Carrying gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the magi or wise men traveled from a distant country, probably ancient Babylon, to give gifts to the child Jesus. Their gifts represented the three major roles that Jesus fulfilled. The gold represents his authority as king of heaven and earth, the frankincense represents his role as Israel’s decisive priest, and the myrrh was a foreshadowing of his death. (In ancient times myrrh was used as an embalming agent, but in many other ways as well.)
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I like the way these gifts are linked to Jesus’ life and ministry as priest, prophet, and king, but they have a practical use as well.
The gold, of course, provided Jesus and his family with currency. Given the fact that Joseph, Jesus’ father, was not a wealthy man, the gold was an important gift that provided for the family’s daily needs.
But, what about the gifts of frankincense and myrrh? Of what practical use were they? Well, since they were rather costly perfumes/oils or resins, they could have presumably been sold or bartered for more gold.
However, in the ancient world, oils like frankincense and myrrh were used for a variety of reasons. Myrrh is listed in the Bible more than 150 times!
Ancient cultures used them for all sorts of reasons. They were mainly used to promote and support wellness of mind, body, and spirit. Frankincense and other essential oils were used in that day to “heal wounds and elevate spiritual communion.” It could very well have been how Mary, Joseph, and Jesus used these gifts.
However Jesus’ family decided to use them, one thing is for certain, tens of thousands of people right now are rediscovering the benefits of using these oils. And I am one of those people!
Frankincense and Myrrh are two of my favorite essential oils, especially for promoting emotional well-being and releasing to God the things in my life keeping me from relaxing or being calm. The change has been immediate.
Learn more about Essential Oils in the Ancient World, part 1 and part 2.
Read more about how to use Frankincense and Myrrh.
Click on Essential Oils to learn more about the power of essential oils to promote wellness. This is your time!
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GET YOUR FAMILY'S FAITH LIFE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Want to get consistent sharing Jesus with your family and know it's making a difference? This 6 Faith Habits to Consistency checklist will give you quick ideas to steadily point your family to Jesus' amazing love.
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