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Sunday Worship Schedule Based on Temple Incense Offerings

The Old Testament describes specific schedules for temple worship, including daily, weekly, and monthly offerings, as well as those for annual feasts [1, 4, 6]. Central to these rituals was the burning of incense, which was offered morning and evening [2, 3]. This practice is detailed in Exodus 30:7-8, where Aaron was commanded to burn sweet incense regularly before the Lord [2, 14, 15]. The incense was a specially compounded mixture, and any deviation from its prescribed ingredients was forbidden [3].

The daily schedule of incense offerings was integrated with other temple services. According to rabbinic tradition, as recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, the burning of incense followed the setting up of wood for burnt offerings and preceded other arrangements on the altar [9, 10]. The priest would rake coals from a designated arrangement of wood and place them on the inner altar to burn the incense [9, 10]. This daily ritual was understood to be perpetual [2].

Beyond the daily offerings, the Temple Scroll, a text from the Dead Sea Scrolls, outlines an idealized temple blueprint that expands upon biblical descriptions, detailing daily burnt offerings (the tamid), enhanced Sabbath offerings, and extensive regulations for new moon festivals [5, 7]. The Sabbath, new moons, and other festivals also included specific burnt offerings [1, 4, 6]. The Feast of Tabernacles, for instance, was observed for seven days with particular sacrifices [8].

In Christian theology, the Old Testament sacrificial system, including incense offerings, is often understood as a foreshadowing of Christ's work. John Calvin, a prominent Reformed theologian, discusses various aspects of Old Testament worship in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, though he does not directly link the temple incense schedule to the modern Christian Sunday worship schedule [11, 12]. Similarly, Charles Hodge, of the Old Princeton school of Reformed theology, addresses the nature of Christ's priesthood and sacrifice but does not draw a direct line from temple incense to Sunday worship patterns [16, 17]. The Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion outline a liturgical calendar that includes Sundays and various seasons but does not connect this structure to the ancient temple's incense schedule [18, 19].

While the Old Testament mandated specific times for offerings, including incense, the New Testament does not prescribe a detailed schedule for Christian worship based on these patterns. The early Christian church shifted its primary day of worship to Sunday, commemorating Christ's resurrection, rather than adhering to the Sabbath or the specific daily rituals of the temple [18, 19]. The practice of burning incense in the temple, when done with hypocrisy, was considered an abomination by God, as noted in Isaiah 1:13, emphasizing the spiritual state of the worshipper over the ritual itself [13].

