Q: In Sunday school someone asked, "Why did they light incense in the temple in Bible times?" and not even the
teacher knew. Do you know?
A: Most sources will
tell you something along these lines:
"The smoke from burnt offerings rose into the heavens,
representing our dedication to God. The incense represented people’s prayers
rising up to God" (“Then Will I Go unto the Altar of God,” Ensign,
February 2014, 66).
This is the symbolism that is used in Psalms 141:2 and
Revelation 8:3-4:
"Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my
voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my
prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as
the evening sacrifice."
"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having
a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before
the throne. And the smoke of the
incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out
of the angel's hand."
The symbolism whereby the smoke of the incense represents
the prayers of the saints is a powerful one, and should help us to understand
the importance of prayer in our relationship with God, but there is deeper symbolism
which should not be ignored. The burning
of the incense to accompany an offering in the temple also had an important
symbolic function that relates to the Savior and the cleansing and purifying
effect (sanctification) of His atonement.
In Leviticus, the Israelites were commanded to add incense
(along with salt and some other things) to their burnt offerings in order that
their offerings might be "of a sweet savour unto the Lord" (see
Leviticus Ch. 2). This had the symbolic
effect of sanctifying the offering and making it acceptable to God.
This symbolism was understood by the people
anciently, as it was part of the prayer which was offered by the
priests and the people during the portion of the service in which the
incense was lit.