Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 7000 God's people » 7300 Institutions and culture of OT » 7386 incense An expensive resin from southern Arabia and the fragrant aroma it emits when offered in worship ritual. It is also called frankincense. Regulations governing the offering of incense The priest was to keep incense burning on the altar daily 2 Chronicles 13:11 See also Exodus 30:7-9; Numbers 4:16; Deuteronomy 33:10; 1 Samuel 2:28; 1 Chronicles 6:49; Corinthians 9:29; Luke 1:9 Only the priests were to burn incense Korah, Dathan and Abiram: Numbers 16:16-18,35,40,46-47 2 Chronicles 26:16-19 Uzziah's pride Failure to burn incense is disobedience The blending of the incense Exodus 30:34-38 See also Exodus 25:6 pp Exodus 35:8; Exodus 35:28 Occasions for offering incense At the setting up of the tabernacle: Exodus 39:38; Exodus 40:5,26-27 To accompany sacrifices: Leviticus 2:1-2,15-16; Leviticus 6:15 Leviticus 5:11 not to accompany a sin offering; Leviticus 16:12 on the Day of Atonement; Leviticus 24:7 to accompany bread and oil; Numbers 7:86 As part of the offerings at the dedication of the tabernacle, each leader presented a golden incense dish. The altar of incense Exodus 30:1 See also Exodus 30:27; Exodus 31:8,11; Exodus 35:15; Exodus 37:25-29; 1 Chronicles 28:18 Burning incense to foreign gods Incense offered to other gods will not bring answers to prayer Jeremiah 11:12; Jeremiah 44:23 Israel disobeyed the LORD's commands Jeremiah 7:9-10 See also Jeremiah 18:15; Jeremiah 19:13; Jeremiah 32:29; Jeremiah 44:5; Ezekiel 16:18-19; Ezekiel 20:28; Hosea 11:2 The practice continued under successive kings In the early days of Solomon's reign: 1 Kings 3:3; Kings 11:8 1 Kings 22:43 Jehoshaphat; 2 Kings 12:3 Joash; 2 Kings 14:4 Amaziah; 2 Kings 15:4 Azariah; 2 Kings 15:35 Jotham; 2 Kings 16:4 pp 2 Chronicles 28:4 Ahaz It provoked God's anger Jeremiah 44:3 See also 2 Kings 22:17; Isaiah 65:3; Jeremiah 1:16; Jeremiah 11:17; Jeremiah 44:5,8,21; Jeremiah 48:35; Hosea 2:13 The destruction of pagan incense altars As part of God's punishment for disobedience Leviticus 26:30; Ezekiel 6:4,6,13 Their destruction in religious reformations 2 Kings 18:4 under Hezekiah Under Josiah: 2 Kings 23:5,8; 2 Chronicles 34:4,7 Nehemiah restored the storage rooms for incense: Their destruction brought God's blessing and deliverance The significance of incense A right heart attitude is more important to God It both accompanies and symbolises prayer Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4 It symbolises worship 2 Chronicles 2:4; Daniel 2:46; Malachi 1:11; Matthew 2:11; Hebrews 9:4 It brings pleasure Proverbs 27:9; Songs 3:6; Songs 4:6; Ezekiel 20:41 See also
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