The
gentile magi studied, sought Jesus and worshiped Him. They came to Jerusalem,
but Jesus was in Bethlehem which means “house of bread.” The Divine “Bread of
heaven” was born in Bethlehem, the “house of bread.” No Jews went with the magi even though the Jews knew according to scripture that the Messiah was to be
born in Bethlehem. (see Micah 5:2). The Jewish shepherds were the first to meet the Savior. Jesus said that He came to the Jew first. The gentile magi came to the house of Jesus not the manger as the Jewish shepherds did. This shows us that Jesus is a toddler when the gentile magi came to Him..
It was the custom in biblical times to bring
gifts to a king out of the treasure of one’s wealth. So, the magi brought very
valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to King Jesus even though He was
just a child.
Gold
Gold
is symbolic of the Divine and/or Kingship. It is symbolic of Christ as God’s
Divine King. In Revelation 14:14, “One like the Son of Man” (Jesus) has a golden crown on His head. Paul cautions us in Acts 17:29, that we are not to think
that the “Divine nature is like gold or
silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.” God is far
more than one part of His creation. He is supernatural and spiritual. God and Jesus used the things of nature to
paint a spiritual picture and/or truth, but He created all of nature,
therefore, He is in all things and all of nature gives a message from Him. The
New Testament says of Jesus who is God, “all
things consist (are upheld) in Him (Jesus).” Colossians 1:17 Why? All things were
created through Him as the Word/voice of God (see Genesis 1:3). God’s ways don’t change. If Jesus was the Word
of God at creation, He is the Word/voice of God forever. He is called the Word of God. Revelation 19:13
In the Older Testament, the tabernacle and
temple -- the temporary houses of God -- had furniture that was overlaid with
pure gold or hammered out of pure gold – the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy
seat, table of showbread, golden lampstand made of pure gold, and the golden
altar of incense. These are a picture of Jesus. He is the Ark of God’s Covenant
and the Mercy Seat as the propitiation of our sin. He is also the very presence
of God (shekinah glory) on earth. He
is the table of showbread as the Divine Bread of heaven. He is the golden
lampstand as the Light of the world and the golden altar as the Divine One
through whom we pray and offer our lives as a sacrifice to Him. God gave Moses
the instructions for the tabernacle from the inside out. Jesus will build His
living temple in the hearts of His followers from the inside (heart) out. His ways will be reflected
through our actions, words and deeds carried out from Jesus and the Holy Spirit
inside our hearts.
Frankincense
Frankincense
is symbolic of Jesus as the Divine High Priest – the Anointed One. Jesus’ life
in the flesh was a sweet fragrance to God because He was, is and will ever be
holy. A believer who follows Jesus should live his or her life in pursuit of
Christ’s righteousness. Holiness is a sweet fragrance to God. Jesus’ willingness
to be sacrificed on the cross of suffering was also a sweet fragrance to God. It
was the ultimate sacrifice that saves all who come to Jesus as their Savior and
Lord.
Revelation 5:8 shows us that frankincense also represents the
intercessory prayers of God’s people offered up to the Lord. These too are a
sweet fragrance to the Lord. Our prayers show God that we trust in Him and care
for others and their needs.
In the Older Testament, the incense that was burned
on the golden altar was made of spices and pure frankincense. When made
according to God’s direction, the incense was considered by God as salted, pure
and holy. This holy incense was not to be replicated or used on any priest. It
was holy/wholly for the Lord. Jesus’s death on the cross was holy, fragrant
incense to the Lord. No one can replicate Him and His holiness no matter how
hard a person tries. The Lord, however, wants us to strive to be like Him so we
too are a sweet aroma to the Lord and others. All that we do in service to the
Lord is a sweet fragrance to Him.
Frankincense was also mixed with other spices,
myrrh and oil as directed by God to anoint the High Priest and the priests and all
the furniture in the tabernacle and temple. This oil was holy according to God
because it was made exactly to His instruction. Moses poured the anointing oil
over the first high priest’s head (Aaron) in Leviticus 8:12. This oil represents the Holy Spirit who anoints all
who believe in God’s one and only begotten Son Jesus. The Divine anointing that
is upon Jesus flows down to His people. When Mary anointed Jesus’ head with her
fragrant oil, it flowed down from His head to His body. ( John 11:2) These were a foreshadow of what Christ would do
through His death, resurrection and ascension to the Father.
Myrrh
The magi brought myrrh to Jesus as a child, and
Mary poured her sweet fragrance made of myrrh and other spices and oil over
Jesus’ head in preparation for His death. (see
Matthew 26:7) She gave her very best
to Him, and Jesus gave His very best to His followers. Jesus poured out His
Holy Spirit upon all who believe in Him after He died, was buried, resurrected and ascended to the Father. His anointing flows down to His people
from heaven, just as Mary’s perfume flowed down from Jesus’ head to His body.
In the Older
Testament, myrrh mixed with other spices and oil was also a sweet fragrance to
the Lord. In the Wedding Song of Psalm 45
in speaking of the holy King, it says, “All
Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia…” This Psalm is
about an eternal kingdom led by a pure, royal King. It is a foreshadow of King
Jesus and His Bride. In the Song of
Solomon, the king’s bride says about her King, “My perfume gave forth its fragrance. My beloved is to me a pouch of
myrrh which lies all night between my breasts.” (SOS 1:12-13) Her king
loved the sweet smell of her desire for Him. He is close to her heart. When the soon-to-be bride of the King saw Him
coming, she described Him as “perfumed
with myrrh and frankincense…” (SOS 3:6) In the Song of Solomon 4:6, the King says, “I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of
frankincense.” In other words, she will be cleansed on the mount of myrrh
and frankincense in preparation for her King. Even though she is not yet
totally cleansed, in the very next verse (v7),
her King says, “you are altogether
beautiful, my darling, and there is no blemish in you.” Her King sees her as she will be when He
completes her perfection when He comes again and restores us to His holiness and all of His perfection.
Nicodemus, a Jewish rabbi and member of the
Sanhedrin Council, brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body
for burial. Even Jesus’ dead body was wrapped in a swaddling cloth with a sweet
fragrance. (see John 19:39)
Jesus’ life in the
flesh was a sweet fragrance to the Father because He remained holy. Jesus’
suffering and death on the cross was also a sweet fragrance to the Father
because He died for the sin of the whole world to show each of us the Divine
love of the Father. The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:2, “Walk in love, as Christ
also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God
for a sweet-smelling fragrance.” When followers of Christ allow Him and the
Holy Spirit to put our sins to death, we become a sweet fragrance to the Father.
(see 2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
Frankincense and
myrrh represent suffering, cleansing and purity. When frankincense is burned,
it turns white. When we allow the fire and power of the Holy Spirit to burn sin
out of us, we become cleansed, purer and a sweet fragrance to the Lord. Jesus
is not only our Savior, He is to be our
ruling King over our fleshly and spiritual lives.
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