Praying Prayers That Rise Like Incense

Every time I read Psalm 141, I imagine the prayers of people rising like the smoke from burning incense toward heaven.   Psalm 141:2 says, “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”  We also have a verse in Revelation that talks about the same thing:  “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.” (Revelation 8:3-4) 

It makes me think of my prayers rising above whatever situation I find myself in.

I know that isn’t really how prayer works in general.  Our prayers don’t have to rise anywhere to be heard by God because He is with us where we are.  He is a God who came down to meet us even at our lowest and most unworthy.  But I still like the visual.  It makes me think of my prayers rising above whatever situation I find myself in.  It is the promise that with God, I also will be able to rise above anything this earth has to throw at me.  It is a hopeful, peaceful, powerful image of my trust in my Father.

I don’t know that David had the same visual in mind when he wrote the Psalm.

I don’t know that David had the same visual in mind when he wrote the Psalm, however.  He lived in the age before Jesus died on the cross and sent the Holy Spirit to indwell with believers.  His relationship with God was different because of it.  David lived in the time when He saw God’s Spirit come and rest on Saul and then depart.  He lived in a time of sacrifices at the Temple because the ultimate and eternal sacrifice had not yet happened.  His view of incense was much more tied to that system than mine is.  We can see that by the second part of the verse where he talks about lifting his hands as a sacrifice.  I lift my hands in praise and worship, but very seldom do I have sacrifice on my mind.

What was the role of incense in the old sacrificial system, and why would David relate it to prayer?

It got me curious.  What was the role of incense in the old sacrificial system, and why would David relate it to prayer?  And what of that can I apply to my own prayer life?  I know very little about incense.  I know sometimes people use it to purify their homes.  I know some religious traditions use it as part of their worship.  I know that many earth-worship new-age beliefs use it.  But I also know that God was very specific about when to use it and what type to use.  I also know it was a big part of the Temple and sacrificial system.

Because it was such a specific recipe, we know that there was something symbolic in it. 

I researched a little background.  Burning incense was a direct command of God given to Moses and Aaron in Exodus 30.  The incense was to be burned inside the tabernacle, and later the temple, at all times on the altar of incense.  God gave them a specific recipe to use for the incense.  And because it was such a specific recipe, we know that there was something symbolic in it.  And if there was something symbolic, then it pointed to Jesus, just like all the symbolism and prophecy of the Old Testament does. 

It is the closest we can possibly be to Him.

The altar of incense was located right in front of the veil outside of the Holy of Holies in the temple.  It was the closest item to the room where the Spirit of God dwelt.  The smoke from the incense would rise constantly in front of the veil that separated men from the dwelling place of God.  It was the closest that men could get to God in the Temple, except for the Day of Atonement when the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies.  This is a comparison to prayer.  We no longer have the veil between us and God – Jesus took care of that on the cross.  But we don’t yet dwell physically with Him.  The nearest we draw to Him is in prayer.  In fact, even, though we can’t see it yet, every time we pray, we enter spiritually into the very throne room of God.  (Hebrews 10:19-20) It is the closest we can possibly be to Him.  And yet prayer time is something we often cut short because we are busy or tired.  As I wrote about last week, what if we prayed throughout our day?  What if we used the “Comma God” idea or something similar to turn everything into a conversation with God?  What if our incense burned at all times?

The composition of the incense was interesting. 

Next, the composition of the incense was interesting.  Exodus 30:34-35 says that the incense included stacte, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, and salt.  Onycha is a clam-type shell.  Galbanum is a gum resin from plants.  But the others are the ones that caught my attention.  Stacte is a very pure type of myrrh.  So the incense included the frankincense and myrrh that we see being given to the baby Jesus.  And salt was what Jesus commanded us to be like in the world.  There is certainly some Jesus symbolism there.

The symbolism points to Jesus who died to save us from our sin and death, and to purify us. 

Myrrh was used in embalming, foreshadowing the death of Jesus for our sakes.  Myrrh was also used in purification rituals.   It is very powerful in treating infections, pain, and swelling.  The symbolism points to Jesus who died to save us from our sin and death, and to purify us.  He is the great healer both spiritually, and emotionally and physically. He wipes the tears from our eyes after death and heals all pain. 

The symbolism points to Jesus who repels the foes and enemies of this life.

Frankincense is another disinfectant that is great for fighting bacteria.  It repels insects and other pests.  It is also calming and soothing inside the body.  The symbolism points to Jesus who repels the foes and enemies of this life, especially the adversary Satan. He is the One who died to defeat Satan.  Also, He is the one who calms and soothes us, and brings us peace.

Jesus will preserve us for Himself.

And finally we have salt, which is a preservative.  It makes me think of Psalm 40:11: “As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!”  Jesus will preserve us for Himself until the day we join Him.  Salt also gives us the savor in life.  Jesus warns that we should never lose that savor as we follow Him and share Him. (Matthew 5:13)  It is interesting that salt loses its savor in only a couple of ways: mixture and contamination.  Salt will never lose its savor with time.  It only loses it by mixing with the wrong ingredients, or letting the wrong ingredients into its container.  We are the same.  We lose our savor – our joy in relationship to Jesus and our effectiveness for Him – by allowing ourselves to be drawn into the wrong situations or allowing sin to creep into our lives.

All of these ingredients had to be crushed before they could be put to use.

In all of these things, I can see the need for prayer.  It is prayer that keeps me close to Jesus and keeps sin from having power over me.  It is prayer that heals and cures the diseases of my heart.  It is prayer that calms and soothes me.  But there was still one more symbolism in the ancient use of incense.  All of these ingredients had to be crushed before they could be put to use.  Just as Jesus had to be crushed in order for us to be saved:  “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:5)

Everything was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice.

Such strong symbolism pointing to the sacrifice of Jesus and what it would do for us!  The same message is found throughout the whole sacrificial system.  Everything was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice – God becoming man to die on the cross to save us because we couldn’t save ourselves.  The infinite love, grace, and mercy of God.

We can’t make up our own recipe for salvation. 

But there was still more.  When talking about the altar of incense, Exodus 30:9 says, “You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.”  And Jeremiah 44:3 says, “They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew.”  There was one recipe for incense and one God to burn it to, just as there is only one Savior and He is the only way to the Father.  We can’t make up our own recipe for salvation.  We can’t worship other things besides God, even our own works.  God is our object of worship and the king of our lives.

We don’t burn incense now.  We don’t have to. 

We don’t burn incense now.  We don’t have to.  The veil was torn.  The ultimate sacrifice already happened on the cross.  Everything the incense was pointing to has already occurred.  And yet, we still see incense and prayer tied together at the end of time in Revelation.  What are we to take from this?

What I take from this is that I take the need for prayer too lightly. 

I don’t claim to know the answers.  What I do take from this is that I take the need for prayer too lightly.  I should keep prayer in my heart all day.  I should remember with worship and gratitude the sacrifice of Jesus that tore the veil and gave me the ability to directly approach God’s throne room boldly.  Jesus suffered and died to give me that gift.  And when I feel too tired or too busy to stop and spend some time in focused, intentional, deep prayer, I need to remember that just like incense burning, it is a sacrifice to the Lord.  It is a sacrifice that has a sweet smell to Him.  It is the sacrifice that He always wanted and always will, more than animals or incense or grain offerings or even tithing.  He wants my attention and my obedience: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) And for me, I am at my most attentive and obedient when I am in prayer.

I hope today’s message touched your heart, increased your understanding, and encouraged you.  Praying the peace and comfort of Christ Jesus on your life.