Biblical Oils - Hyssop

Next on our list is Hyssop.

Honestly I thought Hyssop was more a plant than an oil. I probably got this from reading Exodus 12 when the Israelites placed the blood of a lamb on the doorposts to ward off the last Egyptian plague. Or, from reading 1 Kings 4:33 where it talks about it growing out of the walls. Or, from reading John 19 when the Roman soldiers placed a sponge on a branch of hyssop to offer gall to Jesus. But when we read Psalm 51 we see that hyssop is used to purge someone of sin, so in that case it has to be an oil.

Leviticus 14 includes it with cedarwood (a post to come) as part of the cleansing of a person and of a home. But it steps up a notch in Numbers 19 when it's important enough to be included in the sin cleansing sacrifice of the red heifer for the nation of Israel.  Hebrews 9 also says it was used by Moses as part of a ceremony after reading the law for the first time to the nation of Israel.

So what do they say about it today?

It too has a long laundry list of uses, similar to Frankincense. But, several of the sites I checked had warnings for this oil -- do not use if you have epilepsy or are pregnant. Also, keep it away from children. So while this oil has much it can do, externally and internally, it definitely comes with a warning list that might rival a pharmaceutical TV ad. Remember, while it might be used for one ailment it apparently strongly affects the other systems as well.

So, what can it do?

My sources were Young Living , Organic Facts , Essential Oils pocket reference, and Reference Guide for Essential Oils. According to them it has purifying qualities that makes it good for respiratory and viral infections, respiratory congestion, circulatory issues and parasites (worms). Some medical terms for its uses are: anti-inflammatory; antioxidant; anti-rheumatic; antiseptic; antispasmodic; astringent; carminative;  cicatrisant; decongestant; diuretic; emmenagogue; mucolytic; sedative.  Which when simplified means it is good for arthritis, aids in digestion, helps fade scars, increases frequency of urination, helps regulate the menstrual cycle, and reduces risks of nervous disorders.

It isn't one of the popular oils you hear about, but it does hold its own against other essential oils. Young Living was the only one to call it a slightly sweet wood scent. I guess this is why it was included in the sacrifices mentioned in Leviticus. Over all I found this oil to be quite interesting. For a plant that could grow out of rock walls it sure held many medicinal uses in the inner workings of its oil.

Biblical Oils - Frankincense

Ah, Frankincense. The other oil brought to Jesus by the three wise men. So precious and sweet it was part of a special perfume God directed Moses to make for the temple. This perfume was to be considered holy for God alone. Not for man to use. (Exodus 30)

According to Connie and Alan Higley in their book Reference Guide to Essential Oils it is mentioned over 52 times in the Bible because they include the word incense which was sometimes translated from the word frankincense. By name, Frankincense is mentioned several times in the Bible, especially in Leviticus. You see, it was part of meat and bread offerings, but definitely not to be part of any sin offering. It was associated with perfuming the king or groom in Song of Solomon. It is listed among the items that will be lost when the great city of Babylon is destroyed in Revelations 18.

But what makes Frankincense stand out as an important gift to give a king?

It's rare because it's found in only two places in the world, Somalia and Oman. This made it very valuable -- even more than gold. For many centuries it was considered the holy anointing oil and thought to give healing. Life Science Publishing's book Essential Oils pocket reference notes that only those with abundant wealth, such as royalty and nobility, possessed it. So, of course, the wise men would want to ensure the new king would have the appropriate oils in his possession.

So what is Frankincense known to heal?

Let's see, Essential Oils pocket reference and Reference Guide for Essential Oils give quite a long list of this sesquiterpenes containing oil's uses. There's tumors, allergies, headaches, depression, respiratory issues, cancer, orthopedic problems, skin health, stomach disorders, blood pressure, nerve pain, dental diseases, mental disorders, insect bites, arthritis and osteoporosis. It's also known to stimulate the immune system, relax muscles, uplift attitudes and promote calming and relaxing. Is there anything it doesn't do?

Again, keeping in mind that Jesus was a healer he didn't need to have this oil to stay healthy. But as mentioned before, possession of this oil had been limited to only the wealthy and royal. Giving this oil to a baby in a small insignificant town was a statement of acceptance into the ranks of royalty. The wise men knew he was the king they had been seeking, and without having to speak a word they told all who saw their gifts that Jesus was royal and worthy of such treasures.

