Incense

Were the temples and priests of ancient times merely superstitious institutions of ignoratnt people or did they have a practical and socioeconomic value and purpose?

• If the altars of clay and stones were symbolic of institutions of men providing Pure Religion...

• If burnt offerings were just a metaphor for sacrifices of the people in the form of contributions entirely given to those Charitable institutions...

• If the statue of the golden calf was not just a superstitious idols but served a practical purpose to bind the people in the face of the danger of attack from other nations and fostering loyalty through a bound economy and population...

• If the sacrifice of the red heifer was not just a red female bovine but actually represented foreign aid given to other neighboring nations to build trust and honorable support...

• If the temple of Israel was always meant to be made of men called out (livelistone) to bring the people together through a national network of faith, hope and charity then what the burning of incense?

The word incense appears in the Bible some 121 times. It is often translated from the Hebrew word qᵉtoreth including the letters KufTetReishTav ^תרטק^ which is said to appear some 60 times in the sacred text.

Its first appearance is in Exodus 25:6 as "sweet incense" where it is listed with "Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil". The actual word which appears in the text is wə·liq·ṭō·reṯ consisting of the Hebrew letters וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת VavLamedKufTetReishTav. This form only appears 3 times in the whole text.

It also appears 4 times without the Lamed but only with the Vav as ū·qə·ṭō·reṯ VavKufTetReishTav and seemingly associated with "oil for the light". Is the burning of incense a metaphor for activities that bring light and understanding to our souls?

A more common form of this word for incense is qə·ṭō·reṯ consisting of the letters KufTetReishTav appearing some 36 times and another 13 times with an additional Hey as haq·qə·ṭō·reṯ HeyKufTetReishTav and often associated with an altar. הַקְּטֹֽרֶת

Uzziah, also spelled Ozias, also called Azariah, or Azarias got in trouble because as king he tried to burn incense in the temple which was a job only for the priests.

Burnt

Leviticus 9:10: “But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.”

The term "burnt" is from the Hebrew word qatar, רטק, Kuf, Tet, Reish] given the Strong's number 6999 and translated incense 59 times, and burn 49 times, but also translated offer 3 times, kindle, and offering once each, with 4 other miscellaneous translations. It is said to be a primitive root but is identical to Strong's number 7000, qatar, רטק, and other Strong's numbers 7001 and 7002 which are translated doubts twice, joints once, incense once, and joined once, and given the definitions of to shut in, enclose, join, knot, joint, and even problem.

ק Kuf or Kof Omnipresence - Redemption of Fallen Sparks The paradoxical union Reish and a Zayin holiness or separateness omnipresence of God [Cord and needle 𐤒 ... back of head neck... the last or least] (Numeric value: 100)

ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)

ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)

Another word for burnt offering is `olah, 05930, הלע, which is translated as burnt offering 264 times, burnt sacrifice 21, but also translated ascent and go up. The same word, hle, is also numbered 05929 but translated leaf and branch. Also, הלע, numbered 5927, is translated up 676 times, offer 67, come 22, bring 18, ascend 15, go 12, chew 9 times, offering 8, light 6, increase 4, burn 3, depart 3, put 3, spring, raised, arose, break, exalted twice each and another 33 other miscellaneous ways.

Altar

The words upon the altar is from the Hebrew word mizbeach חבזמ [Mem, Zayin, Beit, Chet], given the Strong's number 4196, and is always translated altar. It is from zabach, חבז, [Zayin, Beit, Chet] Strong's number 2076 and translated sacrifice 85 times, offer 39, kill 5, slay 5, but as Strong's 2077 חבז, it is said to mean sacrifice and is translated sacrifice 155 times, offerings 6, offer once. It also appears as the name Zebah said to mean “deprived of protection.”

07002 ^rjq^ qitter \@kit-tare'\@ from 06999; TWOT-2011c; n f AV-incense 1; 1

1) incense ... only found in Jeremiah 44:21

Jeremiah 44:21 The incense <07002> that ye burned <06999>in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it [not] into his mind?

But the word translated burned is also incense.

being the primitive root [identical with 07000 supposedly through the idea of fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants.

07000 ^rjq^ qatar \@kaw-tar'\@ a primitive root; TWOT-2012; v AV-joined 1; 1

1) (Qal) to shut in, enclose, join

1a) meaning dubious

• ק Kuf or Kof Omnipresence - Redemption of Fallen Sparks The paradoxical union Reish and a Zayin holiness or separateness omnipresence of God [Cord and needle 𐤒 ... back of head neck... the last or least] (Numeric value: 100)
• ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)
• ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)

Ezekiel 46:22 In the four corners of the court [there were] courts joined of forty [cubits] long and thirty broad: hese four corners [were] of one measure.

07001 ^רטק^ q@tar [KUF, TET, REISH] (Aramaic) \@ket-ar'\@ from a root corresponding to 07000; TWOT-2970; n m AV-doubts 2, joints 1; 3

1) knot, joint, problem

1a) joints (of the hip)

1b) difficulties, doubts (fig)

This may mean literally dissolving of doubts.

07004 ^תרטק^ qᵉtoreth \@ket-o’- reth\@ from 06999; n f; {See TWOT on 2011 @@ "2011a"} AV-incense 57, perfume 3; 60

1) incense, smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice

1a) sweet smoke of sacrifice

1b) incense

1c) perfume

“And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you:… he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties;…” 1 Samuel 8:11,12.

We have fallen away from the teachings of the Bible. Their institution of modern Churches are barren. Instead of leading people to liberty they have delivered them into bondage.

“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19

The people seeking the kingdom of God have been influenced by Roman ideas and many of our traditions have evolved from that influence.

“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Rev. 2:14, 15

Balac was not a religion but a government system that brought the people to a state of selfish apathy and wantonness by an exercising authority and covetous practices of vanity. The exercising authority of rulers, their entitlements, traditions and doctrines usurps the responsibility of the individual and brings them into sloth, apathy and avarice.

Religion today has been polluted by men who desire power and authority over other people, whether in civil democracies or the church pew. This power and authority was never intended by the Lord.

“Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up;” Jeremiah 18:15

Ezra 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, [who were] ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: 13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

We may return to the ancient paths and join together in true worship of our King and Father. Modern Christianity is the product of centuries of book burning, prevarication and persecution. We must learn to worship the Father by paying Him homage and service by caring for His sheep. We cannot serve two masters nor can we pay homage to one King while we say we worship another.

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” Luke 11:2

There should be no kings or ruler for Christians but Jesus the Christ. No Father on earth but our Father in Heaven. It is that kingdom of liberty under God which is at hand. It is the justice and mercy of His perfect law of liberty to which we owe our homage, allegiance and worship.

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2

2 Corinthians 2:14"... God... causeth us to ... manifest the savour of his knowledge..."

The Greek word osme is translated savour but like incense has to do with the permeation of Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit of God in us and blessings that permeate around us when we allow that spirit to manifest in us and through us.