What does the Bible say about incense?

Precise instructions were given as to how the sweet incense was to be made that was burnt in the tabernacle. It was a compound of sweet spices: stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense, an equal weight of each. It was to be compounded after the art of the apothecary, tempered together (or salted, marg.), pure, and holy. No one was to make any like it for their private use: anyone who did so was to be cut off from God's people. Ex. 30:34-38. This incense was to be burnt on the golden altar morning and evening: "a perpetual incense before the Lord." Ex. 30:7-8. It expressed the fragrance of the perfections of Christ's person for God's delight. It also characterised the worship of the priestly company of those in the light, as Christians are.

The incense was also to be put on burning coals in a censer and carried by the high priest into the most holy place on the Day of Atonement, that the cloud of incense might cover the mercy seat that was upon the testimony, 'that he die not.' It typified the personal perfection of Him who carried in the blood of atonement. Lev. 16:12-13. We find that while the high places remained, incense was burnt there as well as sacrifices offered. 1 Kings 22:43, etc. The burning of incense to Baal and other false gods is also often spoken of. Jer. 1:16; Jer. 7:9, etc. Satan has his incense and perfume, and makes it a delight to his willing devotees.

A special perfume was made to burn as incense in the tabernacle. It was compounded of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, an equal weight of each: it was most holy. No one was allowed to compound the same for themselves, or they would be cut off from God's people. It was typical of the excellencies of Christ which were as sweet incense to God. Ex. 30:34, 38. Perfumes are supposed to be more needful in hot countries. Cant. 3:6. In Prov. 27:9 it is said, "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart;" but it may also be employed as a mere matter of luxury or of sin when the heart is away from God. Prov. 7:17; Isa. 57:9.

Only one point more do I notice. "And the Lord said to Moses, Take to thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight" (Ex. 30:34). They made therewith that beautiful incense, which was to be burnt upon the golden altar. All the fragrance, the sweetness, and the perfections of Christ, in His life and ways as a lowly man, walking in grace on earth, are here indicated. Burnt on the altar morning and evening, their sweet savour went up before God. If you and I do not appreciate Christ, God does. If you do not appreciate the love that led Him down to death, even the death of the cross, God does.

Appropriately, following the anointing oil (the unction of the Spirit) is the instruction concerning the incense, which speaks of worship. The ingredients of this again draw attention to the Lord Jesus. The first spice is stacte, which means “to drop,” as words drop from the lips, reminding us of “the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22) - words that flowed out from His heart. The second spice, onycha, means “fingernail,” telling us of the very details of the work of the Lord's hands, another reason for our adoring worship. Galbanum has a double meaning, “fatness” and “lamentation.” The fat of the offerings was always devoted to God, and speaks of the devotedness of the Lord Jesus to His God and Father. Along with this, “lamentation” speaks of His sorrow, for as One who was totally devoted to God, He suffered the cruel reproaches of men. “Frankincense” means “white,” and speaks of the purity of the Lord Jesus in His lovely separation to God.

What did all this mean? The incense compounded of four different ingredients, three of which are mentioned nowhere else (Ex. 30:34-38), and kindled with fire from off the Brazen Altar, typified the sweet savour of Christ. A perfume it was, pure and holy, and had, it would seem, a fragrance in itself (38) but its full perfume only came out when burnt: teaching us that the sweet savour of Christ was brought out in its fulness by His bearing divine judgment on the Cross. For the fire on the Altar of Burnt-Offering, which never was to be extinguished, was that which came down from heaven on the eighth day of Aaron's consecration - a fitting emblem of divine judgment.

Before the perfume could rise to God for a sweet smelling savour, the incense had to be beaten very small, and laid upon the coals of the altar (Ex. 30, Lev. 16). The prayers of believers, the product of their diverse trials and sorrows, are a sweet savour to God. David says, "Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice" (Rev. 5:8; Ps. 141:2).