I have one other thought to share before I close. Joseph and Mary may have used the Frankincense and Myrrh for their own ailments until such time as Jesus could help them. But more importantly, when they arrived in Egypt they came with wealth and a way to support the baby Jesus. In a sense, they had the financial backing to get a home and establish a carpentry shop. By selling the oils, albeit perhaps a little at a time, they could support themselves until the time came when God called them to return to Israel. God is a provider for all, even when you've been sent packing away from family and friends to a foreign country.

Biblical Oils - Myrrh

As I mentioned last time essential oils today and back in the Bible were not cheap. Which gives us great insight when we read about the three magi visiting Jesus. They were wise to search the sky for a sign that the promised Messiah was born, and wise to seek out the baby Jesus, and they were wise with their money for they had to be wealthy. The fact that they brought two expensive oils and a precious metal with them tells us this. And because of their gifts they would have traveled with ample security for themselves and their treasures. They wouldn't have taken any chances of having their gifts stolen out from underneath them.

As we all know the two oils they brought to the baby Jesus were Frankincense and Myrrh. But why those? Why not Cedarwood or Hyssop? Why not oils of spices, like Cinnamon? Let's start with Myrrh.

Myrrh, although mentioned several times in the Bible, is first seen in Genesis 37 where tradesmen were carrying it to Egypt. We overlook that detail because the story is about Joseph's first step into slavery.

In Exodus 30 it was part of the sacred anointing oil that God instructed Moses to make.

Another fascinating reference is in Esther 2 where we read that Esther must go through a twelve month cleansing process before she can see the king. Six months of the process was spent having myrrh applied to her body. Hmm, interesting.

Later, in Psalms and Proverbs it is considered a perfume. Which may be why it was combined with frankincense to create a perfumed smoke at the arrival of the groom in Song of Solomon. But then in Mark 15:23 it was mixed with wine to help deaden pain as seen at the crucifixion scene.

Even in these Biblical references we see that it is multifaceted in its uses. So what do we know about it today? What's so fabulous about myrrh?

It's chemical make-up contains sesquiterpenes which help the body to rebuild itself. According to Life Science Publishing's Essential Oils pocket reference book, it's an antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, and analgesic. And, it has been used for such things as diabetes, cancer, liver ailments, fungus on the skin, mouth and dental issues, chapped skin, wrinkles, and stretch marks. When you smell it, it is thought to influence the brain's center for emotions and memory.

There's one other application of myrrh I haven't mentioned yet. It was one of the oils used to anoint a dead body thus helping to lessen the smell death brings. (John 19:38-40) Years ago I was instructed that this was the main reason Jesus was given this oil - as a foreshadowing of his death. But as you can see there were many reasons myrrh would have been used by the holy family. It was the three king's way of insuring Jesus had the best medical care available. Never mind he could heal anyone of anything; they gave him what they felt he would need throughout his life.

Biblical Oils (Part 1)

How many of you use essential oils?  In case you are unaware, essential oils are growing in popularity. And while some are discovering them for the first time, they are not new. There are several references to oils being used in the Bible, mainly for food, offering and anointing. But there are other references that may go undetected, for instance Psalms 133 and Numbers 16.

For many years I wondered what happened to the Biblical oils used for incense and anointing. Why did people stop using them? I often questioned if there was anything worthy in the knowledge of using oils or did it become archaic and obsolete as medicine fine tuned itself. As far as I was concerned oils weren't around anymore. In fact, when my brother started to use an oil called Thieves I was impressed that he had researched oils enough to have found this information. Turns out, I just didn't know where to look.

As I began to read and hear about oils a part of me still felt it was a bunch of fru-fru archaic stuff, even if it was brought back into usage by physicians during WWI. Recently, my brother showed me two other easily overlooked passages in the Bible. Ezekiel 47 talks about the wonderful water flowing from the temple, nourishing the land and eventually producing fruit trees. At the tail end of the chapter is the description stating the leaves are to be used for healing. Helloooo...oils! And when the tribulation is done and over with (Revelation 22), there will be a healing brought to the nations, believe it or not, through the leaves of the tree of life.

