The Wise Men Presented Gifts To The Baby Jesus

When the wise men got to Jerusalem, they stopped to see Herod and inquired about the newborn king. Can you imagine their shock when nobody knew about the birth of this baby?

So, after they visited with Herod, they continued on their journey of following the star. It took them directly to their final destination because it stopped over the place where the child lived.

The wise men entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11

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Upon the angel’s invitation, shepherds went to see Jesus on the night of His birth. The wise men, though, traveled from afar to worship the child and present gifts to Him.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh may sound like unusual gifts to us, but the Old Testament mentions them each. Because of that, some studies show the symbolism they might hold.

Gold symbolized wealth and the Kingship of Christ. Frankincense represented His purity as the Priest of God. Myrrh, an oil and herb used in embalming, foreshadowed his redeeming death.

Maybe the gifts did represent those things. I see their practical side, especially since the angel visited Joseph after the wise men left for home.

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Matthew 2:13

This message contained two words of urgency. “Get up!” “Flee!” In other words, Joseph understood that the angel left no time to dilly-dally.

God Provided for Mary and Joseph

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” Matthew 2:14-15

They had no time to gather a lot of belongings or money for what could have taken seven days. But after the wise men left, they didn’t need any money. God provided it through them.

In the meantime, God warned the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod. They heeded the warning from the Lord and returned to their own country by another route.

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Matthew 2:16

God foretold all of the events pertaining to the Christmas story, even the ghastly barbarism of King Herod. Matthew wanted his readers to know that Jeremiah prophesied it years earlier.

Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” Matthew 2:17-18

So, Joseph, Mary, and young Jesus stayed in Egypt until they received word from the angel. History doesn’t reveal how long they remained there, but tradition says they remained there for about three years.

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” Matthew 2:19-20

They Returned to Israel

Because Herod’s son sat on the throne, Joseph decided he shouldn’t take Mary and Jesus back to Bethlehem. Instead, he chose a town prophesied by God years earlier.

So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:23

The wise men gave Jesus gifts of monetary value. Do you have a valuable gift to offer to the Lord? Let’s make sure we all understand that question.

A gift worth a lot of money doesn’t necessarily make it a valuable gift. The value of the wise men’s gifts provided the means for Joseph’s next assignment. He took the family to Egypt.

The Bible lists quite a few gifts given by the Holy Spirit. They only prove valuable, though if we use them. God also blesses us with talents, but their value comes from development and use.

The fictional Christmas song called The Little Drummer Boy depicts a boy who had nothing to give to Jesus. So, he gave to Jesus the only thing he had. He said, “I’ll play my drum for Him.”

We can give other gifts besides spiritual gifts and talents. God gives us time, energy, and enthusiasm that we can effectively use for His glory.

The Wise Men Opened Their Treasure Chests, Will You Open Yours?

What Valuable Gift Will You Offer To The Lord?

They become valuable only when we accompany them with our availability. So, what gift do you have to offer to the Lord? Like the wise men, open your treasure chest before Jesus.

Lord, sometimes we error by judging our gifts to you by how we value them. Show us, oh Lord, what gifts we have in our treasure chests. Like the wise men, we’ll open ours unto you.

Check out these related posts about gifts.