| Many people of the Christian church see the use | | | | others? They each were equally amazed to find |
| of incense as a part of various occults practices, | | | | the same thing happening to them. |
| the Buddhist, or New Age movements and not to | | | | Another interesting thing was each of us also |
| be a part of the Christian church. | | | | found that the environment in our homes were |
| Why did the Holy Bible scriptures I found referred | | | | changing, each of us in a different way, according |
| to the incense as Holy? Has the Christian church | | | | to the desire of the Lord. My house became a |
| missed something? What was the truth? Who | | | | place of sanctuary, peace, and ministry. |
| was right? | | | | This was getting really interesting. I decided to |
| I decided to find out. In my search the first thing | | | | research further. I found a book called "Strong's" |
| I did was go to a Bible computer program and | | | | that is used for studying the Bible a bit more in |
| put in the word "incense". I was amazed to see | | | | detail. It actually gave different words in the Bible |
| there were 132 references in the scriptures to | | | | and the definitions of what they meant in the |
| incense. As I glanced over them I noticed they all | | | | Biblical days. I decided to look up incense. Here is |
| seemed to refer to idols of the day. This seemed | | | | what I found: |
| to go to the side of the people believing the | | | | Incense: Strong's # 6999 - Fumigation in a close |
| incense were not for the Church. But then I felt a | | | | place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants |
| prompting to look further. | | | | (demons)burn incense, make sacrifices smoke, to |
| I decided to print in order all of the scriptures on | | | | cause incense to smoke, offer incense |
| incense so I could really look at them. As I read | | | | Types of Incense - God's Incense, Strange |
| down the page an amazing fact jumped out at | | | | Incense |
| me. The vast majority of them were telling how | | | | God gives us instructions that we are to only burn |
| not to use the incense. They were showing how | | | | His incense |
| the incense was being used in the wrong way. | | | | The scriptures show us there are certain |
| They also told the consequences of using the | | | | fragrances used in the Temple Incense. Also |
| incense the wrong way was to cause God's | | | | throughout the scriptures we see the reference |
| wrath to come upon us. This really caught my | | | | to various other fragrances that represent the |
| attention so I looked further. Here are just a | | | | Lord which are also used at times to make |
| couple verses I found: | | | | incense to honor Him. |
| Leviticus 10: 1 - 2 Then Nadab and Abihu, the | | | | Exodus 30:9a You shall not offer strange incense |
| sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire | | | | on it..., |
| in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire | | | | Ok, so if incense is a good thing then why not |
| before the Lord, which He (God) had not | | | | just burn them all the time everyday? When this |
| commanded them. So fire went out from the | | | | question came to mind the Lord immediately led |
| Lord and devoured them, and they died before | | | | me to this verse. |
| the Lord. | | | | Jeremiah 18:15 Because my people hath forgotten |
| I King 22: 43, 50 - 53 .....and he (Jehoshaphat) | | | | me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they |
| walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did | | | | have caused them to stumble in their ways from |
| not turn aside from them, doing what was right in | | | | the ancient paths, to walk in path, in a way not |
| the eyes of the Lord, Nevertheless the high | | | | cast up. |
| places were not taken away, for the people | | | | The Burning of incense was originated for the |
| offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high | | | | purpose of worship. We have cheapened it by |
| places...... | | | | using it for room fragrances and other religions. |
| (The high places were where the people who | | | | The Lord is calling us back to Holiness and is |
| worshipped other gods would burn incense to | | | | saying to stop using His sanctified things for play |
| those gods) | | | | and pleasure. They are Holy before Him. |
| Here is God's response - | | | | Reverence those things which are Holy. |
| Verse 53: For he served Baal and worshiped him, | | | | What about room fragrance? Use those things |
| and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, | | | | which are not incense for the purpose of |
| according to all that his father had done. | | | | fragrances. Use sprays, perfumes, essential oils |
| As I read further into this story in the scriptures I | | | | even. But stop using His Holy Incense. |
| found that even though Jehoshaphat worshiped | | | | Example: Would we use the baptism tank at the |
| God he left the altars in the high places and | | | | church for a bathtub? How about the church for a |
| burned incense to Baal the idol. In further study of | | | | nightclub during the week with all the drinking and |
| Jehoshaphat we find as a result the sins were | | | | drugging that goes on? This may sound extreme |
| past down through the generations. | | | | and I may be stepping on some toes. But please |
| As I continued to read through the scriptures I | | | | hear my heart. Through this study I have found |
| found them showing more of the wrong ways | | | | God's things are Holy. Our ways are not His |
| the incense were used and God's reaction. Every | | | | Ways. Until we separate ourselves and begin to |
| time the anger of God came against the people. | | | | walk in Holiness we cannot come into a deep |
| The wrong way clearly indicated the use of the | | | | intimacy with Him. |
| incense for worshipping idols rather than God. | | | | Isaiah 55:8-9For My thoughts are not your |
| In the Holy Bible I found many places in the | | | | thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the |
| scriptures where the Lord is brought to great | | | | Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the |
| anger when the incense is used by the "idol | | | | earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, |
| worshipers". | | | | and My thought than your thoughts. |
| I first found the Incense in Exodus 30. Moses is | | | | So what does the incense truly represent? Here |
| given instructions for the Temple Of God. We are | | | | are the Bible scriptures the Lord led me to. |
| also told the incense is forevermore. This means | | | | Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the |
| they were to never end. The Lord even refers to | | | | four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell |
| our worship as "sweet incense" in His nostrils. We | | | | down before the Lamb, having every one of |
| learn in Exodus 30 the Incense of the Bible is for | | | | them harps, and golden vials full of odors |
| the purpose of worship. | | | | (incense), which are the prayers of saints. |
| Exodus 30:8 and when Aaron lights the lamps at | | | | Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at |
| twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual | | | | the altar, having a golden censer; and there was |
| incense before the Lord throughout your | | | | given unto him much incense, that he should offer |
| generations. | | | | [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden |
| Ok, it seemed I had found the answer. The | | | | altar which was before the throne. |
| incense was to be used in the Church of today. | | | | Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, [which |
| Remember the verse said, "forevermore". That | | | | came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended |
| means today too. So now what? So I thought, | | | | up before God out of the angel's hand. |
| ok, I will do an experiment. Since Moses had told | | | | What happens when we use the Incense the right |
| Aaron to burn the incense in morning why not try | | | | way? Remember our Strong's definition: |
| using them while I am praying in the mornings and | | | | Incense: Strong's # 6999 - Fumigation in a close |
| see what happens. | | | | place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants. |
| During my time of research I decided to burn the | | | | Types of Incense:a) Frankincense: used for the sin |
| Frankincense during my intimate times with the | | | | offeringsb) Hyssop: used for the sin offeringsc) |
| Lord. I also decided to ask some friends to do the | | | | Rose of Sharon: fragrant of our Lordd) Cedar: |
| same and report back to me how they liked the | | | | woods used in the templee) Pine: woods used in |
| incense. In my own experience I was amazed the | | | | the templef) Cinnamon: purity of the Bride of |
| times with the Lord went into deep deep times | | | | Christ |
| of intercession, revelations that I found later | | | | I don't know about you but I think I have found |
| confirmed out with His word, and visions that I | | | | my answer. |
| found later confirmed in His word. As for the | | | | Blessings to each of you. |