TEXT: Matthew 2:9-12 – “After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.”
We left this account with the deception of Herod – his telling the Magi to tell him where the child is so he could worship him. Today we follow the Magi as they proceed to find this long prophesied Messiah.
So, they depart from this private (secret) meeting with Herod and they are excited because they witness the star is still there. It leads them to the very house where Jesus is living Notice by this time they are living in a house in Bethlehem. Thus, we surmise that Jesus was about 2 years old when they find Him.
They rejoice when they find the child. Interestingly, we need to notice that the Jewish religious leaders of that time did not go. One would think that if they truly were following and believing their Scriptures – they would have wanted to see the Messiah. They are like many today who read and know the Bible but do not truly believe and live the Bible.
When they find this promised One,
they present him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
These gifts are similar to what
we find recorded in Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 60:6 – speaking of the 2nd
Coming of Christ – with one difference.
“The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and
Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And
they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.”
Notice – no mention of Myrrh. Myrrh dealt with death, and He would not die again.
They are told by God in a dream to bypass Herod on their way home.
We will continue tomorrow with a conversation about the three gifts and
their meaning.
No comments:
Post a Comment