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Book of Leviticus - Chapter 16 - Verse 13

16:13
And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

Meaning

Within this verse from the book of Exodus, we are given instructions on how the incense is to be used in the tabernacle. The High Priest was to put incense on the fire before the Lord so that the cloud of incense would cover the mercy seat. The mercy seat was a sacred item which represented the presence of God among His people. By covering it with incense, it symbolized the prayers and petitions of the people rising up to God. The incense was seen as a way to purify and make holy the space in which God dwelled. It was also believed that the incense helped to shield the High Priest from the direct presence of God, as it was believed that encountering God's holiness would result in death. Therefore, by following this ritual, the High Priest could perform his duties without risking his life. This verse serves as a reminder of the reverence and respect that was required when approaching the divine presence of God.

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