Each year as I enter the Christmas season, I ask the Lord to show me something new about the story of His birth. This year, He revealed to me a new light on the gifts from the wise men. The wise men presented gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus. These gifts were precious and of great value, certainly fit for a king, but I have always wondered why these particular items were chosen. In pondering this, I found a correlation between each gift and the heart of a believer.
Gold represents a purified heart. Scripture says that our hearts are desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9), but by accepting Jesus as our Savior, He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. We are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. As a new creation in Christ, we begin to walk a life of faith. We begin to learn more about the attributes and characteristics of our God, and our hearts are transformed in the process. We learn that:
His wisdom is more valuable than gold (Job 28:12-28; Prov. 16:16)
His judgments are more desirable than gold (Psalm 19:9-11)
His commandments are more precious than gold (Psalm 119:127)
His knowledge is more precious than gold (Prov. 8:10)
His fruit is more valuable than gold (Prov 8:19)
The Lord takes our worthless hearts of clay and refines them. By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our hearts and lives are transformed into something very precious in His sight.
Frankincense represents a heart afflicted by trials. In order for frankincense to release its sweet aroma, it must be burned. James 1:2-5 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him as of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Later in that same chapter, it says “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12) When we go to Him in the midst of trials, not only does he impart His wisdom and knowledge, but we begin to see the fruit of the Spirit borne in our lives. There was an altar of incense placed before the mercy seat in the tabernacle where God dwelt (Heb. 9:3-5) and there is an altar of incense before His throne in heaven (Rev. 8:3). Revelation 5:8 says, “And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Often, it is in the midst of trials that our prayer life intensifies. Scripture tells us that our prayers go before the very throne of God and are sweet to Him. They are mingled with the scent of the incense (Rev 8:4) Psalm 34:17-19 says, “The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” What an incredible promise, blessing, and gift from our Lord!
Myrrh represents a heart that has died to self. There are many references to myrrh in the Bible, but the two most common areas where we read of it are at Christ’s birth and at His death, when Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus’ body for burial. Myrrh isn’t a common spice that we encounter, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. It was interesting to learn that like frankincense, myrrh is produced as a reaction to a purposeful wound through the bark and into the sapwood in certain species of Commiphora trees . Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” Verse 17 says, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” Myrrh has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine. Psalm 147:3 says that “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” By humbling our hearts and allowing Him to be Lord of our lives, we receive restoration and healing. Our lives begin to exude the sweet fragrance of the fruit of the Spirit.
Viewing these three gifts in this light has been a blessing to me. By giving our hearts to Him, He blesses us with gifts more valuable than the symbolic gifts that were presented to Him in the manger. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Salvation and eternal life are gifts from God! Like the wise men so long ago, won’t you bend your knee and offer Him your heart?
