Revelation 2:8, 9
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)…
The word “smyrna” comes from myrrh. Myrrh was a fragrance released only when crushed.
At His birth, Jesus was presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold was for kings, frankincense for priests, but myrrh was a spice used at burial. Jesus was presented gold and Jesus is the King. He was presented frankincense and Jesus is our High Priest. However, He’s also the Prophet who said, “Destroy this body and in three days, I will rise again” (John 2:19).
On the Cross, Jesus was presented with myrrh when a soldier offered it to Him to deaden His pain.
A lot can learned from Jesus’ refusal to take the myrrh that was offered. We often will take any way offered to alleviate the pain or the crushing that is happening in our life. Jesus was being crushed by the crucifixion, yet didn’t take the myrrh. May we be of those who, when the process of crushing takes place, we let the Cross or the crushing do its job.
Myrrh was offered to Jesus a third time, when the women came Easter Sunday to put burial spices on His body, but He wasn’t there. He had risen. So, too, when Jesus returns in His Second Coming, Isaiah writes “all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord” (see 60:6). The people of Sheba will bring gold for the King; frankincense for the Priest. But they won’t bring myrrh because when Jesus comes back, He’s not coming to die. He’s coming to rule and reign.
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