Volume 1 Issue 12

GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, & MYRRH

“A

nd they came into the HOUSE and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of GOLD AND FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH.” (Matthew 2:11) How many Wise Men were there and where did they come from? Most people, including Christians would probably answer, “Three, from three different countries”. In fact we are not told how many there were, but we are told that after giving the gifts to Jesus they returned to their own COUNTRY, singular. The point is we get to know some stories so well we overlook the details or actually believe things that are not Biblically true. Movies and television perpetuate these falsehoods as do Nativity Scenes each Christmas season. They show Mary and Joseph surrounded by animals in a barn setting along with THREE Wise Men. Actually, the Wise Men visited the Christ Child in a HOUSE. (See above verse)

It would appear that one of the ways the enemy blinds us to truth is to make us so familiar with something that we believe things that are not true. Even after we realize we have been deceived we rarely attempt to correct it. Ever seen a Nativity minus the three Wise Men? It would serve us well to look closely at Bible stories we have been told or seen in books or movies or television since childhood and learn the truth.

Having said that what we many times skim over when reading the story of the Wise Men is what the gifts were that were given to Jesus. Most people would likely be able to tell you that what was given to Jesus was gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The question then is, “Why were these three gifts given to Him and not something else”? Nothing is in the Bible by mistake. Everything has a reason, a purpose, and part of studying the Bible is to find out what that reason or purpose is. You may think that what the Wise Men gave Jesus has no special importance or value, that the gold, frankincense, and myrrh just happen to be what they had available to them. However, that type of reasoning is a little shallow. If you were going to give a gift to someone you love and care for deeply do you take the first thing you see in the store and buy it. Not likely, because IT IS the thought that counts. These Wise Men were bringing gifts to a KING, someone they found worthy of WORSHIP. Is it reasonable to assume that the gifts they brought were an afterthought, an insignificant gesture with no meaning? No! Then why was it gold and frankincense and myrrh rather than gold and silver and clothes, things that had material value and things that could be used by a new family starting out in life? Joseph and Mary were probably grateful for whatever they received, but were just as likely to have been baffled by these gifts. The gold of course, but the other two?

Let us look at these three gifts separately and see what significance they hold. Gold in the Bible has always stood for DIVINITY, that which is like God. It should not surprise us then to learn that gold is mentioned from beginning to end in the Bible. Just as God has always been, gold appears at the BEGINNING of the Creation in the Garden of Eden. “The name of the first (river) is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, WHERE THERE IS GOLD. And the gold of that land is good.” (Genesis 2:11-12) And it is what the New Jerusalem is made of at the END of this Creation. “And the material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure GOLD, like clear glass. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure GOLD, like transparent glass.” (Revelation 21:18,21) It is interesting to note that the name “Pishon”, one of the FOUR rivers (four is the number for CREATION, the earth), mentioned in connection with the Garden of Eden, means SPREADING. It is almost as if the Lord were hinting even then that a time would come when His Spirit, the gold, would SPREAD throughout His creation. Later we learn this to be true. “And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit ON ALL MANKIND.” (Joel 2:28) This verse was used later by Peter to explain what the people of Jerusalem were experiencing upon hearing the Apostles preach after they were filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, that is, after the Holy Spirit had SPREAD to them. (Acts 2:14-18)

As Moses had the Tabernacle in the Wilderness built, he was instructed by God to construct the Ark of the Covenant, which was to be placed in the Holy of Holies out of acacia wood, symbolic of humanity, overlaid with GOLD along with a mercy seat and two Cherubim made of pure GOLD. (Exodus 25:10-21) The Holy of Holies was the meeting place between the High Priest and God; a place so holy that the High Priest entered only once a year to offer sacrifices for himself and the people of Israel for the cleansing of sins. It corresponds to the spirit, that part of man that allows us to be God-conscious, that allows us to commune with the Father. “God is SPIRIT, and those who worship Him must WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.” (John 4:24) Animals do not have this faculty. Everything that had to do with the WORSHIP of the Lord, the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat, the golden alter of INCENSE, the lampstand, the utensils, was either made of pure gold or acacia wood overlaid with gold.

