Incense Insights

During Sunday morning worship, we were singing Worthy of It All by David Brymer. Eight times the bridge repeats, “Day and night, night and day, let incense arise!” The repetition reverberated in my spirit. I desired to know more about incense. What was I declaring when I sang “let incense arise”?

Incense comes from the Latin word meaning to burn. It is a mixture of spices that produces a perfume when burned. When used in the Old Testament tabernacle, incense was composed of four spices. Frankincense is the one with which we are most familiar. We recognize it as one of the Magi’s gifts. In Exodus 30:7-9, God gave Moses instructions for incense offerings. As high priest, Aaron was originally appointed to offer incense each morning and evening. That would correspond with “day and night, night and day!”

In scripture, incense is often associated with prayer. According to Revelation 5:8 and 8:3, John had a vision of heaven where he saw the elders around the throne. They were holding golden bowls full of incense which were the prayers of God’s people.

We are familiar with Zachariah’s experience with the angel foretelling John the Baptist’s birth. While Zachariah was in the Holy of Holies offering the incense sacrifice, prayers were being offered outside the temple by the people. Luke 1:10 says, “And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.” A significant connection of incense and prayer.

David says in Psalm 141:2, “May my prayer be set before You like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” His prayer ascending to God was like sweet smelling incense rising to heaven. It has been said that the scent of incense mingled with the smell of burning sacrifices symbolizes the mingling of prayers of repentance and devotion. Just as incense was always burning, we should always be praying. I Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to pray continually. The altar of incense was atoned for with the sacrifice’s blood and was holy to the Lord. Similarly, it is the blood of Christ applied to our hearts that makes our prayers pleasing to God.

Throughout the Old Testament, the smoke rising in the air and the aroma of incense allowed temple worship to be experienced through sight and smell. During worship services in our churches today, we raise our voices in praise. Psalm 66:4 says, “All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You, they sing the praises of Your name.” The melodic sound of our praise wafting towards heaven is a beautiful picture of incense ascending to the throne of God. Psalm 29:2 says, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.” We are instructed in Hebrews13:15, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.”

In the New Testament, Paul expands the fragrant aroma to depict the sweet scent of believers. He emphasizes that God uses believers to exemplify what it means to know Christ and to live for Christ.

There is a sacred aroma in a dedicated heart. II Corinthians 2:14-15 says, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” Paul uses the image of incense to illustrate a life surrendered to God. It’s like a fragrance that fills the air. As Christians, we exude the sweet perfume of our personal relationship with Jesus drawing others to a similar relationship. We are told in Ephesians 5:2, “Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Paul says in Romans12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” “A living sacrifice” reminds me of the Old Testament incense offerings. Max Lucado has commented that burning flesh is a pleasing aroma to God. My first thought was YUCK! However, he went on to say that when we sacrifice our desires to His desires, we allow our flesh to be burned spiritually. Our human desires no longer exist. We sincerely pray as Jesus instructed in Matthew 6:10. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Let’s also notice that Paul concludes Romans 12:5 by describing our living sacrifice as worship. Worship sets our hearts on fire. We feel a burning passion in our hearts that becomes a pleasing aroma to God. Worship is more than singing songs. Worship is a lifestyle. By our daily lives, let us proclaim, “Day and night, night and day, let incense arise!”

In Exodus 30:35, the Lord stressed to Moses that incense was to be pure and sacred. Our worship must also be pure and sacred if we are to please the Lord. Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.”

For the sweet smell of incense to be emitted, it must be burned. This reminds me of God’s presence creating a warmth within us. In Luke 24:13-35, two disciples encountered Jesus on the Road to Emmaus. While walking and talking, they did not recognize Him. However, they declared in verse 32, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” When the Holy Spirit descended in Acts 2:1-4, tongues of fire descended upon the people. God’s presence with us, through the Holy Spirit, creates a warmth within us.

Incense offers sensory imagery of spiritual reality. Incense can be a symbol of prayer. It can be a symbol of worship. It can be a symbol of a life offered to God. It is a beautiful spiritual symbol!

My Reader, let us live our lives with the fragrance of faith! “Day and night, night and day, let incense arise!” He is worthy of it all!

Sources:
David Brymer – Worthy of It All (Live) Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
Spiritual Meaning of Incense (biblemeanings.info)
What was the significance of the altar of incense? | GotQuestions.org
SIGNS & SYMBOLS OF THE BIBLE (INCENSE) | JESUS WAY 4 YOU