364 Remark here, that when the saints (Rev. 5:8) act as priests, they add no incense at all - privilege enough to have such a place, but they can add nothing. The odours are the saints' own prayers on earth. Here (Rev. 8:3) the Angel - High Priest adds much incense to give efficacy to the cry of the saints.

In the next chapter (Ex.30:9) there is a command not to offer strange incense, nor burnt offerings, nor meal offerings, nor drink offerings upon the altar of incense which was before the veil and before the mercy seat, in the holy place. The correct place to offer these offerings was on the brazen altar which has in mind approach to God by the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. This altar was placed in the court of the tabernacle where everyone could approach. By contrast, the golden altar of incense was in the holy place, which only the priests had access to, and upon which Aaron had to offer incense twice daily, in the morning and the evening. This offering is in connection with Christ’s High Priestly service to God, interceding as an Advocate on behalf of men to God, upholding God’s saints in His presence. It was there before the veil that the needs of the holy, sanctified people were to be met, it sets forth what Christ is for us now as believers rather than what Christ did for us on the cross. Thus the drink offering’s place was at the brazen altar, where it was to be offered along with the burnt and meal offerings, not the golden altar of incense. The drink offering has to do with the joy of God in the accomplishment of the great work of Calvary, bringing glory to Him, and allowing Him to go out in grace to man, not with Christ’s work now as an Advocate interceding for us. Thus a drink offering would be inappropriate on the golden alter of incense and so it was forbidden to be offered there.

Warnings follow as to the use of the altar; and if Lev. 10:1 be combined with this scripture, there are three things forbidden to be used upon this altar. First, there must be no strange incense. The incense offered must be divinely compounded, and no other could be accepted. If for a moment this be taken literally, what awful presumption is witnessed in many "churches" in Christendom in this day! Base imitations of this holy compound — the penalty of making which was death (see v. 38) — are used in public services by those who claim to be priests, and for the worship of God. Even a Jew would regard it as abomination, and yet professing Christians can endorse its use! Surely an evidence both of the corruption of Christianity, as well as the power of Satan. Looking at it as an emblem, we are taught that nothing but the fragrance of Christ is acceptable to God in worship. Everything offered apart from Christ is "strange," and cannot be accepted. Secondly, no burnt sacrifice, no meat-offering, and no drink-offering, must be offered upon this altar. This would be to confound the golden with the brazen altar, and consequently to forget our true priestly position. It would be the same mistake now, if, when gathered for worship, we took our place at the cross, instead of inside the rent veil. This is an error into which many souls unwittingly fall. The consequence is, they never know the joy of being brought to God in virtue of the work of Christ, and hence they cannot occupy their true priestly position. Lastly, the scripture from Leviticus forbids the use of strange fire. It must be God's fire — fire kindled from heaven, from before the Lord (Lev. 9:24), and no other. Applying this to believers, the lesson is, that they can only worship by the Spirit of God. Natural fervour and natural emotions, however produced, would in this sense be "strange" fire. It was for this reason, doubtless, that the priests were forbidden to drink wine or strong drink when they entered into the tabernacle. The effects of wine simulate those produced by the Spirit of God. (See Acts 2:13-15.) The fire, equally with the incense, must be divine to be acceptable upon the golden altar — a lesson which Christians of this day would surely do well to lay to heart when the attempt is made on every hand, by sights and sounds, to work on the natural man, and to aid him in the worship of God. May they learn that all such things are really abominations in the sight of God!

Now pass on to Exodus 30. "And thou shalt make an alter to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it … and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold … and Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations" (Ex. 30:1, 3, 7, 9). Now, what is the teaching of this golden altar of incense? I think it is this. There is going up before God all the fragrance, the sweetness, and the perfection of what Christ was as a man. The precious incense, which went up as a sweet savour to God, speaks of the infinite graces of Christ's person and ways as man, and, as being all for God, was burnt on the golden altar.