incense

[lmnop9876]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me the meaning of this verse:

Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

 

[gtsecc]

Non-Reformed churches take that to mean:
Use incense when you worship the Lord.

The first example I knwo of is Noah:

Genesis 8: 20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.

 

[lmnop9876]

Non-Reformed churches take that to mean:
Use incense when you worship the Lord.

yeah, I know. that's why I'm asking. what do Reformed Churches take it to mean?

 

[gtsecc]

It is found in the Bible over 100 times, close to 200 I believe.

Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne;


So, good question. I sure Jesus loves you even if you don't use it. I find it helpful when I pray or worship, so I can't think of a reason not to.

 

[lmnop9876]

i still don't know why reformed churches usually don't use incense.

 

[gtsecc]

Anyone know why?
I would suspect that it stems from rejecting a sacramental world view.

 

[Jon_]

It seems the question being posed is why not, but I would rather pose the question why? Incense burning is not given as a mode of worship for the church. As a believer in the regulative principle of worship, I do not think it should be used because it is not given as a form of worship.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[rnmomof7]

Incense is a type. It has no power or holiness in itself.


The burning of the incense was a type of prayer (Ps. 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4).

 

[lmnop9876]

It seems the question being posed is why not, but I would rather pose the question why? Incense burning is not given as a mode of worship for the church. As a believer in the regulative principle of worship, I do not think it should be used because it is not given as a form of worship.

well, if musical instruments can be justified using OT verses, why not incense? after all, this verse plainly indicates that Gentile believers worldwide will offer incense to God.
Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

Incense is a type. It has no power or holiness in itself.


The burning of the incense was a type of prayer (Ps. 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4).

I understand that the Old Testament incense was a type of prayer; perhaps the incense that is being talked about in Malachi is that of our prayers? but why do the Revelation passages talk about our prayers being offered 'with incense'?

 

[Jon_]

well, if musical instruments can be justified using OT verses, why not incense?

Because this was a commandment (see Psalm 150).

after all, this verse plainly indicates that Gentile believers worldwide will offer incense to God. Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

This is, of course, a predictive prophecy. It does not say what we should do, it says what Malachi foresaw.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[lmnop9876]

Because this was a commandment (see Psalm 150).

mmmmm... there were also old testament commands to use incense in worship. references to it in the New Testament seem to assume that the people reading it would know what this incense was, what it was used for, and what its purpose was. they may have been aware of it from their Jewish or pagan backgrounds, or it may have been used in the early church. archealogical (?sp?) evidence seems to show that incense was used in the synagogue worship. if the early church worship took the form of the synagogue worship, they would have continued using incense in worship.

This is, of course, a predictive prophecy. It does not say what we should do, it says what Malachi foresaw.

but what does the incense he saw being offered to God in every nation mean? the prophecy must come true in some way, whether figurative or actual.

 

[Jon_]

mmmmm... there were also old testament commands to use incense in worship. references to it in the New Testament seem to assume that the people reading it would know what this incense was, what it was used for, and what its purpose was. they may have been aware of it from their Jewish or pagan backgrounds, or it may have been used in the early church. archealogical (?sp?) evidence seems to show that incense was used in the synagogue worship. if the early church worship took the form of the synagogue worship, they would have continued using incense in worship.

As rnmomof7 pointed out already, these were prefigurations (types) of the prayers of the saints justified by the blood of Christ.

but what does the incense he saw being offered to God in every nation mean? the prophecy must come true in some way, whether figurative or actual.

Prayers.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[lmnop9876]

thanks. that's all i wanted to know. so, i take it reformed churches don't use incense because incense was a type of prayers. we now offer up spiritual incense, which is our prayers.

 

[gtsecc]

I am curious as to the reform position.