Job, as he was going through his intense trials, not being able to sense the presence of the Lord nevertheless said, “But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as GOLD.” (Job 23:10) Job was looking forward to the day when he would share the DIVINE nature with the Lord. “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the DIVINE nature.” (2 Peter 1:4) This divine nature is the gift of salvation. When we speak of being born again, what is first brought back to life is our SPIRIT. It was the spirit (masculine) that died the day Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. The soul (feminine) assumed the place of authority that was rightfully the spirit’s, and the body, along with creation, BEGAN to die. With the new birth the spirit is returned to its rightful position of authority, the soul submits to that God ordained authority, and the body will be resurrected in a glorified, non-corruptible state. Thus, we have justification, the spirit (masculine) being given divine life and being restored to its rightful position; sanctification, the soul (feminine) submitting to the direction and leadership of the spirit; glorification, the body resurrected incorruptible, like unto the body of Jesus.

The gift of gold was given to Jesus to symbolize that He was God in the flesh. It is no accident that so many times the idols described in the Old Testament were made of gold. It spoke of the deception that clouded man’s thinking. They desired divine life, just as people today do, but they wanted to control it, to SHAPE it. Fallen man does not want to believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, the only way to come to the heavenly Father. They want to believe that their own goodness (FOOL’S GOLD) will be acceptable to God. The Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and even false Christians do not want to believe Jesus when He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER, BUT THROUGH ME.” (John 14:6) They may accept Jesus as a good man, a moral teacher, but not divine, not God. They have rejected the true treasure of gold and chosen instead an idol.

The second gift was frankincense. This is a word of Hebrew origin. It means “white”. It speaks of holiness, righteousness. It is first used in Exodus 30:34-36. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure FRANKINCENSE; there shall be an equal part of each. And with it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I shall meet with you; it shall be most HOLY to you.’” (Exodus 30:34-36) This incense was placed upon the GOLDEN Altar of Incense by the High Priest to be burned before the Lord. It was to be a sweet odor unto the Lord.

Frankincense was the resin from a tree and it was obtained by cutting the bark of the tree and letting the resin harden. It was then ground into a powder. Though it tasted bitter, it was known for how freely it burned, leaving nothing behind. This is symbolic of a life of holiness and righteousness. After receiving salvation (Gold) we are that, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2) This is not a command; it is a PROMISE. Because the Lord is holy and because we have received the gift of salvation we SHALL BE holy. Though we are sinful creatures by the gift of salvation we will be holy. “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as WHITE as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.’” (Isaiah 1:18)

The gift of frankincense given to the Christ Child symbolized His holiness, His purity, His willingness to freely and wholly give Himself up as a burnt offering. Just as frankincense is gathered by cutting the bark of a tree, the Lord was broken upon the Cross that we might share in this gift. However, it is no accident that this gift comes after the gold - salvation - for holiness in the hands of the unsaved would be used for self-righteous glorification. Holiness would destroy the unsaved, just as fire destroys wood, hay, or stubble, while it PURIFIES gold. For the children of God this gift of holiness becomes the cry of our hearts. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him PURIFIES HIMSELF, JUST AS HE IS PURE.” (1 John 3:2-3)

Frankincense was BURNED in worship to the Lord. Thus, it should not surprise us to learn that FIRE is closely connected with holiness. “SERAPHIM stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, ‘HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.’” (Isaiah 6:2-3) The word “seraphim” means BURNING and it has been translated as seraphim and FIERY serpent. It is first used in Numbers. “And the Lord sent FIERY SERPENTS among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.” (Number 21:6) I believe these serpents were in fact holy angels, seraphim, rather then snakes, for the Hebrew word for snake is completely different. Perhaps they resembled tongues of fire and that caused the people to think of them as serpents. Again, holiness will destroy that which is not of God, that which is not divine - GOLD. The people were rebelling against God and Moses. They were becoming impatient in the Wilderness; therefore, God sent the fiery serpents to DESTROY them or more accurately to destroy their rebellious spirit. Once the people confessed that they had sinned, God told Moses to make a snake (not seraphim) of BRONZE (a metal associated with JUDGMENT) so that any who had been bitten by the fiery serpents could look at the bronze snake and live. There is much truth hidden here, but at this time we cannot go into all of it.

