What does the Bible say about burning sage?
The Bible provides extensive context for understanding ritual burning practices within sacred spaces and ceremonies. The burning of incense played a significant role in temple worship, where priests would burn it within the Holy of Holies to create a protective cloud over the Ark of the Covenant's mercy seat, preventing direct visual contact with God's presence (Exodus 30:7-8). This practice of burning substances was deeply integrated into the sacrificial system, where offerings were consumed by fire on the altar as acts of atonement and consecration to God (Leviticus 1:9, 17). The concept of purification through burning is further illustrated in the ritual of the red heifer, whose ashes were used in ceremonial cleansing (Numbers 19:1-10). These burning rituals carried profound symbolic significance beyond their physical actions, with incense representing the prayers of God's people rising to heaven (Psalm 141:2, Revelation 8:4). The temple setting provided the primary context for these sacred burning practices, as it was considered the dwelling place of God where ritual purity was maintained through carefully prescribed ceremonies (Exodus 40:34-38). While these burning rituals were often associated with spiritual warfare and protection in biblical times, with certain Psalms being used as protective texts, the Bible does not specifically address the practice of burning sage. The prescribed burning rituals were part of a comprehensive worship system designed to facilitate the relationship between God and His people, always performed within specific guidelines and contexts provided by God Himself (Leviticus 16:12-13).
Verses about sage:
Exodus 30:34-35, "The Lord said to Moses, 'Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.'"
Leviticus 10:1-2, "Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord."
Isaiah 1:13, "Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly."
Jeremiah 10:2, "Thus says the Lord: 'Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them.'"
Acts 19:19,"And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver."
