Meaning of Numbers 7:56

This verse, Numbers 7:56, describes one of the twelve identical gold dishes offered by the princes of Israel as part of the dedication of the altar. Each dish, weighing ten shekels, was filled with incense. This offering is situated within the larger context of the consecration of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, a period meticulously detailed in Numbers chapter 7, where each tribal leader presents offerings to sanctify the sacred space and its service. The incense itself, a fragrant mixture prepared according to divine instructions (Exodus 30:34-38), was central to the worship of God, being burned daily on the altar of incense before the veil of the Holy Place. Therefore, this specific offering of a gold dish filled with incense underscores the importance of fragrant worship, the purity and preciousness of what is offered to God, and the communal participation of all Israel in the sanctification of their worship.

Context and Background

Numbers 7 recounts the offerings made by the twelve princes of Israel over twelve days, following the completion and anointing of the Tabernacle. Each prince presented the same set of offerings on their designated day, symbolizing the unity and collective commitment of the nation to God's presence among them. The offerings included a silver dish, a silver bowl, a gold dish filled with incense, a bull, a ram, a male lamb for a burnt offering, a male goat for a sin offering, and two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs for a peace offering. The gold dish of incense, specifically mentioned here, was part of this comprehensive set of gifts intended to inaugurate and consecrate the Tabernacle.

Key Themes and Messages

• Fragrant Worship: Incense is consistently associated with prayer and worship in Scripture. The pleasant aroma rising to God signified the acceptance of offerings and the prayers of His people. This emphasizes the sensory and devotional aspect of approaching God.
• Purity and Preciousness: The use of gold for the dish signifies the high value and purity expected in offerings made to God. It reflects the preciousness of the worship and prayers offered.
• Communal Participation: The fact that each of the twelve princes offered an identical set of gifts, including the incense, highlights that the privilege and responsibility of worship are shared by all of Israel.
• Acceptance by God: The burning of incense was a ritual that ensured God's presence would remain with His people, averting wrath and signifying acceptance.

Spiritual Significance and Application

Spiritually, the gold dish filled with incense represents the prayers and worship of believers ascending to God. Just as the physical incense was pleasing to God and represented the prayers of the Israelites, our prayers, when offered with sincerity, faith, and a pure heart, are a fragrant offering to Him. The gold speaks to the preciousness of these prayers, which are not to be taken lightly but are of immense value in God's sight. This verse encourages believers to offer their worship and prayers with devotion and a sense of the sacredness of their communion with God.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This offering of incense is a precursor to the New Testament understanding of prayer as worship. In the New Testament, the imagery of incense is used to describe the prayers of the saints ascending to God. For instance, Revelation 5:8 speaks of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders falling down before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. This demonstrates a continuity of the symbolic meaning of incense from the Old Testament ritual to the spiritual reality experienced by believers in Christ.

Analogies

One analogy for the gold dish filled with incense is a beautifully crafted vessel holding a precious perfume. The vessel itself is valuable, but its true purpose is to contain and present the fragrant essence within. Similarly, the gold dish is valuable, but it holds the incense, which is the essence of the offering. Another analogy could be a composer carefully crafting a piece of music; the notes and melodies are the essence of the worship, and the score (or the performance) is the vessel that carries it to the listener.

Relation to Other Verses

• Exodus 30:34-38: This passage provides the divine recipe for the incense, emphasizing its sacred composition and prohibition against unauthorized use, highlighting its unique role in worship.
• Psalm 141:2: "May my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!" This psalm directly links prayer and the lifting of hands (a gesture of prayer) to the acceptable offering of incense.
• Revelation 8:3-4: As mentioned earlier, this New Testament passage uses the imagery of incense to represent the prayers of the saints ascending to God through the angel before the throne.