The Bible tells us in Matthew 2:1-2: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’” The wise men had traveled very far because they knew that Jesus was no ordinary baby. You see, they were already wise but they knew where to find true wisdom! Together with Mary and Joseph, they had the first baby shower as the wise men gave Jesus three gifts--each one with its own special meaning.
Gold was the money of kings. It is mined from the ground yet beautiful when used to adorn garments or buildings. It is so enduring that it can even withstand fire. Yet, it is adaptable and can be molded and shaped into a variety of items. It can also be alloyed with other metals to increase its strength. God designated the spiritual aspect of gold by specifying its use in the building of the temple and on the priestly robes in the Old Testament.
Frankincense was found in Southern Arabia, Ethiopia, and Egypt. It is a sticky, white gum taken from the Boswellia tree. When the tree’s bark is cut, it secretes a milky-white juice that covers the tree in clear lumps the size of hen’s eggs that can be burned as incense. The word “frank” means clear or strong, hence the word frankincense. It has a strong, sweet odor and was also used as an antiseptic to heal open cuts, to fight bacteria and infections. It was good for bronchitis and lung infections; it could be chewed as a gum to fight bad breath and tooth decay and it was worth about $500 a pound. The trees were so sacred back then that the farmers who grew them were told to keep themselves pure from sin...especially while harvesting the frankincense. Burning frankincense was a reminder to the people of how their prayers reached God and how sweet they smell to Him.
Myrrh is a reddish-brown gum from the bark of the Commiphora tree and is found in Somalia, Africa, and Yemen. It has a spicy, oriental scent. Back then, kings owned all of the Myrrh trees and closely guarded them. It was also used in incense, to cure fevers, diarrhea, asthma, and could be put on open wounds as an antiseptic. Because it was so hard to obtain, myrrh was worth about $4,000 a pound. It is mentioned seventeen times in the Bible. In Exodus chapter three, God told Moses to take myrrh, mix it with other spices, and anoint Aaron and his sons as high priests and anoint everything in the temple. When kings were buried, it was customary to use fifteen pounds of myrrh in the embalming materials. John 19:39,40 tells us that after Jesus died on the cross, “Nicodemus came...and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred-pound weight. Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”
So, Jesus received three gifts from the wise men: gold as a symbol of His kingship, frankincense as a symbol of the people’s prayers being answered and myrrh as the symbol of our high priest. The Magi followed a star and found Jesus over 2,000 years ago... and today He can still be found by those who diligently seek Him!
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