som and redemption for us. This was the purpose of the virgin birth and is the true meaning of Christmas. Any attempt to get some other mean ing out of the season is to play fast CHRISTIANS AWAKE Christians, awake! Salute the happy morn Whereon the Saviour of the world was born; Rise to adore the mystery of love, Which hosts of angels chanted from above; W ith them the joyful tidings first begun Of God Incarnate and the Virgin's Son. Then to the watchful shepherds it was told, Who heard the angelic herald's voice, "Behold, I bring good tidings of a Saviour's birth To you and all the nations upon earth; This day hath God fulfilled His prom ised Word; This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord." He spake; and straightway the celes tial choir In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire; The praises of redeeming love they sang, And heaven's whole orb with alleluias rang; God's highest glory was their anthem still, Peace upon earth, and unto men good will. Then may we hope, the angelic hosts among, To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song; He that was born upon this joyful day Around us all His glory shall display; Saved by His love, forever we shall sing Eternal praise to heaven's Almighty King! — John Byrom and loose with the Word of God. The only purpose of His incarnation was His Saviourhood. He came into the world to give His life a ransom for many. 7
anointing in setting apart the high priest of Israel. Christ was set apart for the task of death in offering sac rifices for His people. Young men are warned against the way of the prostitute in Proverbs 7:17. She says, “I have perfumed my bed with myrrh.” We can never real ize all that it cost the Lord to take upon Himself the load of our sin. The way of the prostitute is the way of death. When Christ died on the cross, He took not only the polite sins of a cultured civilization, but also all the horrors, curses and unspeakable vile ness of men’s souls. There was one use of myrrh in an cient times which the Lord refused. When one wanted something to numb his pain myrhh was prescribed. It evi dently stupified the senses. When Christ was crucified, in Mark 15:23 we read that they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh. He refused to re ceive it because He was going to take all of the suffering which death be cause of sin could possibly bring to mankind. He was made sin for us who knew no sin. Instead, then, they gave Him vinegar which only heightened His thirst. He finished His work, bowing His head and giving up the ghost (John 19:30). They brought myrrh to Him at Bethlehem and now they brought myrhh to Him in the garden tomb. They had not understood Psm. 18:10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hades; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corrup tion. They used a hundred pounds of spices to embalm His body. The myrrh was packed between the folds of the linen cloth, leaving the body bound like a mummy. In His resurrection, Christ passed right through the wrap pings. Is it any wonder that we read of the impression this sight made on the keen spiritual mind of John? Peter dashed into the open tomb while John followed hesitatingly. The myrrh brought to Christ’s feet by the wise men was the symbol of His coming death. We who were dead in trespasses and sins may now look unto the cross of our Saviour with confidence and eternal life. He gave His life a ran
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