I love a great story and for me, that usually means a good mystery. I absolutely love deciphering the story, digging for clues and trying to solve the whodunit puzzle. Sometimes details that seem inconsequential end up having great significance and importance in the story.
Much like a good mystery novel, the Bible contains many seemingly insignificant details that upon further inspection provide a wealth of knowledge, symbolism and prophetic foresight. Many times God uses ordinary items to represent significant spiritual truths. Not only does the item or person have a practical purpose but also a spiritual one. The Old Testament contains numerous “types” and “shadows” of things to come. Some are revealed in the New Testament and some we are still awaiting.
The story of the visiting Magi is one of these stories in Scripture where we see a practical and a spiritual context when we look at the details. Mathew is the only Gospel writer to tell of the Magi’s visit. His book is written to a mostly Jewish audience who would be well aware of the impact left upon the people of Babylon during Israel’s captivity. Daniel along with several others rose to very high ranks within the Babylonian rulers and would have taught others about God and his promised Messiah. These teachings must have been passed onto future generations for the Wise Men in Matthew’s story came bearing costly and expensive gifts to lay at the feet of the promised King of the Jews. The Magi followed the star with a confident knowledge that the prophecies were true.
They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11
What is frankincense? It is a resin which is derived from making slashes on the bark of a Boswellia tree. The sap oozes out of the tree and hardens into what are called tears. Mainly these trees grow in areas of India, Africa, and the Middle East. There are several varieties; each having a slightly different aroma and resin color. Frankincense resin can be transformed into powder or oil and is used for fragrance and medicinal purposes. In Biblical days, frankincense was considered very valuable.
I believe it is fairly easy to see the practical and simple purpose of the gifts that were given to Jesus. Soon after the Magi’s visit, an angel of the Lord visits Joseph to warn him of the coming danger. He tells Joseph to take Mary and Jesus and to go to Egypt and stay there until he is told to return. Scripture says “Joseph left that night” It didn’t have much time to prepare and the journey would be long and the stay would be indefinite. The gifts could have provided the couple with the needed resources for travel and lodging in Egypt. As an additional benefit, frankincense can be used medicinally for many common ailments. Even if God sent the Magi simply to give the family these necessary resources, that is still an incredible, miraculous story.
But does Scripture draw us to see more in this story? Possibly the gift of frankincense is a glimpse into the grand story that God has been writing from the beginning. A joining of the new and old covenants as Christ comes to fulfill all the prophecies foretold by the prophets.
In the Old Testament books of Exodus and Leviticus, we see the great significance that God placed upon frankincense as it is mentioned many times in connection with the Tabernacle and the Sacrificial system. Within the tent, the Alter of Incense was to have coals from the brazen alter added to it twice a day so that the incense was continually present before the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. This was to be done by the High Priest each and every day. Each week, twelve loaves of fresh bread along with frankincense were to be placed upon the Table of Presence. As the bread with frankincense was removed each week, the priests shared the meal within the Holy Tent of the Tabernacle. (Leviticus 24) In the outer courtyard of the tabernacle, frankincense was required to be included in all the offerings except the sin and trespass offerings.
The Tabernacle was where God dwelt among His people. Every item in the inner and outer courts of the Tabernacle and every action performed had a purpose for the people living in that moment. The High Priest became the intercessor between God and the People. Only he was allowed to go into the Tabernacle and only once a year into the Holy of Holies. Until Jesus. The author of Hebrews begins to reveal to his audience the mysteries and the symbolism that Jesus fulfilled. Jesus is now our High Priest and He has become our intercessor before God. Just as the incense burned continuously, Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God continually interceding on our behalf.
“…but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25
“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9: 11-12
“Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” Hebrews 9: 23-24
Even though the gift of frankincense had a practical purpose it was possibly so much more. As the Wise Men came into the house they immediately fell to their knees in worship. They knew enough to know that this little child would one day become their King as represented by the gold but perhaps they also knew that he would be a priest as well. Frankincense given in acknowledgment of Christ’s coming role as our eternal High Priest.
The mystery of the ages finally revealed. The promised Messiah had come just as God’s prophets had foretold. Since Genesis 3 and the great fall of mankind, God had been laying the groundwork and dropping the clues. Some like Simeon, Ana, and the Wise Men were master sleuths and had deciphered the clues and were looking for the Messiah. Others like Herod and the Pharisees were too blind to see.