Incense in the Bible holds significant spiritual and symbolic meaning, often associated with prayer, worship, and the presence of God. The use of incense is first introduced in the book of Exodus, where God provides Moses with specific instructions for its composition and use in the Tabernacle. The incense was to be made from a blend of spices, including stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense, as described in Exodus 30:34-36: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal measures, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.'"

The incense was to be burned on the altar of incense, which stood before the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. This act symbolized the prayers of the Israelites ascending to God, as seen in Psalm 141:2: "May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering."

In the New Testament, incense continues to symbolize prayer and worship. In Revelation 5:8, the prayers of the saints are depicted as incense: "And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."

The use of incense in biblical worship underscores the importance of approaching God with reverence and purity. It serves as a reminder of the holiness required in worship and the sweet aroma of a life devoted to God.

Atonement

Atonement is a central theme in the Bible, referring to the reconciliation between God and humanity. It involves the removal of sin and the restoration of a right relationship with God. The concept of atonement is deeply rooted in the sacrificial system established in the Old Testament, particularly in the rituals of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

Leviticus 16 outlines the Day of Atonement, a solemn day when the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of the people. The high priest would offer a bull for his own sins and a goat for the sins of the people, sprinkling the blood on the mercy seat to cleanse the sanctuary. Leviticus 16:30 states, "For on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD."

The sacrificial system foreshadows the ultimate atonement accomplished through Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as the perfect and final sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 9:12-14 explains, "He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

The atonement through Christ is comprehensive, addressing both the guilt of sin and the power of sin in the believer's life. It is through His sacrificial death and resurrection that believers are justified, sanctified, and ultimately glorified. The doctrine of atonement underscores the gravity of sin, the holiness of God, and the profound love and grace extended to humanity through Jesus Christ.