The Christian Letter, Volume One: Chapter 29
Breath in a deep breath. The scent of bread on Sabbath smells better than any bakery. While we wonder if those loafs of bread in the store will taste good, there is no doubt the Challah or Matzah will taste great. For more reasons than the smell, or even the taste, but because of the shalom, the peace, that comes with it. In Bethlehem, which is to say, “the house of bread,” there was once a scent of bread, of peace, that we cannot yet fathom.
In a manger, a Sukkot of sorts, just on the outskirts of town, sits a man with many thoughts. The scent of bread is there, but it is not enough to interrupt the thoughts of a man whose wife is pregnant, though she has been with no one. Satan does all he can to plant doubt in his heart, but with his wife beside him, what devil has a chance? Thoughts of Yosef, and attempts of the devil, stop cold when the virgin starts to give birth to the Bread of Life. The angel had said that this boy would be called Immanuel, which is to say, “Elohim is among us”. It is of no doubt, no commentary needed, that this is exactly what Yosef first said.
There, in a manger, lay a child who would change the world forever. The oxen’s breath and the gentle sounds of the sheep and doves fill the air. I do not know, and I cannot say it for certain, but I believe that those animals looked with love to the Saviour, Who, would not only offer Himself up for the lives of those who had no room for Him at the Inn, but that because of His death and resurrection the animals in the barn with Him would no longer be sacrificed. Here, in loving arms, lay the Saviour of man and beast.
Miryam, Yosef, and Yahoshuah went to offer up the poor man’s sacrifice of two pigeons, and then settled down. They were living in a poor house and the baby had become a small boy, as babies often do … when they are baby boys anyway. One evening beasts and men were heard murmuring outside their small house. Perhaps it was Miryam, or Yosef, but in my mind, a young Jewish boy opened the curtain and smiled on those Whom His Father had sent. There where not three, but many men on many beasts arrived in the nick of time, bearing gifts, at the young boy’s house. Wonder would have to wait, as word comes from above as the men leave: Death is approaching. They must take these gifts and flee. But now we ask: Gifts from whom? And why these gifts?
Gold. What man doesn’t desire gold? A precious metal used as currency in the beginning and yet today. But the desire of gold from thieves and greedy hearts could not compare to that of this family. No money for food would have meant they would have died in the desert, rather than in town. Gold meant they could escape. It meant life. Life for us all.
Frankincense is used in many places throughout Scripture, and, as the name implies, it is the essence of incense. I trust that some of this incense was offered up for such a planed miracle. With Yahoshuah at their side, Yosef and Miryam had reason to offer up thanks every day. Frankincense is a heavenly aroma, yet there was one more spice given the boy … with an earthy scent.
Myrrh is derived from the Hebrew murr or maror, which means bitter. Myrrh, bitterness, was typically used in funerals. A great gift … for someone who was going to die. The Magi who gave the gift of myrrh may have known what Zechariah prophesied: that the gentiles would pierce the hands of Yahoweh. That this boy would die. A haunting fact, as they rode away from a city soon filled with the screams of families seeing their children slain—they knew more than anyone what awaited the young boy King.
Daniel was given a vision just for him. Want to guess what that may have been? Daniel was an eunuch with incredible wealth, and was no fool. Who would he have left his wealth to? He was a childless astronomer. Were the Chaldean astronomers descended students of Daniel’s? We will never know for sure ‘til we sit and hear the tales in the Kingdom of Heaven. But there is something for sure: Yahoweh will provide Himself a Lamb. A sacrifice. Perhaps even in the exact location Abraham would have offered up his son, Isaac; only Yahoweh did offer up His Son, Yahoshuah.
A Saviour was born, in a manger turned Sukkot, with the scent of bread, in His life with the scent of frankincense, on the cross with the scent of a promise kept, from an empty tomb with the scent of trembling excitement, but Salvation came to full fruition when Yahoshuah stood before Yahoweh on First Fruits, bearing the sin of the world … covered in myrrh.
Close your eyes to other thoughts. Are you there? Don’t picture in your mind the traditional image of “Jesus.” You do not know what He looked like. There would be no sitting down in a pew. Your face would be flat on the ground. Your heart would swell your voice shut. Your body would shake. This is no time for anything but the merger of Fear and Love … and there you would see Him. This is the time planned for the atonement. Will you accept the blood of Yahoshuah as sufficient? Will you smell the Bread of Life? Do you smell the Frankincense? Will you offer Him all of your gold? Will you allow your old self to die? There He stands! Are you there? Are you, from His embrace, covered in the Myrrh of His blood?
Today, a Saviour can be born in your heart. Will you accept Him enough to be a disciple? He did all this for your redemption. You will feel unworthy like everyone else, but that does not mean we cannot accept His gift. He has already bought it, and it cannot be returned. Do you accept Yahoshuah? If yes, then today a Saviour is born, and now you know the scent of Love.
Be Blessed and be a Blessing
Shalom
-Valentine Thalken Billingsley
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Additional Scripture References:
Matthew 2:1 Bethlehem (house of bread), Matthew 1:18 Pregnant by Ruach HaKodesh, Luke 2:6-7 Miryam gives birth, John 6:35 Bread of life, Matthew 1:23 Immanuel, Luke 2:22-24 Offering of pigeons, Matthew 2:11 Coming of the Magi with gifts, Matthew 2:13 Warning to Yoseph to flee, Zechariah 13:6-7 Killing of the Messiah, Matthew 26:31 Reference by the Messiah to Zechariah, Matthew 2:16 Herod’s killing of the children, Daniel 7: 13-14 Vision of the Messiah, Daniel 7:28 Keeping of vision to himself, Mark 14:62 Yahoshuah quoting portions of Daniel 7:13-14 when replying to the Chief priest, Daniel 1:3-4, 6, 17 Daniel being an eunuch and extremely intelligent, Daniel 2:48 Daniel made wealthy, Genesis 22:8, 13 and John 1:29 Yahoweh provides a lamb for Himself, 2 Chronicles 3:1 Jerusalem is on mount Moriah, John 20:1, 16-17 First fruits, Yahoshuah must ascend to Heaven.
The only way we can celebrate such a wonderful moment is to live as He lived, day by day. I have said, though not herein, at least a thousand times: We have a faith, but it is a faith with many evidences, and His Word is evidence enough.
