The Gift - Part 2
December 11, 2022Pastor Josh Yancey presented today's message which was the second in a series called "The Gift." A video of the message is here.
[Conversation Starters will begin again with the start of the next official life groups session on February 1, 2023.]
Pastor Josh spent some time on the design of the Tent of Meeting (Tabernacle) and the use of incense, and then focused on the gift of myrrh at the end. The instructions to build the Tabernacle are given in Exodus 25-31 and are repeated as the instructions are carried out in Exodus 35-39. Chapter 40 concludes with how the Tabernacle is generally to be used. Leviticus chapters 1-7 detail most of the specific sacrifices and offerings: where, what, and how the exact procedure goes for each type of offering. Chapters 16 and 17 cover the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and then a bit more about the Tabernacle in chapter 24.
Throughout descriptions of the sacrificial system in the Torah, it's always "the best" that you bring to sacrifice regardless of what it is (bull, ram, goat, bird, grain, etc.). And it's pretty clear that God himself gave his best ("only son") in sacrifice for our sins.
Here's a diagram of the Tabernacle from Point of Change. Note the "Altar of Incense" in the middle section called "The Holy Place."
Pastor Josh also spoke for a moment about Michaelangelo's depiction of God and Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. If you'd like to pursue a little more on this topic, try "The Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo – The God Touching Adam Fresco. There is a world of such references out there.
There are two words for myrrh in Bibical Hebrew: mor (common) and lot (used only twice, our two Genesis references below). Mor is related to marar which means bitter and a derivative, mar, means a drop. Apparently it can be a bit bitter in taste. The wine/myrrh mixture offered to Jesus on the cross was probably not appealing. When burned, however, the odor of the smoke is pleasant. In the New Testament, the Greek word is smurna (and its many derivatives). Smurna mainly refers to the incense reference (myrrh) as we're discussing here, but can also refer to a romantic desire as in "becomes sweet when fired up."
Pastor Josh made the connection between prayer and incense with Psalm 141:2, "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." Many of the burnt offerings of the Torah mention something to the effect of "a pleasing odor to the Lord." Of course, God does not smell in the sense that we do. Like all ritual and sacrifice, it is for us, not God. God does not need anything from us. But God knows we need ways to connect with Him who is invisible, noncorporeal, etc. The pleasing aroma of the burning incense is for us.
Torah references to myrrh:
Genesis 37:25
Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.
Genesis 43:11
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
Exodus 30:22-28
Moreover, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil...
Bonus
Pastor Josh's opening words included some photos of fun/crazy Nativities. I thought our bonus for today would be to collect some photos of Nativity scenes that we have and like. If you'd like to add to this collection of photos, just email your Nativity photo to me.
At TimberCreek Church
From Pastor Josh: Ahead to the Past (😄)