What role does prayer play in offering "incense" as described in Deuteronomy 33:10? Setting the Scene Deuteronomy 33 records Moses’ final blessings on Israel. Concerning Levi he declares: “‘They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel. They shall set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.’” (Deuteronomy 33:10) In this single verse Moses captures the priestly heart of Levi’s calling—teaching truth, presenting sacrifices, and offering incense. Incense is more than fragrant smoke; it is a God-ordained picture of prayer. Incense in the Priestly Ministry • Morning and evening, priests burned a specific blend of incense on the golden altar inside the Holy Place (Exodus 30:1-8). • Only priests could perform this act; anyone else would face judgment (Numbers 16:40). • The smoke rose directly before the veil that guarded the Ark, illustrating constant access to God for those He appointed. Prayer as the Fragrance God Desires Scripture repeatedly equates incense with prayer: • “May my prayer be set before You like incense, the lifting up of my hands like the evening offering.” (Psalm 141:2) • While Zechariah served at the incense altar, “the whole multitude of the people were praying outside” (Luke 1:10). The two actions ran in parallel—incense inside, prayer outside. • In heaven “the golden bowls full of incense… are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8). • Revelation 8:3-4 shows incense mingling with “the prayers of all the saints… rising up before God.” Each passage affirms that God sees sincere prayer as a sweet aroma, just as He once enjoyed the literal aroma from the Tabernacle. How Deuteronomy 33:10 Ties Prayer and Incense Together • The tribe of Levi was tasked “to set incense before You.” Incense represents the priestly responsibility of intercession. • Incense scented the entire sanctuary; prayer similarly permeates every aspect of true worship. • The verse places incense between teaching God’s Word and offering sacrifices. Prayer links doctrine (truth) to devotion (sacrifice), keeping both alive and personal. • By blessing this task, Moses highlights prayer’s ongoing role: even after sacrifices would cease at Calvary, incense-prayer continues as the appointed way to approach God (Hebrews 7:25). Living It Out Today • Approach God confidently; Christ, our perfect High Priest, keeps the altar of intercession open (Hebrews 4:14-16). • Let biblical truth shape petitions, just as the priest first taught God’s ordinances before lighting the incense. • Cultivate regular “morning and evening” prayer rhythms, echoing the daily schedule of the altar of incense. • Expect prayer to influence the environment around you; like incense, its fragrance drifts beyond the place of offering and blesses others. |
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