Where's The Myrrh?

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matt. 2:11)

I heard a cute story about a boy who was playing one of the wise men in his church’s Christmas pageant. The boy only had one line to say when he presented his gift to the baby Jesus. He was supposed to say, “I bring the newborn king the gift of frankincense.” However, this was the boy’s first acting experience, and he was very nervous. Especially, because he had such a hard time saying, “frankincense.”  

Well, the big night of the performance came, and the boy was sweating bullets. He and his two other magi buddies took the stage and knelt before the manger. The moment came for the boy to say his line, but he when he opened his mouth stage fright got the best of him. He couldn’t get his line out, so he just handed his gift over to Jospeh and said, “Here, Frank sent these.”

Anyone familiar with the Christmas story knows about the gifts of the magi. But you may not know that these gifts were not just gestures of good will, they each had prophetic significance.  

Gold was fitting for Jesus’ royalty, as it was the most precious metal on earth in those days. Remember what the wise said to Herod when they first arrived in Jerusalem? “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? (Mat. 2:2).” These men were king-makers and their gift of gold spoke to Jesus royal lineage to David (Is. 11:1-2; Jer. 23:5-6), no wonder this got Herod’s hackles up.  

Frankincense was fitting for Jesus’ deity. This was a costly, beautiful-smelling incense that was used only for the most special of occasions. It was used in the grain offerings at the Tabernacle and Temple (Lev. 2:2, 15–16). How better to honor the God-man than with a gift associated with the priesthood?  

Myrrh was fitting for Jesus’ humanity. This perfume is mentioned often in Scripture, beginning in Genesis (37:25; 43:11). Mixed with wine it was also used as an anesthetic, and later offered to Jesus on the cross (Mark 15:23). When it was mixed with other spices it was used in the preparation of bodies for burial, even Jesus’ body (John 19:39). Imagine bringing embalming fluid to a baby shower today. How strange indeed. But this gift looked ahead to the cross and tomb. This gift recognized that this little baby was born to die as the Savior of mankind. King. Priest. Savior. Each gift spoke to Jesus’ ministry.

But the story doesn’t end there. If you study an obscure prophecy in Isaiah 60 you see some of these same gifts appear again. Here is the promise, “The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, they shall bring gold and frankincense” (60:3, 5-6).

In this oracle, Isaiah is speaking about a future time when the kings of the Gentile nations will flock to Israel to bestow riches upon her and to honor her king. But notice the myrrh is missing. Why is this? Because this prophecy is about Jesus Second Coming. When Christ returns to the earth, every knee will bow and every tongue confess Him to be King of king and Lord of lords (Phil. 2:5-9).

During Jesus’ Millennial reign, He will be worshipped as God and revered as king, but there won’t be any need to bring myrrh. He already died and rose again. He suffered as the Lamb of God, never to suffer the scorn and curse of sin again. “For we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him” (Rom. 6:9).  Hallelujah! What should your response be? Like the wise men we must bow our knee before Christ and offer our wealth, worship, and witness to His service.