April 13

Morning

A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me. — Song 1:13

Myrrh may well be chosen as the type of Jesus—on account of its preciousness, its perfume, its pleasantness; its healing, preserving, disinfecting qualities; and its connection with sacrifice.

But why is He compared to “a BUNDLE of myrrh”?

First, for plenty. He is not a drop of it, He is a casket full. He is not a sprig of it but a whole bundle. There is enough in Christ for all my necessities; let me not be slow to avail myself of Him.

Our Beloved is compared to a “bundle” again, for variety—for there is in Christ not only the one thing needful but in “Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” everything needful is in Him. Take Jesus in His different characters, and you will see a marvelous variety—Prophet, Priest, King, Husband, Friend, Shepherd. Consider Him in His life, death, resurrection, ascension, second advent; view Him in His virtue, gentleness, courage, self-denial, love, faithfulness, truth, righteousness. Everywhere He is a bundle of preciousness!

He is a “bundle of myrrh” for preservation—not loose myrrh but tied up myrrh, to be stored in a casket. We must value Him as our best treasure; we must prize His Words; and we must keep our thoughts of Him and knowledge of Him as under lock and key, lest the devil should steal anything from us.

Moreover, Jesus is a “bundle of myrrh” for sovereignty. The emblem suggests the idea of sovereign, discriminating grace. From before the foundation of the world, He was set apart for His people; and He gives forth His perfume only to those who understand how to enter into communion with Him, to have close dealings with Him. Oh! blessed people whom the Lord has admitted into His secrets, and for whom He sets Himself apart. Oh! choice and happy who are thus made to say, “A bundle of myrrh is my Beloved unto me.”

Evening

And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. — Lev 1:4

Our Lord’s being made “sin for us” is set forth here by the very significant transfer of sin to the bullock, which was made by the elders of the people. The laying of the hand was not a mere touch of contact, for in some other places of Scripture, the original word has the meaning of leaning heavily, as in the expression, “Your wrath lies hard upon me” (Psalm 88:7). Surely this is the very essence and nature of faith, which does not only bring us into contact with the great Substitute but teaches us to lean upon Him with all the burden of our guilt.

Jehovah made to meet upon the head of the Substitute, all the offences of His covenant people but each one of the chosen is brought personally to ratify this solemn covenant act, when by grace he is enabled by faith to lay his hand upon the head of the “Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.”

Believer, do you remember that rapturous day when you first realized pardon through Jesus the sin-bearer? Can you not make glad confession, and join with the writer in saying, “My soul recalls her day of deliverance with delight! Laden with guilt and full of fears, I saw my Savior as my Substitute, and I laid my hand upon Him; oh! how timidly at first but courage grew and confidence was confirmed until I leaned my soul entirely upon Him! And now it is my unceasing joy to know that my sins are no longer imputed to me but laid on Him, and like the debts of the wounded traveler, Jesus, like the good Samaritan, has said of all my future sinfulness, Set that to My account!” Blessed discovery! Eternal solace of a grateful heart!

“My numerous sins transferred to Him, Shall never more be found, Lost in His blood’s atoning stream, Where every crime is drowned!”