Scripture: Matt.2:1-12
Greetings “Fan”-tastic Passengers,
Greetings “Fan”-tastic Passengers,
It was just a few years after Jesus’ birth, when there came wise men from the east, following a star, in search of Jesus, so that they could worship Him. It is thought that, these wise men, were priests and astrologers from the Middle East, who, through the writings of Daniel, had probably learned of the Jewish Messiah, who was to be born in Bethlehem. Consequently, when the wise men saw Jesus, in awe, they: “…fell down and worshipped Him…,” as: “They Presented unto Him Gifts” of gold, frankincense and myrrh, which, according to their prophetic significance, were most appropriate for a King (Matt.2:12).
Gold
Gold
- Gold is a chemical element which is a bright yellow dense, soft, malleable and ductile metal. The properties remain whenever it is exposed to air or water. Gold was the most precious and valuable metal known to the Israelites at the time and was definitely, fitting as a gift for a King
Uses
- It was customary for the ancient peoples to present kings or other rulers with gold
- The Queen of Sheba, for example, gave to King Solomon gold and other gifts in abundance (1 Kings 10:10)
- Everything in the Old Testament Tabernacle, was made of gold or plated with this precious metal (Exod.25).
Symbolism
- Symbolically, gold represents purity and great worth. The, wise men, therefore, brought gifts of gold to Jesus, by which they came to acknowledge the One whose sovereignty, as King, began even before His birth (Matt.2:2)
- When Jesus was born, King Herod exhibited an enormous amount of hostility and hatred towards Him. Why? Herod the Great, as he was infamously known throughout the empire, was a cruel Roman king. He ruled as a tyrant, killing several of his sons, his wife, and anyone else who ever dared to hint the slightest threat to his power and authority. Subsequently, when the wise men, who came seeking Jesus were: “…warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way” Herod was blazingly furious. Therefore, in his boiling rage and anger and in an attempt to destroy Jesus, he ordered the slaughter of all male children up to two years of age in Bethlehem and the surrounding area (Matt. 2:12, 16)
- When Jesus walked the earth as a humble servant, some of His followers were disappointed that He did not take His kingdom by force or allow others to make Him an earthly ruler. In this He explained to them, that:“…My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36)
- In contrast, at the second coming of Jesus Christ, He will wage the final battle against all the enemies of God, led by the beast and the false prophet. This final war brings to a climax, all the wars that God has waged, on behalf of His people and consummates the triumph achieved by Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary (Exod.15:2; Deut.20; Isa.59:16-18; Ezek.38; 39; Hab.3:8-15; Zech.12:1-9; 14:3-5; John 12:31; Col.2:15; Rev.5:9, 10; 12:10-11)
- After His death, burial and resurrection, the Scripture explains how God the Father, restored Jesus Christ, His Son, to the glorious status which He had at the beginning; but voluntarily relinquished it for a time, in order to become a human being:“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (John 16:28; Phil.2:8-11; Heb.2:9, 14)
- Then at Christ’s second coming, the Scripture says:“…The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev.11:15)
Frankincense
- Frankincense is a key ingredient which was a component of the incense which was used in Jewish Temple worship.A definition from Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, describes frankincense to be “a fragrant gum resin from trees of a genus (Boswellia of the family Burseraceae) of Somalia and southern coastal Arabia, that is an important incense resin and has been used in religious rites, perfumery, and embalming.” When exposed to air, the sap hardens into a solid that burns easily.
Uses - A Sweet Aroma in Worship
- Frankincense was often used in temple worship, especially in the offering up of diverse types of sacrifices on the altar before God (Lev.2:1-3)
- In this usage of frankincense, it is also indicated that: “…the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister…” (Matt.20:28a)
- In an illusion to this, both the Apostles Paul and Peter, explains that, as members of a “royal priesthood,” the born-again believers, as they, “shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,” are also a sweet aroma to Him. This means that our Heavenly Father delights in us, as we: “…offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Lev.1:17; 2 Cor.2:15; Heb.13:151 Pet.2:9)
- In Revelation 5:8 the Apostle John, saw in his vision, harps and vials, as the redeemed of the Lord, “fell down before Him,” Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, prayer, praise, adoration and worship. The harps were the joyful instruments of praise, while the:”…golden vials full of odours…are the prayers of saints.”
Symbolism
- The gift of frankincense, therefore, because of its role in worship, prophesied of Jesus’ role in serving as our High Priest. After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ ascended to the heavenly temple and presented His crucified body to God the Father, as the perfect sacrifice, which put an end to the need for animal sacrifices (Heb. 9:11-12)
- Ultimately, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, encourages them and us, in a renewed appeal for confidence, when it comes to approaching God. This boldness in approaching God, rest in the person and work of our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is able to “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb.4:15; 9:24). Here, the writer says:
”Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb.10:19-22).
Myrrh
This is defined as “a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown aromatic gum resin with a bitter slightly pungent taste. It is obtained from a tree (especially Commiphora abyssinica of the family Burseraceae) of eastern Africa and Arabia.”
