Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

means, “the fragrance burned by incense.” In most churches, we no longer use incense when offering prayers, but in the sight of God the words of our prayers become the individual spices and herbs that form a sweet smelling fragrance before God’s throne. In the Old Testament we read where the sacrifices were a “sweet aroma” (“sweet savour,” KJV ) before the Lord (Exod. 29:18, 25). The incense is also called “sweet incense” (Exod. 25:6; 30:7; 31:11). “Sweet savour” ( KJV ) is found forty-two times in the Old Testament and usually refers to the smell of the smoke from the sacrifice or the incense once it is burned on the altars. In Revelation 8 an angel is standing at the golden altar in heaven:

Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. 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. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. —R EVELATION 8:3–4

This angel has incense in a golden chalice—similar to the same imagery found with the priest at the earthly temple. The angel offers the incense with “the prayers of