So what have I done with this knowledge of oils? I've begun using them for freshening a room and for a variety of ailments from bug bites to muscle tension to nasal congestion.

Now, before I go any further I do want to say that visiting a physician to find out what's ailing you is most important. Self diagnosing can be a dangerous thing to do. I also found a couple of resources that indicate that some oils may worsen a condition rather than help it. The same thing happens with homeopathic medication. You could be doubling up a dosage if you take something without first consulting your doctor.

Do these oils work? When used properly and if your body accepts it the right way, yes. For example, recently I burned myself with overly hot water at a restaurant. One of the workers brought me a packet of burn ointment they use in the kitchen. Guess what the active ingredient was? An essential oil. Within minutes the burn was gone.

Another thing I've learned is that the oils are not cheap. Nor were they cheap in the days of the Bible. Some of the oils come only from one place or one type of vegetation on the earth. They are made from the leaves, roots, and flowers of all kinds of trees, shrubs and bushes. And it takes lots of that ingredient to make a liter of oil. Which is why in Biblical days the oils were treasured and of equal value with gold when given as a gift.

Over the next few weeks I'd like to fill you in on some of these Biblical treasures. We'll start with Frankincense and Myrrh that the wise men brought to the baby Jesus. There was a reason beyond displaying wealth that these expensive oils were given to Jesus as a gift.

Passion vs Passionate

What do you think of when you hear passion or passionate? Do you first think of a love scene in a movie? Maybe you think of someone who's so crazy about their work or hobby that when the subject is brought up that's all they talk about.

When I was a preteen my dad was stationed in Germany and we went to see the famous production called the Passion Play. It happens every ten years for a set season in the town of Oberammergau, a beautiful town in the Bavarian Alps. The play is based on the life and death of Jesus and takes two days to watch. It was all in German, but I could figure out what was happening by watching. It's quite something. The whole town shuts down to perform the play.

Now that's being passionate about a play. Why do they put so much effort into a story that most churches tell in an hour program once a year? I'll tell you why.

In the 1600's when whole villages were dying off due to an epidemic of the plague, the village people got together and prayed for God's protection. They promised God if He would spare them they would present the story of Jesus in their village every ten years. The village was spared. And, except for a few wars they have kept to this time frame and continue the tradition of the Passion Play.

I never questioned why it was called the Passion Play, but thought it odd. What is passion? Why name a story about Jesus Passion?  It's a strange word actually. Merriam-Webster's definitions for passion include strong feelings that might lead in a dangerous direction, a strong romantic feeling, the sufferings of Jesus, emotional reactions and just plain suffering. Some of these are older definitions but are still listed.

I like what Jewish Jewels said in their newsletter for November. The love God has for us is so great that it is a passion. He is passionate about having us with Him for eternity. Jesus has so much love for us that He suffered for us - first he put himself under the law by being born to a woman, then ended his hard work on earth by being put through an unjust trial, then humiliated by having his clothes stripped off, then publicly beaten during his humiliation, then killed in the most horrible public way.

Are you passionate enough about anyone that you would do these things? Especially, when at anytime in that process you can stop what was being done to you? It's like a grown man allowing his toddler children to beat him up when at anytime he could swing his arm and knock all of them down then place them in time out or send them to their rooms. You get the idea.

I for one am glad that Jesus had that much love and desire for man that he came to live among us. As we near the celebration of his birth let's all remember just how much he endured for us because of his passion for us.

Hebrews?

Have you ever wondered where the name Hebrew came from? When did the Israelites start being known as Hebrews? And why? Recently these question came to my mind.

Strong's Concordance defines Hebrew as being related to Eber, who was a descendant of Noah's son Shem and an ancestor of Abram. That's an interesting connection, but why not say "the Shemite" if you're going to refer to a relative. The NKJV Concordance simply called it a term used in referring to Jews.

The Chronological Study Bible and The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible along with an article in the Biblical Location of the Lost Ten Tribes gave me a better explanation of the term.

