Frankincense
The meaning is mandated
Frankincense said to be the first mandated ingredient of the sanctuary incense in Exodus 30:34.
But what does it symbolize?
The LORD required other ingredients too like “stacte, onycha, and galbanum—fragrant spices with pure frankincense… in equal measures”.
But again what do these items symbolize?
Derived from
Derived from the milky resin of trees native to Arabia and the Horn of Africa, לְבוֹנָה (frankincense) dries into “white” droplets whose sweet aroma is released when burned.
Its whiteness and fragrance underscored the purity of worship, and its smoke visually portrayed prayer ascending (compare Revelation 8:3-4).
It has bee prized as one of the profitable trade items brought from Sheba and Midian (Isaiah 60:6) northward, and Solomon’s import network handled it in bulk (1 Chronicles 9:29).
Leviticus 2:2 says it is a part of the minhah (“grain[1] offering”). Fine flour mixed with oil was brought “with all its frankincense”. It is a reminder that the sacrifice placed on the altar that their daily bread belonged to God only as a freewill offering for a “memorial portion” reminding Israel of the way of God.
Indicted absence
Isaiah and Jeremiah both indict a lack or neglect of purity in their sacrifice of the people that frankincense symbolizes. “You have not burdened Me with frankincense” Isaiah 43:23.
While Isaiah 66:3 equates insincere sacrifice or incense to idolatry. These prophets are reminding while affirm that charitable devotion of the sincere heart matters more than the ritual’s and form.
To be a safeguard
If Frankincense had to be safeguarded so that the offerings remained sincere, fervent charity, without Covetousness, the ministers had to profess the righteousness of God in their daily ministration.
Levites “were entrusted with the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices” (1 Chronicles 9:29). After the exile, Nehemiah expelled Tobiah from a chamber originally “assigned to the grain offerings, frankincense, and articles” (Nehemiah 13:5-9), restoring proper priorities in worship.
Otherwise their sacrifice will make the word of God to none effect because the men and method of their religion is not that of the means and method of Moses and Israel nor that of Christ and the early Church.
- ↑ 04503 ^החנמ^ minchah \@min-khaw’\@ MemNunChetHey from an unused root meaning to apportion, i.e. bestow; n f; {See TWOT on 1214 @@ "1214a"} AV-offering 164, present 28, gift 7, oblation 6, sacrifice 5, meat 1; 211
- 1) gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering
- 1a) gift, present
- 1b) tribute
- 1c) offering (to God)
- 1d) grain offering
- Many translations also translate this word as grain offering.
- מ ם Mem Fountain of water, a flow, a fountain of the Divine Wisdom [massive, overpower chaos] (Numeric value: 40)
- נ ן Nun Heir to the Throne, Aramaic fish in the Mem (fish moving in flowing waters) or in the Hebrew the Nun may mean the kingdom with a double Nun suggesting spiritual insight in two realms. [fish moving... Activity life] (Numeric value: 50)
- ח Chet The Life Force - Dynamic nature of - cause and effect - give life and live.[fence, thread, hedge, chamber...cycle] (Numeric value: 8)
- ה Hey Expression, Thought, Speech, Action. Manifest seeds of thought and life. [Emphasize, jubilation, window, fence] (Numeric value: 5)
- 1) gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering