(10) And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense‖. (Luke 1:8- 10
NKJV)
There were always many worshippers present at the Temple during the hours of sacrifice. However, there
was said to have been a ―multitude‖ present the day the incense lot fell on Zacharias. The reason for the
presence of so many worshippers may lie in the fact that many pilgrims were in Jerusalem for the Festival of
Shavu'ot (Pentecost) and the days afterwards, till such time that the multitude of people returned to their own
towns.
According to E.W. Bullinger, in Appendix 179 of The Companion Bible, the course of Abijah (which was the
eighth of twenty-four courses of priests) to which Zacharias belonged would have been on duty during the
week following the festival of Shavu'ot. Since all of the priests were required to be in attendance at the
Temple for the three Pilgrimage Festivals, Zacharias would also have been on duty during the week of
Shavu'ot. Thus, there is a possibility as some scholars say, that Zacharias was actually burning incense in
the Temple on the very day of Shavu'ot – though this can only be speculation. (For a detailed study, see
―The visitations‖ section under Matt 1:23 "... a virgin shall be with child...")
The burning of incense on the altar, constructed especially for that purpose, was the apex of the daily
morning and afternoon sacrificial services. The sweet odour of smoke from the incense was considered to
be, in both Jewish thought and New Covenant Scripture, symbolic of the prayers of YHWH's people.
(1) ―When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
(2) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then
another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar.
(3) And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne.
(4) And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's
hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth.
(5) And there were noises, thunderings, lightning's, and an earthquake‖. (Rev 8:1-5 NKJV)
The parallels between the offering of incense in the earthly Temple and this depiction of what takes place in
the Heavenly Temple are quite profound; not the least of which is the silence that prevails when the smoke of
the incense along with the prayers of the people are offered up.
We should all have a deep sense of gratitude to Jewish Sages who preserved the knowledge of how the
Incense Ritual was conducted. First came the casting of lots, which took place in the room known as the
"Chamber of Hewn Stone‖. After the lot-casting ceremony at which Zacharias was chosen for the honour, he
had to choose two other priests as assistants to help him perform the ritual.
Edersheim gives us a detailed account of this ritual:
"First, he had to choose two of his special friends or relatives, to assist in his sacred service. Their duties
were comparatively simple. One reverently removed what had been left on the altar from the previous
evening's service; then, worshipping, retired backwards. The second assistant now advanced, and, having
spread to the utmost verge of the golden altar the live coals taken from that of burnt-offering, worshipped and
retired. Meanwhile the sound of the 'organ' (the Megrephah*), heard to the most distant parts of the Temple,
and, according to tradition, far beyond its precincts, had summoned priests, Levites, and people to prepare
for whatever service or duty was before them. For, this was the innermost part of the worship of the day. But
the celebrant Priest, bearing the golden censer, stood alone within the Holy Place, lit by the sheen of the
seven-branched candlestick. Before him – somewhat farther away, towards the heavy Veil that hung before
the Holy of Holies, was the golden altar of incense, on which the red coals glowed. To his right (the left of the
altar - that is, on the north side) was the table of shewbread; to his left, on the right or south side of the altar,
was the golden candlestick. And still he waited, as instructed to do, till a special signal indicated, that the
moment had come to spread the incense on the altar, as near as possible to the Holy of Holies. Priests and
people had reverently withdrawn from the neighbourhood of the altar, and were prostrate before the Lord,
offering unspoken worship, in which record of past deliverance, longing for mercies promised in the future,
and entreaty for present blessing and peace seemed the ingredients of the incense, that rose in a fragrant
cloud of praise and prayer. Deep silence had fallen on the worshippers, as if they watched to heaven the
prayers of Israel, ascending in the cloud of 'odours' that rose from the golden altar in the Holy Place.
Zacharias waited, until he saw the incense kindling. Then he also would have 'bowed down in worship‘, and
reverently withdrawn, had not a wondrous sight arrested his steps‖. (Pp.137-138).
[* There is much disagreement, even among the ancient Jewish rabbis about the nature, or even the
existence, of the Megrephah. Some said it was a type of organ with pipes which could produce one hundred