A Gift of Frankincense

Merry Christmas! I hope you will join us tomorrow at 1:00 or 2:30 PM for one of our special Christmas Eve services. 

In the Christmas carol, Do You Hear What I Hear, we sing…“A child, a child shivers in the cold…Let us bring him silver and gold.” I remember thinking to myself as a kid, why are we bringing him gold, frankincense, and myrrh? How about bringing that shivering child a blanket?

While it is easy to laugh about, frankincense is probably not on too many baby registries these days. However, it was certainly an appropriate and special gift on the day the wise men brought their precious gifts to lay at the feet of Jesus. Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from trees in India and Arabia by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was commonly used as an incense in the synagogue. During worship, the incense was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Exodus 30:34-35). 

Whether the Magi knew it or not, the full reality of the deity of Jesus is reflected in this beautiful gift. They offered Him gold, which would be fit for a king, and incense, which would be fit for the worship of God. The use of frankincense in the temple incense offerings and grain offerings to God would also make it a symbol of the Levitical priesthood. The gift to Jesus signified His role as our ultimate high priest.

It is also worth noting the way this incense was utilized was that it was burned. Like the perfume used to wash Jesus’ feet, once it was used it was useless for anything else. It was used in a unique form of sacrificial worship, like a burnt offering, which held special significance because it is destroyed in the burning process. Jesus would be the perfect sacrifice, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The image of a burnt offering is a beautiful one. 

As we consider the birth of Jesus, we are also reminded of the death of Jesus, and what it means for the salvation of mankind. Today, I invite you to join me in considering what Jesus is worthy to receive from us.

Expectantly,

Shawn