This is book 3 in the series “Essential Oils of Bible Times” also known as “What Did Jesus Smell Like?”

Book One was all about an oil called spikenard, which is an earthy, chocolatey smell that is supposed to be the oil that the woman put on Jesus’ feet after she broke the alabaster jar in Chapter 14 in the Book of Mark, among a number of other references. To read Book One, click here.

The second book was all about myrrh, which you might recognize from the Gift of the Magi. Myrrh is often mentioned with spikenard and is even mentioned indirectly by Jesus himself in Matthew 26 when he refers to the woman putting oil on him “to prepare me for burial.” Spikenard is not known as an oil used in preparation for burial, but myrrh is. To read Book Two, click here.

I’ve had some feedback that maybe that’s too cheeky to ask what Jesus smelled like, but when you think about this, these oils are mentioned in the Bible as being used by people around Jesus and other people we read about in the Bible. It’s not fiction; it’s not sacrilege to quote the Bible.

This book will focus on one of the very best essential oils on the planet. Frankincense is known as the “King of Oils” because of it’s many, many uses. There is a saying in the essential oils community: “When in doubt, frank it out” because very often, frankincense will help with whatever you are trying to treat. As author Randi Minetor says in Essential Oils of the Bible, “there’s no essential oil that’s more versatile.”

BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING

“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gift of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

This is probably the most famous citing of frankincense – the story of the 3 Wise Men at the birth of Jesus. But that wasn’t the first time it’s mentioned in the Bible.
God spoke to Moses about frankincense when He spoke about the holy anointing oil to be use on the Ark of the Covenant and inside the temple. Moses and Aaron also burned incense over the Isrealites, a blend containing galbanum, myrrh, onycha and frankincense to stop the plague. Many of the references in the Old Testament use the shortened form – “incense” instead of “frankincense.”

In Hebrew, the word lebônâh refers to a resin that’s either white or yellow that is burned as incense. This word is referred to 21 times in the Old Testament. In Greek, the word for frankincense is libanos or olibanos and is referred to twice in the New Testament. Between these direct references and indirect references, frankincense is mentioned 81 times.
In modern Jewish rituals, frankincense is known by its Latin name of olibanum.

SELECTED BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Old Testament

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. – Exodus 30:34-35

When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it – Leviticus 2:1

If, however, they cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah[a] of the finest flour for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. – Leviticus 5:11

Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine, and the olive oil, incense and spices. – 1 Chronicles 9:29

Who is this coming up from the wilderness
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from all the spices of the merchant? Song of Solomon 3:6,

Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
and to the hill of incense. – Song of Solomon 4:6

You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with grain offerings
nor wearied you with demands for incense. – Isaiah 43:23
Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. – Isaiah 60:6

What do I care about incense from Sheba
or sweet calamus from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me. – Jeremiah 6:20

New Testament
After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gift of gold, frankincense and myrrh. – Matthew 2:11

…cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves. – Revelation 18:13

HISTORY

According to author David Stewart, frankincense had a tradition of being used to anoint the newborn sons of kings and priests, which may be why the Magi brought it as a gift for Jesus at his birth. Mary and Joseph would have known that this oil was good to help their son grow big and strong.

It is also thought that frankincense may have been used along with cedarwood and myrrh for embalming during the time of Jacob and Joseph.

Along that line, the first reference to a doctor in the Bible is at the end of Genesis (50:2) when Joseph had the Egyptian doctors embalm his father using cedarwood, frankincense and myrrh along with other oils. Stewart notes that in this case, a doctor is not there for healing but to take care of a corpse.

Wandering tribes in northern Africa and Arabia burned both frankincense and myrrh wood for both cooking and warm, which released the healing oils within the wood to help boost their healing and immune systems.

As you read in the Old Testament references above, frankincense was used to anoint bread before eating. This action is mentioned in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.
The Egyptians had a saying “frankincense is good for everything from gout to a broken head.” In other words, it’s “good for everything from head to toe.”

SCIENCE BEHIND FRANKINCENSE

Frankincense comes from the resin of the Boswellia tree which is hand-tapped to collect this oil that is both “piney” and citrus-y.

The scientific name Boswellia carteri comes from the Scottish botanist Dr. John Boswell and the British surgeon/herbologist Dr. H.J. Carter, who first brought the species to England.
Frankincense contains 82% monoterpenes that can reprogram faulty cellular DNA and “maintain normal cell regeneration.” (HOOTB, pg. 292) and restore us to “God’s image.” It can also teach cells how to die because it contains 8% sesquiterpenes.

