Gifts for the King

And when they [the wise men] had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11

I remember many years ago a good friend asking the 5-year-olds we were teaching why the wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to a Baby. And I sat there thinking, I have no idea! (Let me be honest, I was praying she wouldn’t ask me to give the answer, since I didn’t know!)

Along with the 5-year-olds, I learned that day that these were gifts for a King. Gold because this Baby would be King of the nation of Israel and over all the world. Frankincense, used by the priests in the temple, because He is the Great High Priest, able to atone for our sins. And myrrh, which was used for embalming the dead, because the King would die for the world.

Wow! What a powerful testimony of the wise men’s knowledge of who Baby Jesus really was. How they must have listened to the Father when He called them to bring such gifts to a Baby in a stable. Perhaps they didn’t understand all of the prophecies that had been given, saying that the Son of God would come to earth in the form of man, live a sinless life, and die a sinner’s death in order to redeem us from our own sin. But, they knew enough to listen to the gentle voice of God, telling them to honor this Baby with these very meaningful gifts.

It is important that we recognize that the wise men’s obedience was critical to their calling from God to bring gifts to the Baby King. They had diligently searched the Scriptures and the sky, and they knew of whom they were seeking. They were obedient to the Word of God.

And, after finding the Baby Jesus, they continued to listen and obey. They dared to defy the order of Herod to return and tell him where to find the Baby. Instead, they followed the Lord’s leading to return a different way and thereby help protect the life of Jesus.

May we listen for the voice of God, and may we obey His calling, as He guides and directs our paths in a way that will give glory and honor to Him. And may we, like the wise men, give Him gifts that will honor Him: gifts of our adoration and praise, our time and resources, our heart fully centered on the Lord. Oh, that we would express our adoration as the wise men did, and that we would be obedient to the Lord’s calling, so we too will protect the glory of our Lord Jesus.