Sources

  1. I Chronicles “I Chronicles 23:31 (Geneva1599) — And to offer all burnt offrings vnto the Lord, in the Sabbaths, in the moneths, and at the appointed times, according to the nomber and according to their custome continually before the Lord,”
  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”
  3. 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”
  4. King James Version “[KJV] 1 Chronicles 23:31 — And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:”
  5. Dead Sea Scrolls “Temple Scroll (2nd century BCE (composition)), section 2: but rather an idealized blueprint for a temple that God commands to be built. The specifications are derived from and expand upon the biblical descriptions in Exodus 25-40, 1 Kings 6-8, and especially Ezekiel 40-48, but they differ significantly from all biblical models. The temple described in the scroll has three concentric square courtyards: The Inner Court: Surrounding the sanctuary building itself, reserved for priests and the most sacred rituals. The scroll specifies precise dimensions and describes the altar of burnt offering, th”
  6. II Chronicles “II Chronicles 8:13 (BSB) — He observed the daily requirement for offerings according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.”
  7. Dead Sea Scrolls “Temple Scroll (2nd century BCE (composition)), section 3: Key festivals include: The Daily Offerings: Detailed specifications for the tamid (daily burnt offering), expanding on Numbers 28:1-8. The Sabbath: Enhanced Sabbath offerings beyond those prescribed in the biblical text. The New Moon: Extensive regulations for the monthly new moon festival. Passover and Unleavened Bread: Regulations combining and harmonizing the instructions in Exodus 12, Leviticus 23, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16. The Festival of First Fruits of Wheat (Shavuot/Weeks): Detailed regulations for counting and observing t”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Feast of Tabernacles, The — Held after harvest and vintage -- De 16:13. Began fifteenth of seventh month -- Le 23:34,39. Lasted seven days -- Le 23:34,41; De 16:13,15. Called the feast of ingathering -- Ex 23:16,17. All males obliged to appear at -- Ex 23:16,17. First and last days of, holy convocations -- Le 23:35,39; Nu 29:12,35. Sacrifices during -- Le 23:36,37; Nu 29:13-39. To be observed With rejoicing. -- De 16:14,15. Perpetually. -- Le 23:41. The people dwelt in booths during -- Le 23:42; Ne 8:15,16. The law publicly read every seventh year at -- De 31:10-12; ”
  9. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 33a.2: § Abaye arranged the sequence of the daily services in the Temple based on tradition and in accordance with the opinion of Abba Shaul: Setting up the large arrangement of wood on the altar on which the offerings were burned precedes the second arrangement of wood. This second arrangement was arranged separately near the southwest corner of the altar, and twice every day priests raked coals from it and placed them on the inner altar in order to burn the incense. The second arrangement for the incense precedes setting up the two logs of wood above the large arrange”
  10. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 176a.65:2: § Abaye arranged the sequence of the daily services in the Temple based on tradition and in accordance with the opinion of Abba Shaul: Setting up the large arrangement of wood on the altar on which the offerings were burned precedes the second arrangement of wood. This second arrangement was arranged separately near the southwest corner of the altar, and twice every day priests raked coals from it and placed them on the inner altar in order to burn the incense. The second arrangement for the incense precedes setting up the two logs of wood above the large arr”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 4:5-6 4:6 4:11 4:12 4:18 Colossians 1:2-3 1:4 1:5 1:5 1:9-10 1:12 1:13 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:15 1:15 1:15 1:15 1:15 1:16 1:16 1:16-18 1:17 1:18 1:19-20 1:20 1:20 1:21 1:21-22 1:24 1:24 1:26 1:26 1:26 2:2 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:10 2:11 2:12 2:12 2:13-14 2:14 2:14 2:14-15 2:16 2:16-17 2:17 2:17 2:17 2:19 2:20 2:20-21 2:23 2:23 3:1 3:1 3:1-2 3:2 3:3 3:3 3:4 3:5 3:6 3:10 3:10 3:11 3:14 3:14 3:14 3:16 3:19 3:24 3:25 4:3 4:17 1 Thessalonians 1:5 2:13 2:18 2:20 3:5 3:12 3:13 4:3 4:4 4:5 4:7 4:7 4:15 4:16 4:16 4:16-17 5:2 5:9 5:17-18 5:19 ”
  12. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 2:19 2:21 2:24 4:3 4:6 4:8 4:11-12 4:14 5:12 5:12 5:13 5:14 5:15 5:16 5:16 5:16 5:17-18 1 Peter 1:2 1:2 1:2 1:3 1:5 1:5 1:9 1:11 1:12 1:12 1:15 1:16 1:18-19 1:18-19 1:19 1:19-20 1:20 1:21 1:21 1:21 1:21 1:22 1:23 1:23 1:23 2:5 2:9 2:9 2:9 2:13 2:17 2:17 2:18 2:24 2:24 2:24 2:24 2:24 2:25 2:25 3:18 3:19 3:21 3:21 3:21 3:21 3:21 3:21 4:3 4:3 4:8 4:8 4:11 4:11 4:14 4:17 5:1 5:2 5:2 5:3 5:5 5:6 5:7 5:8 5:8 5:9 2 Peter 1:4 1:4 1:4 1:5 1:13-14 1:14 1:14 1:19 2:1 2:4 2:4 3:4 3:8 3:9 3:16 11:9 1 John 1:1 1:7 1:7 1:7 1:9 1:9 1:10 2:1 2:1 2”
  13. Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 1:13: 1:13 The incense that accompanied offerings was intended as a sweet fragrance to the Lord (see Exod 30:7-8), but when offered with hypocrisy it was a nauseating stench and an abomination to God. • While the Lord had ordered special days for fasting at the Temple (Lev 16:31; 23:32; Num 29:7), they were ruined by the guilt of Judah’s sin (see Isa 58:1-7; Matt 6:16-18). • pious meetings: These holy days were associated with the new moon and other festivals (see Lev 23).”
  14. 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”
  15. Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 30:8: And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it,.... In the evening the priest went into the holy place to light the lamps that were gone out; see Gill on Exo 27:20 at the same time he burnt incense on the altar; and as the daily sacrifice was offered up morning and evening, so the incense was burnt every morning and evening, and much about the same time: the Jews say (t), that the incense of the morning was offered between the blood (i.e. the sprinkling of the blood of the daily sacrifice) and the members, or the laying of the pieces on the a”
  16. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 144: 1:23 2:8 2:9 2:22 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:18-19 3:19 3:21 3:22 5:10 2 Peter 1:3 1:3 1:10 1 John 1:1-3 1:1-3 1:7 1:8 1:10 2:1 2:1 2:2 2:2 2:2 2:20 2:20 2:27 3:4 3:16 3:17 3:24 4:9 4:10 4:10 4:10 5:1 5:1-18 5:10 5:12 5:19 Jude 1:4 Revelation 1:5 2:7 5:9 6:9 12:9 13:8 16:10-11 17:14 20:2 20:4 22:2 22:14 22:17 Wisdom of Solomon 2:24 2 Maccabees 7:9”
  17. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 72: Christ, “This do in remembrance of me,” are made to mean, “Offer the sacrifice which I myself have just offered” ( Offrez le sacrifice que je vien d’offrir moi-meme ). 733 733 Gousset, Théologie, ut supra, vol. ii. p. 538. These words constituted the Apostles and all their successors priests. The Council of Trent even anathematizes all who do not put that preposterous interpretation on those simple words. 734 734 See Sess. xii. canon 2; quoted above on page 685. Romanists also appeal to the fact that Christ is said to be a priest forever ”
  18. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Psalms 1 - 5: Psalms 1 - 5 Psalms 6 - 8 Psalms 9 - 11 Psalms 12 - 14 Psalms 15 - 17 Psalm 18 Psalm 19 - 21 Psalms 22 - 23 Psalms 24 - 26 Psalms 27 - 29 Psalms 30 - 31 Psalms 32 - 34 Psalms 35 - 36 Psalm 37 Psalms 38 - 40 Psalms 41 - 43 Psalms 44 - 46 Psalms 47 - 49 Psalms 50 - 52 Psalms 53 - 55 Psalms 56 - 58 Psalms 59 - 61 Psalms 62 - 64 Psalms 65 - 67 Psalm 68 Psalms 69 - 70 Psalms 71 - 72 Psalms 73 - 74 Psalms 75 - 77 Psalm 78 Psalms 79 - 81 Psalms 82 - 85 Psalms 86 - 88 Psalm 89 Psalms 90 - 92 Psalms 93 - 94 Psalms 95 - 97 Psalms 98 - 101 ”
  19. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Structure: Structure Notes Psalm Tables for Psalm 119 and Psalms 121–131, 133 (the Psalms of Ascent) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Advent Christmas Season Epiphany Season Lent Passiontide Easter Season From Ascension Day until the Day of Pentecost From All Saints’ Day until the day before the First Sunday of Advent Morning and Evening Prayer”
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