Meaning of Numbers 7:86

This verse from Numbers 7:86 details a specific offering made by the twelve tribes of Israel during the dedication of the tabernacle. Following the consecration of the altar and the anointing of the priests, each tribal prince presented a set of offerings. The text enumerates these gifts, and verse 86 focuses on the final portion of each prince's contribution: twelve golden dishes, each weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, totaling one hundred and twenty shekels. This meticulous accounting underscores the importance of precise obedience and the value placed on every aspect of worship and service to God, even seemingly small details like the weight and composition of sacrificial vessels.

Context and Background

Numbers chapter 7 is a lengthy and detailed account of the offerings presented by the twelve princes of Israel at the inauguration of the tabernacle. This event occurred shortly after the tabernacle's construction and consecration. Each prince presented identical offerings, emphasizing the unity and shared commitment of the tribes to God's dwelling place among them. The offerings included various animals for burnt offerings and sin offerings, as well as a grain offering. The golden dishes filled with incense represent a specific element of the worship that would take place within the tabernacle, particularly associated with the priestly duties.

Key Themes and Messages

• Order and Precision in Worship: The exact specifications of the offerings, including the weight of the golden dishes and the incense, highlight God's desire for order and precision in worship. There was no room for casual or imprecise devotion; every detail mattered.
• The Value of Incense: Incense in the Old Testament was symbolic of prayer and intercession. The offering of incense signifies the importance of prayer ascending to God. The fact that these dishes were made of gold, a precious metal, further emphasizes the preciousness of these prayers.
• Unity of the Tribes: The fact that each of the twelve princes presented the same set of offerings demonstrates the unity of Israel as a nation dedicated to God. Despite their distinct tribal identities, they were united in their worship and service.
• Generosity and Sacrifice: The cumulative weight of the gold, 120 shekels, represents a significant material value, indicating the generosity and sacrificial spirit of the princes and, by extension, their tribes, in dedicating these precious items to God's service.

Spiritual Significance and Application

The golden dishes of incense speak to the spiritual practice of prayer. Just as the incense ascended and filled the tabernacle, so too should our prayers ascend to God. The preciousness of the gold signifies that our prayers, when offered in faith and through Christ, are valuable to God. This passage encourages believers to approach prayer with reverence, intentionality, and a consistent offering of their spiritual "incense" – their prayers, praises, and petitions – to God. It reminds us that God values our spiritual devotion, even as He valued the precise offerings of ancient Israel.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This passage is part of the Levitical and Tabernacle system, which served as a foreshadowing and preparation for the New Covenant. The tabernacle, and later the temple, were earthly representations of God's dwelling with His people, pointing towards the ultimate dwelling of God among humanity in Jesus Christ. The incense offerings are frequently linked to prayer in the New Testament, notably in Revelation, where the prayers of the saints are depicted as incense offered before God's throne (Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4). This verse thus bridges the Old Testament practice with New Testament spiritual realities.

Analogies

• A Priest's Censer: Imagine a priest carefully preparing a censer with fragrant incense for burning. The golden dish is like the vessel holding this precious offering, ready to release its aroma when ignited.
• A Prayer Journal: The precise weight and material of the dishes can be likened to the careful and deliberate nature of recording our prayers. While the quantity of prayers isn't the focus, the quality and intentionality behind them are significant.
• A Perfume Bottle: A finely crafted perfume bottle holding a precious fragrance can symbolize the golden dish holding the incense – a container for something valuable and intended to be released.

Relation to Other Verses

• Exodus 30:34-38: This passage describes the making of the incense and the altar of incense, emphasizing its sacredness and the prohibition against using it for any other purpose. Numbers 7:86 directly illustrates the application of this prescribed incense in the offerings of the princes.
• Psalm 141:2: "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." This psalm explicitly connects prayer with the imagery of incense, echoing the symbolism found in Numbers.
• Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4: These New Testament passages explicitly refer to the prayers of believers being presented to God in golden bowls and as incense, directly linking the Old Testament practice to New Testament spiritual worship.