These two applications are very important in recovery from certain medical conditions. The reason we get tumors is because the DNA of our cells is not right, and the cells do not know how to die (apoptosis). Frankincense can change that by teaching the cells to turn into normal cells and die.

Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are both very good oils for our immune systems and to help stimulate the pineal gland.

RECOMMENDED APPLICATIONS

You can use frankincense topically, aromatically as well as internally.
Frankincense can be used to help relieve conditions such as asthma, cuts/wounds, indigestion, scarring, sore throat, stomach ache and tumor reduction. It’s very good for skin care, bloating or swelling and for anxiety and stress relief.

It blends well with citrus oils like lime, lemon and wild orange as well as cypress, geranium, rose, sandalwood and ylang-ylang.

According to Essential Oils Ancient Medicine by Dr. Josh Axe, Ty Bollinger and Jordan Rubin, a 2011 study of frankincense showed that it can help with gingivitis. Using it on your gums can help reduce the gingivitis index, the plaque index and gum probing pocket depth.

You can relieve nasal stuffiness by diffusing 5 drops of frankincense, breathing deeply over it. Alternatively, rub 2-3 drops on your chest.

Frankincense is great for healing the skin so it can be used for stretch marks, scars and wrinkles. To boot the immune system, diffuse it, take a drop under the tongue or rub it on your temples, wrists and the soles of her feet.

RECIPES

Asthma Vapor Rub (pg 113 Essential Oils of the Bible)
¼ cup olive oil
12 drops lavendar oil
8 drops geranium oil
2 drops frankincense oil
2 drops peppermint oil

In a glass jar or bottle, combine the olive oil with the essential oils. Replace the lid and shake well. Rub 1 teaspoon of the mixture on the chest. Works especially well right before bed. Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

Blisters – trim off the dead skin once the blister has popped. Then, rub 1-2 drops of frankincense on the raw part 1-2 times a day until it toughens up. (EOOTB, pg. 117)

Chapped lips – mix a drop of either frankincense or myrrh with some aloe vera gel on your fingers and gently apply to your lips. Repeat often. (EOOTB, pg. 126)

According to Essential Oils of the Bible, pg. 177-178, women suffering from post partum depression may find diffusing bergamot, clary sage and frankincense can help with their symptoms. Bergamot and clary sage lift the spirits and frankincense helps soothes the nerves.

If you don’t have a diffuser handy, you can put a drop or two of each on a tissue and then smell it when you start to feel anxious.

OTHER ESSENTIAL OIL NOTES

Oils are mentioned over 1,000 times in the Bible and 70% of the books of the Bible contain some sort of reference to essential oils or the plants they come from, according to Stewart (pg xviii).

Moses used oils to help keep the Israelites healthy and disease-free. Mary and Joseph kept Baby Jesus healthy by using the gifts from the Magi, which were frankincense, myrrh and possibly “golden” turmeric which has amazing health benefits.

Using essential oils for health and healing should be accompanied by prayer because, as Stewart notes, God created these plants with the oils in them for our use. We should thank Him in prayer as we use any oils because they are a gift to us from Him. No man-made medicine has that kind of power!

SOURCES

Essential Oils Ancient Medicine, by Dr. Josh Axe, Ty Bollinger and Jordan Rubin, Axe Wellness LLC, 2016. Pg 147-148

Essential Oils of the Bible, Connecting God’s Word to Natural Healing, by Randi Minetor, Althea Press, 2016, pgs. 26, 73

Healing Oils of the Bible, David Stewart, PhD., Care Publications, 2015, pgs 9, 12-13, 29, 49, 63, 208-209, 254, 291-292

What the Bible Says, Oils & Spices Revealed, by Erica McNeal, self-published, 2015, pgs 53-54

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marijo Tinlin is a wife, mother, follower of Jesus and a published author of the book How to Raise An American Patriot, Making It Okay For Our Kids To Be Proud To Be American, Morgan James Publishing, 2011, www.raisinganamericanpatriot.com

After suffering a life-threatening illness in the fall of 2017, she has been diligently working to spread the word about how using pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils can help people detox, heal and make everything and everyone in their household a fan of God’s gift to us – the plants and trees and other sources of essential oils.

For more information on getting your very own essential oils written about in this series, please visit my.doterra.com/marijotinlin and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bellaessentialoils

None of the references in this book are to be taken as medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are for informational purposes only.