Bible Study: Prayer as Incense

[Note: Bible Studies here at Faith Reviewed are compiled simply with prayer, the Word of God, and a keyboard. They tend to be based primarily on the King James Version only because it is familiar and in the public domain in the USA, which means no copyright issues regardless of how much of the text is quoted. Feel free to use your favorite translation as we study God's Word together.]

<Recommended Reading: Exodus 30:1-8>         

  

Prayer as Incense

In the tabernacle, God required incense to be burned upon the golden altar every morning and evening while the burnt offerings were being offered (See Ex. 30:1-8). Incense is symbolic of the prayers of God’s people and has a sweet aroma that is pleasing to God. 

Incense played a very significant role in worship all throughout the Old Testament, so much so that it is mentioned 16 times in the book of Exodus, 4 times in Leviticus, and 21 times in Numbers.

Incense is only referred to once in Deuteronomy, but in a very important way, as part of the “the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death” (Deut. 33:1). 

Of the tribe of Levi, Moses said, “They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar” (Deut. 33:10). 

According to 1 Chron. 23:13, incense is a holy thing, ministers to God and blesses His Name. “Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.”


The Lord told Malachi, “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 1:11).


One day, Zacharias the priest entered the temple. It was his turn was to burn the incense before the Lord. The people were outside praying. It is significant that “there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11). 

We are not told what the people were praying for specifically, but it is likely they were asking for forgiveness of sins AND for the Messiah to come. Remember, at this time, Israel was under Roman rule. Many Jews did not see the real purpose of Messiah’s coming. They were looking for a Deliverer, but one to deliver them from the Romans, not  One who would set them free from sin. 

However, their prayers came up to God mingled with the incense and He saw the real need of their hearts. The appearance of Gabriel next to the altar of incense to tell Zacharias that he would bear a son shows that their prayers were pleasing to God AND that He was listening AND had provided an answer. 

Do you know who this son was? This son, who was to be called John, was chosen to “be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (See Luke 1:5-17).


Another man called John had visions of things to come. He saw amazing glimpses of heaven, judgment and God’s holiness. “And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.” (Rev. 8:4)


Revelation 5:8 says, “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”


“And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne” (Rev. 8:3).


Many Christians say they don't really know how to pray and will not pray in public because they feel they lack eloquence in prayer. But God isn't looking for eloquent words. The Pharisees prayed long, wordy prayers that sounded good to them and others listening, but think about what Jesus said of them. 

God wants you to come to Him as you are. He wants to hear what is on your heart. He wants to hear your praise. He wants to hear of your joys, your sorrows, your hopes and your dreams. He wants you to tell him of your love for Him. 

Some say, “Well He knows all that already.” Yes, He does, but He wants to hear it from your lips. Just as the incense in the tabernacle and the temple went up before God as a sweet fragrance, so do our prayers. 

The purpose of the incense was to minister to God and to bless His Name (1 Chron. 23:13). Our prayers do the same. Prayer lifts up the Name of the Lord and shows our trust, our devotion and our desire to please Him.


“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2).


Something to think about:

How much of a sweet fragrance are you offering up to God?