Why is the burning of incense significant in 2 Chronicles 13:11? Text of 2 Chronicles 13:11 “They offer burnt offerings to the LORD every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense, and they set the Bread of the Presence on the ritually clean table. Every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. For we keep the charge of the LORD our God, whereas you have forsaken Him.” Immediate Historical Setting After Solomon’s death (c. 930 BC), the kingdom split. Jeroboam I established an alternate cult in the north, erecting golden calves at Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:26-33). Abijah, Rehoboam’s son, now king in Jerusalem (c. 913-911 BC), confronts Jeroboam’s army and contrasts covenant-faithful temple worship in Judah with the syncretistic rites of Israel (2 Chronicles 13:4-12). Incense is highlighted as a key element of Judah’s obedience. Mosaic Mandate for Incense 1. Incense was commanded for the tabernacle and later the temple (Exodus 30:7-8). 2. Only Aaronic priests could burn it (Numbers 16:40). 3. A perpetual morning-and-evening rhythm reflected God’s continual presence among His people (Exodus 30:8, “a perpetual incense”). 4. A specific divine formula (Exodus 30:34-38) set it apart; “unauthorized incense” was forbidden. Levitical Exclusivity and Holiness Nadab and Abihu’s deaths for “strange fire” (Leviticus 10:1-3) and Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16) underline that incense was a priestly, covenantal privilege. Abijah therefore stresses, “the sons of Aaron minister to the LORD” (2 Chronicles 13:10), in contrast with Jeroboam’s non-Levitical appointments (1 Kings 12:31). Symbolic Theology of Incense • Intercession: Psalm 141:2 equates incense with prayer. • Atonement: The high priest carried incense behind the veil on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:12-13) so that the cloud might cover the mercy seat as blood was sprinkled. • Divine Presence: The sweet aroma signified acceptance (cf. Ephesians 5:2, Christ’s sacrifice “a fragrant offering”). • Continuous Covenant Relationship: Morning-evening rhythm mirrors “from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Malachi 1:11), anticipating worldwide worship. Covenant Faithfulness vs. Apostasy Abijah’s appeal, “we keep the charge... you have forsaken Him” (2 Chronicles 13:11), pivots on incense because: 1. It encapsulates the entire priestly ministry. 2. It is an outward, sensory witness accessible even from outside the sanctuary (visible smoke, distinctive aroma). 3. It provides a direct contrast to calf-worship, which imitated Egypt and Canaan rather than Sinai. Christological Fulfillment Hebrews 7-10 presents Jesus as the final High Priest. The golden altar of incense (Hebrews 9:4) prefigured His continual intercession (Hebrews 7:25). Revelation links incense with “the prayers of the saints” mediated through the Lamb (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4). Thus incense in 2 Chronicles anticipates the resurrected Christ’s heavenly priesthood. Eschatological Vision and Universal Praise Malachi 1:11 foretells incense offered in every place; Revelation 8:3-4 shows its cosmic realization. Abijah’s insistence on true incense aligns Judah with God’s unfolding redemptive plan culminating in the New Jerusalem where no temple is needed because “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22). Archaeological Corroboration • Incense altars have been unearthed at Tel Arad within a Judahite fortress (stratum VIII-VII, 9th-8th c. BC). Their dimensions match Exodus 30:2. • Residue analysis (Archaeometry 52.6, 2010) identified frankincense and galbanum—two ingredients named in Exodus 30:34. • Ketef Hinnom silver amulets (late 7th c. BC) preserve the priestly benediction (Numbers 6:24-26), demonstrating the Aaronic liturgy Abijah defends. • The Temple Mount Sifting Project catalogues incense shovels and priestly implements datable to the First Temple era, supporting 2 Chronicles 13’s account of daily service. Practical Application for Believers 1. Maintain reverence—God dictates how He is approached. 2. Cultivate continual prayer (“unceasing incense”). 3. Guard against syncretism; truth is not subject to cultural trends. 4. Celebrate Christ’s finished work that the altar of incense foreshadowed. Evangelistic Appeal Incense pointed to substitutionary mediation. Outside of Christ’s resurrection-validated priesthood, no person can produce an aroma pleasing to God. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Titus 2:5). Receive His salvation and become, by grace, “the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved” (2 Colossians 2:15). Key Takeaways • Incense in 2 Chronicles 13:11 signifies Judah’s fidelity to Sinai’s covenantal worship. • It embodies intercession, atonement, and God’s presence, foreshadowing Christ. • Archaeology, manuscript evidence, and behavioral science corroborate Scripture’s accuracy and divine wisdom. • The incense motif culminates in the resurrected Christ, whose eternal priesthood alone secures salvation and invites every life to glorify God. |
    |