Uses
Myrrh
This is defined as “a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown aromatic gum resin with a bitter slightly pungent taste. It is obtained from a tree (especially Commiphora abyssinica of the family Burseraceae) of eastern Africa and Arabia.”
Uses
- In ancient times, Myrrh was one of the key ingredient, used in perfumes and incense
- In order to mask the smell of decay, the Hebrews sprinkled myrrh on burial cloths which were wrapped around the dead
- Myrrh is a valuable and expensive commodity because of its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties
- Today, myrrh is an active ingredient in many of the things which we use around the house, such as, salve, mouthwash, and toothpaste
Example
- Scripture tells us how, Mary anointed the Lord Jesus, with pure nard, an ointment in which myrrh was a primary ingredient.For her actions, she was quickly rebuked by one of Jesus’ disciples, namely, Judas, for “wasting” such an expensive ointment.Nevertheless, her action in anointing Jesus with this expensive ointment, before His death, shows the invaluable worth of Jesus and His death.Furthermore,the profound communion which His sacrifice on the cross would establish for mankind, is priceless (Mark 14:3-8; John 12:3-8)
Jesus’ Embalming
- This embalming of Jesus’ body was done by a man of the Pharisees, a ruler of the Jews, Nicodemus, who, at first, “came to Jesus by night,” but now, in His death, owned him publicly, as the Scripture says:
“And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury” (John 3; 19:39-40)
Symbolism
Symbolism
- The magi’s gift of myrrh, prophetically, speaks of the sacrifice which Jesus would make in order to purge, the world from the decaying stench of sin. Therefore, it foretells Jesus’ role as Savior of the world (Luke 2:11).
It is surprising to note that, even though the Jewish religious leaders, knew that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, they made no effort to enquire more information of the wise men or to seek out Jesus for themselves (Micah 5:2; Matt.2:4-5). Consequently, it took the Gentile wise men from the east, to seek, find and worship Jesus, who was born King of the Jews. As a result, the Apostle John writes: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).
Jesus is the Saviour of the world and, therefore, He will always be found of those who truly seek Him with all of their heart (Deut.4:29; Prov.8:17; Jer.29:13). The wise men sought and found Him and with all humility: “They Presented unto Him Gifts” of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts prophesied that Jesus Christ would be our King, High Priest, and Savior, respectively. As King, Jesus rules over the universe, all the affairs of humnanity and one day, He will return to reign on earth, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As High Priest, He is exalted at the right hand of God the Father, as He intercedes for us, so that we can approach God with confidence. Finally, as our Savior, Jesus: ”…gave His life a ransom for many” as God’s spotless Lamb, in order that, salvation is made available to the entire human race (Matt.20:28; John 10:11-15).
This Christmas, I encourage you to take some time, to thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who came that we might, “…have life and…have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). In addition, like the wise men, who came from the east and opened their treasure, as they worshipped Jesus, would you consider, opening your heart; and present it, as an offering of worship, to the King, High Priest and Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ?
Stay strong! Stay encouraged!
Many thanks for your continued support, in purchasing my music. If you have already purchased yours, you may also wish to consider purchasing music to bless the life of someone else. Joy Creed album/s or track/s, may be purchased at any of the following:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joycreed
www.joycreed.com/audiocd
https://www.reverbnation.com/joycreed
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/yadah-single/id52179152
Your Conductor,
Joy
©Creed's Melody
'Positive Message: Diverse Cultures'
Website: http://www.joycreed.com
Blog: (http://joycreed.blogspot.ca/)
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Jesus is the Saviour of the world and, therefore, He will always be found of those who truly seek Him with all of their heart (Deut.4:29; Prov.8:17; Jer.29:13). The wise men sought and found Him and with all humility: “They Presented unto Him Gifts” of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts prophesied that Jesus Christ would be our King, High Priest, and Savior, respectively. As King, Jesus rules over the universe, all the affairs of humnanity and one day, He will return to reign on earth, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As High Priest, He is exalted at the right hand of God the Father, as He intercedes for us, so that we can approach God with confidence. Finally, as our Savior, Jesus: ”…gave His life a ransom for many” as God’s spotless Lamb, in order that, salvation is made available to the entire human race (Matt.20:28; John 10:11-15).
This Christmas, I encourage you to take some time, to thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who came that we might, “…have life and…have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). In addition, like the wise men, who came from the east and opened their treasure, as they worshipped Jesus, would you consider, opening your heart; and present it, as an offering of worship, to the King, High Priest and Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ?
Stay strong! Stay encouraged!
Many thanks for your continued support, in purchasing my music. If you have already purchased yours, you may also wish to consider purchasing music to bless the life of someone else. Joy Creed album/s or track/s, may be purchased at any of the following:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joycreed
www.joycreed.com/audiocd
https://www.reverbnation.com/joycreed
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/yadah-single/id52179152
Your Conductor,
Joy
©Creed's Melody
'Positive Message: Diverse Cultures'
Website: http://www.joycreed.com
Blog: (http://joycreed.blogspot.ca/)
Facebook: http://facebook.com/joy.creed
Twitter: http://twitter.com/joycreedmusic
Youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiN68R6Qo5g
ReverbNation: http://reverbnation.com/joycreed