The Myrrh

by J.L. Ferguson, Barrhead | Category: General | Mar 1971

The shepherds brought the Babe no gift. But the wise man from the east brought Him gifts, for was not God's name great among the Gentiles? So falling down and worshipping the young Child, they opened their treasures and offered their gifts. There was gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

There was gold for the King-child; thus wherewithal to carry the holy family on the long journey to Egypt and sustain them there. There was frankincense, carrying fragrance for One who would become the praying Man who would make intercession for the transgressors. But there was myrrh for the Man of sorrows. Some may remember how the late Mr McGaw would, on occasion, amend the carol, and say,

My myrrh I bring with its bitter perfume,

Tells of a life of gathering gloom;

Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

Laid in a stone-cold tomb.

Yes, all His garments smelt of myrrh, as He took our infirmities and carried our diseases. And when He came at last to Calvary, it was to Him like the mountain of myrrh of which Solomon had written. And there "they offered Him wine, mingled with myrrh". The lonely Sin-bearer was tasting death, in all its bitterness, for every man; making Himself of no reputation. Well did the poet sing,

Who shall fathom that descending,

From the rainbow-circled throne,

Down to earth's most base profaning,

Dying desolate alone?

"And they made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death". In the Hebrew text "the rich" is singular. So in precise fulfilment of the sure word of prophecy "there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph"; and with him Nicodemus "bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight". So the Babe to whom the myrrh was brought from afar, who grew up in its daily fragrance, was finally wrapped in myrrh in His manhood - the Man of sorrows laid in a tomb.

But the sufferings of Christ must be followed by His glories. How beautifully Isaiah depicts the coming day of Messiah's manifestation, when Gentiles will come again to His light and their kings to the brightness of His rising. In that day in Israel's land "the multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; they all shall come from Sheba: they shall bring gold and frankincense (60:6). Yes, gold and frankincense but no myrrh in that day. The sufferings are all past. The days of Israel's mourning shall be ended (v. 20) - and His too.

Myrrh - suffering - threaded through all our lives. But no sorrow in the land we are going to. Little wonder the apostle reckoned, "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward". It may be, as we write, the reader is experiencing sorrow of varying hue, suffering of varying degree, dark clouds hanging low. But it will all pass, enriching us on its way. Then -sooner perhaps than we realize, He that cometh shall come, and in our case also the days of our mourning shall be ended.

From vintages of sorrow are deepest joys distilled, And the cup outstretched for healing is oft at Marah filled. God leads to joy, through weeping; to quietness, through strife;

Through yielding, unto conquest; through death, to endless life.

J.L. Ferguson, Barrhead | Mar 1971
General