We are to be holy for only holiness can survive the presence of God, a God that describes Himself as “a consuming FIRE, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24) We are told that “each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with FIRE; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, YET SO AS THROUGH FIRE.” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15) Everything that we think, say, and do is to come from the holiness that is imparted to us as we grow spiritually. If it does not, even if it looks good on the outside, it will be destroyed by the holy, consuming fire that God is.

This gift of frankincense, this holiness, this WHITENESS, becomes ours when we realize that, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have CLOTHED YOURSELVES with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) We are told to “put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, (Godlike) in true RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS.” (Ephesians 4:24 AMP) The promise given to the true Christians in Sardis, a church that “talked the talked”, but did not “walk the walk”, was this gift of frankincense, this WHITENESS. “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in WHITE; for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:4) As we experientially become one with Jesus Christ we will possess more and more this precious gift of holiness.

First Jesus was given the gift of gold, symbolizing His Divinity. Next he was given the frankincense, symbolizing His holiness. Lastly he was given myrrh. Myrrh means “bitterness”. It was used in perfumes, but also when embalming the dead, and as an antiseptic or to reduce pain. It is highly significant that of the three gifts given to Jesus, only myrrh is mentioned at the beginning of His life when the Wise Men gave it to Him and at the END of His life. After Jesus had been crucified His body was taken by Joseph of Arimathea, “And Nicodemus came also, who had first come to Him by night; bringing a mixture of MYRRH and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. And so they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” (John 19:39-40) Why is gold and frankincense mentioned only at the beginning of Jesus’ life, but myrrh at the beginning and end. It is because gold -salvation - is a one time gift; once given, never revoked. “For the GIFTS and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) Holiness, the frankincense, is also a gift that, though it grows and expands as we experientially clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ, is given to us all at once at the BEGINNING of our walk with Him. From the Lord’s point of view once we have accepted the gift of salvation we are as holy as we will ever be. We do not become more holy, from God’s viewpoint, as time goes by. We are instantly called “saints” (Greek - hagios - same word for HOLY) regardless of how carnal we are.

But the myrrh is different. It symbolizes suffering, trials, tribulations, afflictions. The church of Smyrna is known as the “Suffering Church”. This makes sense when one realizes that the name “Smyrna” comes from myrrh. Suffering and persecution is something that Jesus experienced from the beginning of His life, from the flight into Egypt to avoid the wrath of King Herod, to the end of His life, to His wrongful crucifixion. In fact we are told that suffering was such an integral of Jesus’ life that, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He SUFFERED.” (Hebrews 5:8) Jesus never escaped the myrrh, the persecutions, throughout His entire life. No one has suffered more unjustly than He. And just as He was given the gift of myrrh by WISE MEN, so we too, along with the gold - salvation, and the frankincense - holiness, receive the gift of myrrh - suffering from the hand of the Lord. It is not done to destroy us, but to teach us obedience. Suffering, trials, tribulations, persecutions are a NATURAL part of this life. “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12)

The Bible is full of stories of suffering. Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain who murdered his brother; Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; Job lost his wealth, position of influence, and his health; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace; Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den; John the Baptist was beheaded; The Apostle James was slain by King Herod; Peter and John were thrown into a dungeon; Paul was hated and stoned. We are not alone in our suffering; it is not unique to us. Paul said, “To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.” (1 Corinthians 4:11-13) Suffering, the myrrh, will be a MAJOR part of our lives.

So, are we to accept the gold and frankincense from the Lord and not the myrrh? Job faced this question after having lost everything and his wife encouraged him to turn away from God. “But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10) That is faith. Job recognized the sovereignty of God and willingly received not only the good - the gold and frankincense - but the bad also - the myrrh. The gift of myrrh is not to destroy, but to purify. “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

This holiday season let us accept from the hand of our Lord the gifts He desires to give to us; the same gifts He received. Gold - salvation, frankincense - holiness, and myrrh - bitterness, that we might be one with Him as He is one with the Father.

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