The Sweet Smell of Salvation

Incense was burned for several reasons in the tabernacle. Since incense was mainly a powder, fire was needed to release its fragrance. The altar of incense, placed before the veil that separated the holy place from the Most Holy Place, provided a place to burn incense. It was approximately a half meter (1.5 feet) wide, a half meter (1.5 feet) deep and one meter (three feet) high (Ex. 30:1-10). There was a horn on each of its upper four corners, and incense was probably burned on its surface.