Topical Bible: Temple: Solomon's for the offering of Sweet Incense

◄ Temple: Solomon's for the offering of Sweet Incense ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The Temple of Solomon, also known as the First Temple, holds a significant place in biblical history as the central place of worship for the Israelites. Constructed under the reign of King Solomon, the temple was designed to be a dwelling place for the Name of the LORD and a center for sacrificial offerings, including the offering of sweet incense.

Biblical Description and Purpose

The offering of sweet incense in Solomon's Temple was a vital aspect of the worship practices prescribed by God. The incense altar, also known as the Altar of Incense, was located in the Holy Place, just before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies). The altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold, signifying its sacred purpose (Exodus 30:1-3).

The primary purpose of the incense offering was to symbolize the prayers of the people ascending to God. The sweet aroma of the incense was a pleasing offering to the LORD, representing the devotion and supplication of the Israelites. The daily burning of incense was a perpetual ordinance, signifying the continual intercession before God.

Scriptural References

The instructions for the offering of sweet incense are detailed in the Torah, particularly in the book of Exodus. Exodus 30:7-8 states, "And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come."

The incense itself was a specific blend of spices, as commanded by God, and was considered holy. Exodus 30:34-36 describes the composition: "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.'"

Symbolism and Significance

The offering of sweet incense in Solomon's Temple was rich in symbolism. It represented the prayers and worship of the people, rising to God as a fragrant offering. The incense was to be burned both morning and evening, signifying the importance of regular and continual prayer and worship.

The incense offering also served as a reminder of God's holiness and the need for purity in worship. The specific formula for the incense and the prohibition against using it for personal purposes underscored the sanctity of the worship practices in the temple.

Historical Context

Solomon's Temple was completed around 957 BC and stood as the spiritual heart of Israel until its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The temple's design and rituals, including the offering of sweet incense, were integral to the religious life of the Israelites and reflected their covenant relationship with God.

The offering of sweet incense continued to be a significant practice in the Second Temple period, as seen in the New Testament. In Luke 1:9-10 , Zechariah, a priest, is described as entering the temple to burn incense, and the people were praying outside at the hour of incense offering, highlighting the enduring importance of this ritual in Jewish worship.

Theological Implications

The offering of sweet incense in Solomon's Temple points to the broader theological theme of prayer and intercession in the Bible. It prefigures the ultimate intercession of Christ, who, as the Great High Priest, offers continual intercession for believers. The imagery of incense is echoed in the book of Revelation, where the prayers of the saints are depicted as rising before God like incense (Revelation 5:8).

In summary, the offering of sweet incense in Solomon's Temple was a profound expression of worship, symbolizing the prayers and devotion of God's people and reflecting the holiness and majesty of the LORD.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Chronicles 2:4
Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual show bread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... they must go by it; yea, there they must leave their offering, and so go ... Upon this
altar Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, offered thousands ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

Christ Glorified as the Builder of his Church
... His offering is like that of Cain; God hath no respect to ... a parallel between Christ's
building the church, and Solomon, as the builder of the first temple. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/christ glorified as the builder.htm

A Discourse of Mercifulness
... verses, like the stairs of Solomon's temple, cause our ... who live without priest, without
temple, without Messiah ... I hate robbery for burnt offering' (Isaiah 61:8 ...
/.../15 a discourse of mercifulness.htm

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
... full of good, it is full of sweet, it is ... Solomon's was but a shadow, and therefore
fit to be ... are waiting without at his time of offering incense within (Luke 1 ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the saints privilege and profit.htm

A Discourse
... and though she may not be called Solomon's temple, yet she ... Nor could anything in
the temple more aptly express ... sense was the altar of burnt-offering, the altar ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

They Shall be Called the Children of God
... lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering; and Samuel ... So these sweet and heart-ravishing
privileges are to ... First the stones of Solomon's temple were hewn and ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/19 they shall be called.htm

The Journey of the Three Holy Kings to Bethlehem
... two places in a conflict before the reign of Solomon. ... or going to the market or the
Temple in Jerusalem. ... took from his girdle; this was the offering which they ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xiii the journey of the.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... of language; Ezekiel tells us that the man that he saw come to measure the city
and temple, had in his ... 'Truly the light is sweet,' saith Solomon, 'and a ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... Truly the light is good (saith Solomon) and a pleasant thing it is for the eye ... and
that he could have descended from the pinnacle of the temple, as afterwards ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

The Desire of the Righteous Granted;
... acceptably: 'But unto Cain and to his offering, the Lord ... You read in Solomon's
Ecclesiastes of a time when desires ... Lord, and to inquire in his temple' (Psalm 27 ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the desire of the righteous.htm