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

2 Chronicles 29:7-8

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:

Nehemiah 13:5,9

Their destruction brought God's blessing and deliverance

Isaiah 27:9

The significance of incense

A right heart attitude is more important to God

Isaiah 66:3; Jeremiah 6:20

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

1045  God, glory of
1065  God, holiness of
4466  herbs and spices
4496  perfume
4848  smoke
5183  smell
7302  altar
7308  Atonement, Day of
7328  ceremonies
7422  ritual
7435  sacrifice, in OT
7459  tabernacle, in OT