performed morning and evening [1, 4].
The symbolism of incense as prayer is further underscored by its association with the heavenly worship scene in Revelation. Here, an angel presents the prayers of the saints along with the incense before God, signifying the acceptability of these prayers through the mediatorial work of Christ [7, 12]. The prayers of the saints are likened to the incense, emphasizing their fragrance and pleasing nature to God.
The biblical tradition interprets the use of incense in worship as more than a mere ritual; it represents the prayers and praises of God's people ascending to Him. As Adam Clarke notes on Luke 1:10, "The incense was itself an emblem of the prayers and praises of the people of God" [10]. This understanding is echoed across various Christian traditions, including Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist/Wesleyan, and Baptist/Reformed interpretations [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13].
The connection between incense and prayer is not limited to the biblical text; it has been a consistent theme in Christian interpretation. John Gill, representing Baptist/Reformed thought, comments on Psalms 141:2 that prayer is "an emblem of pure, holy, and fervent prayer; which being offered on the altar Christ... through whose blood and righteousness, and the sweet incense of his mediation and intercession, it becomes fragrant and a sweet odour to the Lord" [11].
The practice of offering incense, while rooted in ancient Israelite worship, continues to symbolize the prayers of the faithful rising to God. This symbolism is a testament to the enduring power of biblical imagery in Christian worship and theology.
The historical and theological significance of incense as a symbol of prayer underscores the continuity between the Old Testament rituals and the spiritual practices of the Christian community. As seen in Revelation 8:3-4, the image of incense and prayers ascending to God remains a powerful motif, highlighting the connection between earthly worship and heavenly reality [5, 7].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Incense — from the Latin "to burn," "a mixture of gums or spices and the like, used for the purpose of producing a perfume when burned;" or the perfume itself of the spices, etc., burned in worship. The incense employed in the service of the tabernacle walls compounded of the perfumes stacte, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense. All incense which was not made of these ingredients was forbidden to be offered. (Exodus 30:9) Aaron, as high priest, was originally appointed to offer incense each morning and evening. The times of offering incense were specified in the in”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Incense — A fragrant composition prepared by the "art of the apothecary." It consisted of four ingredients "beaten small" (Ex. 30:34-36). That which was not thus prepared was called "strange incense" (30:9). It was offered along with every meat-offering; and besides was daily offered on the golden altar in the holy place, and on the great day of atonement was burnt by the high priest in the holy of holies (30:7, 8). It was the symbol of prayer (Ps. 141:1, 2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4).”
- Psalms “Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice. -- Psalms 141:2”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Incense — Brought from Sheba -- Jer 6:20. Called frankincense -- Song 4:6,14. An article of extensive commerce -- Re 18:13. Common, not to be offered to God -- Ex 30:9. For God's service mixed with sweet spices -- Ex 25:6; 37:29. Receipt for mixing -- Ex 30:34-36. None but priest to offer -- Nu 16:40; De 33:10. Offered In censers. -- Le 10:1; Nu 16:17,46. On the altar of gold. -- Ex 30:1,6; 40:5. Morning and evening. -- Ex 30:7,8. Perpetually. -- Ex 30:8. By the high priest in the most holy place on the day of atonement. -- Le 16:12,13. With fire from off the altar o”
- Revelation “The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. -- Revelation 8:4”
- Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 30:7: Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense--literally, "incense of spices"--Strong aromatic substances were burnt upon this altar to counteract by their odoriferous fragrance the offensive fumes of the sacrifices; or the incense was employed in an offering of tributary homage which the Orientals used to make as a mark of honor to kings; and as God was Theocratic Ruler of Israel, His palace was not to be wanting in a usage of such significancy. Both these ends were served by this altar--that of fumigating the apartments of the sacred edifice, while the pure”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 8:4: The smoke of the incense - with the prayers - Though incense itself be an emblem of the prayers of the saints, Psa 141:2; yet here they are said to ascend before God, as well as the incense. It is not said that the angel presents these prayers. He presents the incense, and the prayers ascend With it. The ascending of the incense shows that the prayers and offering were accepted.”
- Leviticus (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Leviticus 16:11: He was then to slay the bullock of the sin-offering, and make atonement for himself and his house (or family, i.e., for the priests, Lev 16:33). But before bringing the blood of the sin-offering into the most holy place, he was to take "the filling of the censer (machtah, a coal-pan, Exo 25:38) with fire-coals," i.e., as many burning coals as the censer would hold, from the altar of burnt-offering, and "the filling of his hands," i.e., two hands full of "fragrant incense" (Exo 30:34), and go with this within the vail, i.e., into the most holy place, and the”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 30:6: 30:6 outside the inner curtain: That is, in the Holy Place, just outside the Most Holy Place where the Ark was located. • The rising smoke of the incense symbolized prayer. Believers now have constant access to God in prayer through the continuous atonement provided through Christ (see Ps 141:2; Luke 1:10; Rev 5:8; 8:3-4).”
- Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 1:10: The whole multitude - were praying - The incense was itself an emblem of the prayers and praises of the people of God: see Psa 141:2; Rev 8:1. While, therefore, the rite is performing by the priest, the people are employed in the thing signified. Happy the people who attend to the spirit as well as the letter of every divine institution! Incense was burnt twice a day in the temple, in the morning and in the evening, Exo 30:7, Exo 30:8; but the evangelist does not specify the time of the day in which this transaction took place. It was probably in the morning.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 141:2: Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense,.... Which was offered every morning on the altar of incense, at which time the people were praying, Exo 30:1; and was an emblem of it, even of pure, holy, and fervent prayer; which being offered on the altar Christ, which sanctifies every gift, and by him the High Priest; through whom every sacrifice is acceptable unto God; and through whose blood and righteousness, and the sweet incense of his mediation and intercession, it becomes fragrant and a sweet odour to the Lord; and being directed to him, it goes upwards, i”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 8:3: another angel--not Christ, as many think; for He, in Revelation, is always designated by one of His proper titles; though, doubtless, He is the only true High Priest, the Angel of the Covenant, standing before the golden altar of incense, and there, as Mediator, offering up His people's prayers, rendered acceptable before God through the incense of His merit. Here the angel acts merely as a ministering spirit (Heb 1:4), just as the twenty-four elders have vials full of odors, or incense, which are the prayers of saints (Rev 5:8), and which they pres”
- Numbers (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Numbers 16:45: And Moses said unto Aaron, take a censer,.... Which lay in the tabernacle: and put fire therein from off the altar; the altar of burnt offering, from whence fire only was to be taken for burning incense; and lest Aaron in his hurry should forget to take it from thence, but elsewhere, and offer strange fire as his sons had done, Moses expresses the place from whence he should take it: and put on incense: upon the fire, in the censer, which he was to do when he came into the camp, and not as soon as he took the fire from the altar: the censer with fire in it he ca”