The first one to be called a Hebrew is Abraham, while he is still known as Abram. We see this reference in Genesis 14. Prior to this Abraham is just Abram, the man God called to leave the home he knew, taking his family and way of life to the mysterious land God promised him. So what happened to change how Abram was known?

Well, during that time there were a group of wanderers that were called Habiru, also known as Hapiru and Apiru. (Just a side note: the root word here comes from a word meaning to cross over.) These people left their homelands, for whatever reason, and wandered about other lands, finding no place to rest and settle. Some of these groups were large and fought as an army. And, as is with all groups, some of these people caused trouble wherever they went.

Let's do a quick review of Abraham's story and see if he falls under the definition of Habiru.

Abram and Lot left their homeland to travel to this promised location. They never settled anywhere because they went where the grass was green and their flocks could feed. But after leaving Egypt Abram decides they need to part company in order to keep the peace between their workers. So Lot chooses the land where the grass is green enough that it resembles the Garden of Eden and Egypt, and Abram goes into Canaan. So now there's two related groups with very large flocks roaming the countryside in two directions.

And when Lot is captured, an escapee goes to the other wandering relative, Abram, to bring his army of 318 men to rescue the captives. And he does. Unfortunately for Lot, he is returned home to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah.

I don't know about you, but the definition of Habiru sure seems to fit Abraham. I can see where people would have looked at him as being a Habiru. And it's so similar in spelling to Hebrew, they look like they might have been pronounced similarly. Although, the article linked above states the words are pronounced differently. In spite of this, it totally makes sense to me.

Of course, the reference stuck. Descendants of Abraham still call themselves Hebrews. And, Israel calls their language Hebrew.

But I have one more tidbit of information. Hebrew isn't the only descriptive word given to the Israelites. According to the referenced site mentioned above, many Hebrews, or Israelites, migrated to the north into Europe. The Romans saw these people as uncivilized and called them Barbari or Iberi. From those names came the term barbarian. Who knew? All this time I thought barbarians were a rough, unkempt, murderous people. Actually, the definitions found in dictionary.com include uncivilized and savage. But it also includes philistine, and someone living outside the Roman Empire or a Christian country.

Isn't word history interesting? This has given me a greater understanding of how others viewed the father of many nations when he first came on the scene. And, it fills in the gaps, so to speak.

What's the Therefore There For?

Have you ever looked at 2 Thessalonians 1:11? Paul is writing to the Thessalonians and tells them, "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,..." (2 Thessalonians 1:11)(NKJV)
 
A friend asked me to prepare a devotional thought on this verse and I have to admit at first it left me a little perplexed as to its meaning. But then I remembered a lesson I received many years ago. . .when you see "therefore" go back and see what it's there for. So I did. I read the whole chapter. Turns out, it's a wonderful blessing written by Paul.

In essence he's saying, "You're doing a great job and we're bragging on you. Don't worry about what you're going through because those who are trying their best to put you down and tear up your families, homes and businesses are going to find themselves in the middle of destruction and far from anything God has to offer. Also, because you've been doing a good job up to now we're praying that God keeps giving you the power and faith to complete all your desires to do this good work. In this way you can glorify Jesus and He can glorify you."

With this message in mind, I come away with a couple of thoughts. One, God gives me the strength to continue striving to be His example before others no matter what life throws my way. And for the record, one thing I've learned is that what one person sees as a huge persecution is nothing  to someone else. It's all in what we can individually handle. God knows this. He knows us better than we know ourselves. In fact, He's there through each little or big struggle helping us to succeed.

And, secondly, that old adage of troubles showing where you truly stand with God is reflected in this scripture. Troubles and frustrations, which I'd rather not have, aren't there to add stress to my life. They are opportunities to show love to my fellow believers; to show tolerance, love and guidance to those who have yet to find Jesus; to bring glory to God because no matter the outcome He walks through those troubling times with me.

All I can say is, "Ouch." I don't always remember this. Unfortunately, I know I don't pass the test every time. And when I compare my dealings to the persecutions believers on the other side of the world deal with, I feel as small as a mouse. But then I remember, God knows this. And He's there for each of us in each struggle we face cheering us on to be a shining light to those who live in our circle of life and thus bringing glory to Jesus.