Worship
Prayer Rising Before God
The fragrance and rising smoke of incense are familiar parts of Celestial worship.
Incense appears throughout Scripture in the worship of God, and the Bible gives it one particularly beautiful meaning: the prayers of God's people rising before Him.
“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense.”
Psalm 141:2
Incense did not begin with Celestial Church of Christ. It appears throughout the biblical worship of God.
In Exodus 30, God instructed Moses concerning the altar of incense and the sacred incense used in worship. In Luke 1, Zechariah was carrying out his priestly duty of burning incense while the people prayed. In Revelation, incense appears again — this time within the worship of heaven itself.
Together these passages give incense a rich biblical context of worship, prayer, holiness, and reverence before God.
Revelation gives one of the clearest explanations of incense imagery.
The twenty-four elders hold golden bowls full of incense, “which are the prayers of saints” (Revelation 5:8). Revelation 8 describes an angel standing at the altar with a golden censer, and the smoke of the incense rises before God together with the prayers of the saints (Revelation 8:3–4). Luke 1:8–13 shows this same pattern in practice, as Zechariah burns incense at the hour of prayer.
As the incense rises, it provides a visible expression of the biblical image of prayer rising before God. This does not mean the smoke itself carries prayer to God, as though prayer could not reach Him without it — God hears prayer directly. The rising smoke is a visible sign of what is already true in the Spirit.
THE RISING SMOKE GIVES VISIBLE EXPRESSION
TO SOMETHING THE HUMAN EYE CANNOT SEE:
PRAYER RISING BEFORE GOD.
Luke 1 describes Zechariah serving as a priest in the Temple.
According to the established priestly order, it was his turn to enter and burn incense while the people prayed outside. During this service, the angel Gabriel appeared and announced that Zechariah's prayer had been heard and that Elizabeth would bear John.
This passage beautifully joins together incense, prayer, divine presence, and answered prayer.
It also teaches the importance of order in sacred service.
Incense has belonged to the worship of Celestial Church of Christ from the early life of the Church.
It is used within the Church's liturgical and spiritual life in connection with worship, prayer, sanctification, and other spiritual assignments according to the order of the Church. The censer is especially visible during processional worship and sanctification.
The fragrance itself can become a sensory reminder: we have entered a place of worship. Our attention is being turned toward God. Our prayers are rising before Him.
The incense bearer leads the sacred procession into the Sanctuary, followed by the Service Conductor and the ordered body of worshippers.
The rising incense accompanies the Church's entrance into worship and directs the mind toward prayer, sanctification, and the presence of God.
Biblical incense was not simply perfume chosen because it smelled pleasant.
Exodus 30 presents incense prepared for sacred use according to God's instruction. Celestial Church of Christ traditionally recognizes its own sacred incense for worship and spiritual use. It is not intended to become an unrestricted mixture privately manufactured according to individual preference, and it should not be reduced to air freshener or treated casually.
The Church's historical teaching also warns against individuals inventing or commercially reproducing unauthorized substitutes for the sacred incense of CCC.
Not everyone should simply take up the censer during a service.
Incense is handled by those assigned or authorized according to the order of the Church. This responsibility commonly belongs to designated sidesmen or wardens and may be delegated appropriately by the Shepherd. This principle reflects the biblical pattern seen in Luke 1, where Zechariah performed the incense duty as part of an established priestly order.
The censer is swung according to an established CCC method during procession and altar sanctification — this page introduces the practice rather than serving as a step-by-step training guide.
Incense may be used in connection with opening worship and procession, sanctification, prayer, silent prayer, praise and worship settings, spiritual assignments, healing, victory, protection, deliverance, burial-related services, and the sanctification of homes and other places or items according to spiritual direction.
Not every use requires an identical procedure. Use follows the order of the Church and the direction of the Spirit.
Incense also appears within CCC practices of sanctification.
The Church may sanctify sacred spaces and items through prayer according to its established order, and incense forms part of this spiritual environment.
Its use should always direct attention toward God rather than toward the material itself.
Sacred practice must never become reckless practice.
Incense should never be used in a manner that endangers another person, restricts breathing, or exposes someone to excessive smoke. It should never be placed beneath a cloth over a person or used in any other manner that could cause suffocation or injury.
Members should also remember that some people have asthma, respiratory sensitivity, or other medical limitations.
Reverence, wisdom, and care belong together.
Select a question to read the answer.
No. The Christian use of incense is directly attested in Scripture. Its presence in another religious tradition does not erase its biblical use in the worship of God.
No. Incense should not be treated as a device for forcing spiritual manifestation. The Holy Spirit is sovereign.
Congregational worship follows order. Responsibilities are assigned and carried out according to the Church's established structure.
From the Tabernacle of Moses, to the Temple in the days of Zechariah, to the worship of heaven described in Revelation, incense has been joined with prayer before God.
When incense rises in Celestial worship, it reminds the congregation of the prayer of the Psalmist:
“LET MY PRAYER BE SET FORTH
BEFORE THEE AS INCENSE.”
Learn more about the worship life of Disciple Parish.