Difference between revisions of "Frankincense"

<p> lebonah , from laban "to be white." A vegetable resin, brittle, glittering, bitter, used for fumigation at sacrifices (&nbsp;Exodus 30:7-8; &nbsp;Exodus 30:34-36), got by incisions in the bark of the Αrbor thuris; the first flow is white and transparent, the after yield is yellowish. It was imported from [[Arabia]] (&nbsp;Isaiah 60:6; &nbsp;Jeremiah 6:20). [[Arabian]] frankincense now is inferior to that of the Indian archipelago; the latter frankincense is yielded by the Βoswellia serrata or thurifera , growing 40 ft. high in [[Amboyna]] and the mountains of India. Arabia may have anciently, as now, imported the best kind. The papyrifera grows on the E. of Africa. The Indian is called looban in Hindu temples, related to libanos and lebonah . </p> <p> Frankincense, with its sweet perfume, symbolizes prayer accepted before God (&nbsp;Psalms 141:2; &nbsp;Revelation 5:8; &nbsp;Revelation 8:3-4). The angel does not provide the incense; it is "given" to him by Christ, whose meritorious obedience and death and intercession are the incense rendering the saints' prayers well pleasing to God. They do not pray to the angel; he is but the king's messenger, and did not dare to appropriate what, is the king's alone (&nbsp;Malachi 1:11). The time of offering the incense, morning and evening, was the chosen time for prayer (&nbsp;Luke 1:10). </p> <p> [[Frankincense]] was among the offerings of the wise men to the infant [[Savior]] (&nbsp;Matthew 2:11). &nbsp;Song of [[Solomon]] 3:6, "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense?" Israel, with Jehovah's pillar of smoke by day and fire by night, and smoke from the altars of incense and atonement, was the type. Jesus, ascending to heaven with the clouds while the question is asked "Who is this King of glory?" (&nbsp;Psalms 24:8-10) is the antitype. So &nbsp;Isaiah 63:1; &nbsp;Isaiah 63:5, "Who is this?" etc. The bride too comes up with Him from the wilderness, exhaling frankincense-like graces, faith, love, joy, peace, prayer, praise; of her too it is asked, "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved?" (&nbsp;Song of Solomon 8:5; &nbsp;Revelation 7:13-17.) </p>

<div> '''1: ἐπόπτης ''' (Strong'S #2030 — Noun Masculine — libanos — ep-op'-tace ) </div> <p> from a Semitic verb signifying "to be white," is a vegetable resin, bitter and glittering, obtained by incisions in the bark of the arbor thuris, "the incense tree," and especially imported through Arabia; it was used for fumigation at sacrifices, &nbsp;Exodus 30:7 , etc., or for perfume, Song of Sol., 3:6. The Indian variety is called looban. It was among the offerings brought by the wise men, &nbsp;Matthew 2:11 . In &nbsp;Revelation 18:13 it is listed among the commodities of Babylon. The "incense" of &nbsp; Revelation 8:3 should be "frankincense." Cp. INCENSE. </p>

<p> &nbsp;Matthew 2:11 (c) This is a type of the fragrant love and the precious worship of those who come to adore and honor [[Christ]] JESUS. </p>

<p> See [[Incense]] . </p>

<p> '''''fraṇk´in''''' -'''''sens''''' ( לבנה , <i> '''''lebhōnāh''''' </i> , from root meaning "whiteness," referring to the milky color of the fresh juice: &nbsp;Exodus 30:34; &nbsp;Leviticus 2:1 f,15 f; &nbsp; Leviticus 5:11; &nbsp;Leviticus 6:15; &nbsp;Leviticus 24:7; &nbsp;Numbers 5:15; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 9:29; &nbsp;Nehemiah 13:5 , &nbsp;Nehemiah 13:9; &nbsp;Song of Solomon 3:6; &nbsp;Song of Solomon 4:6 , &nbsp;Song of Solomon 4:14; &nbsp;Isaiah 43:23; &nbsp;Isaiah 60:6; &nbsp;Isaiah 66:3; &nbsp;Jeremiah 6:20; &nbsp;Jeremiah 17:26; &nbsp;Jeremiah 41:5; translated in the last six references "incense" in the King James Version, but correctly in the Revised Version (British and American); λίβανος , <i> '''''lı́banos''''' </i> ̌ : &nbsp;Matthew 2:11; &nbsp;Revelation 18:13 . The English word is derived from old French <i> franc encens </i> , i.e. "pure incense"): The common frankincense of the <i> pharmacopeas </i> is a gum derived from the common fir, but the frankincense of the Jews, as well as of the Greeks and Romans, is a substance now called <i> Olibanum </i> (from the Arabic <i> '''''el lubān''''' </i> ), a product of certain trees of the genus <i> Boswellia </i> (Natural Order, <i> Amyridaceae </i> ), growing on the limestone rocks of south Arabia and Somali-land (&nbsp;Isaiah 60:6; &nbsp;Jeremiah 6:20 ). The most important species are <i> B. Carteri </i> and <i> B. Frereana </i> . Some of the trees grow to a considerable height and send down their roots to extraordinary depths. The gum is obtained by incising the bark, and is collected in yellowish, semitransparent tears, readily pulverized; it has a nauseous taste. It is used for making incense for burning in churches and in Indian temples, as it was among the Jews (&nbsp;Exodus 30:34 ). See Incense . It is often associated with myrrh (&nbsp;Song of Solomon 3:6; &nbsp;Song of Solomon 4:6 ) and with it was made an offering to the infant [[Saviour]] (&nbsp;Matthew 2:11 ). A specially "pure" kind, <i> '''''lebhōnāh zakkāh''''' </i> , was presented with the shewbread (&nbsp;Leviticus 24:7 ). </p>