394. [verse 4] 'And the smoke of the incense-offerings with the prayers of the saints went up from the angel's hand before God' signifies the safeguarding of those [angels] by the Lord. By 'the smoke of the incense- offerings going up before God' is signified what is accepted and pleasing; and therefore David says a similar thing:-
Let my prayers be accepted, incense before Thee Ps. cxli 2.
This was because the smoke of the incense-offerings was fragrant from the aromatics out of which the incense-offering was prepared, and these were stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense (Exod. xxx 34); and the fragrances derived from these aromatics correspond to such things as are of spiritual love, or of charity and consequently of faith. For in heaven are sensed the most fragrant odours corresponding with the perceptions of angels arising out of their love; and therefore it is even said in many places in the Word that Jehovah smelled an odour of rest. That safeguarding by the Lord is signified follows from the things that were said just above (n. 393).
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