Frankincense is a fragrant gum resin used in the Bible for worship, incense, and anointing. It was considered precious and holy, often associated with the presence of God and the prayers of His people.
In Exodus 30:34–35, God commanded Moses to make a sacred incense that included frankincense:
“Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense… you shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy.”
This incense was burned in the tabernacle before the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing the prayers of the saints rising to God. Revelation 8:3–4 carries this imagery forward:
“Then another angel… was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints… and the smoke of the incense… ascended before God.”
Frankincense was also part of offerings to the Lord. In Leviticus 2:1, grain offerings were to include oil and frankincense, signifying purity, devotion, and thanksgiving. However, it was not used in sin offerings, showing that frankincense represented worship and not atonement.
Most notably, frankincense was one of the gifts brought to Jesus by the wise men in Matthew 2:11:
“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
In this context, frankincense points to Christ’s divine nature and role as High Priest. It acknowledged His worthiness of worship and the sacredness of His mission.
Frankincense in Scripture teaches reverence, purity in worship, and the sweet aroma of true prayer and devotion before a holy God.