The Bible says, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. She shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:18,21).
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose in the east and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:1,2). Note: the wise men or magi asked, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” It must be clearly understood that Jesus was not just “another human baby.” He had no earthly father. He was the Son of God; very God of very God and very man of very man. God chose Mary as His mother.
The wise men saw the star which led them to the house where Jesus was. The Bible says, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:10,11). There is great spiritual significance in each of the three gifts presented to the Christ child.
1. Gold – represents the Kingship of Jesus over all creation. The genealogy of Jesus is traced to King David. And the place of Jesus’ birth was Bethlehem—the home of David. Several times Matthew refers to Jesus Christ as the son of David. In reference to His coming, Jesus stated this about Himself as the “Son of Man.” “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne” (Matthew 19:28).
David referred to Jesus as the “King of glory.” He sets forth in Psalm 24 “The earth is the LORD’S,” which is a declaration of His title (v.1,2). As King, Jesus shall rule the earth (v.3-6). And as King of glory, Jesus takes the throne of earth (v.7-10). (Psalm 24:1-10).
The prophet Isaiah prophesied not only about the birth of Jesus some 700 years before it took place, he also prophesied Jesus’ glorious reign. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:7). As king, Jesus will rule with justice and righteousness.
2. Frankincense – Frankincense was incense and represents prayer and worship. “The LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense . . . and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy” (Exodus 30:34.35). Incense was also used by Aaron on the Jewish day of Atonement. The Bible says that Aaron “shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil and put the incense on the fire before the LORD that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die” (Leviticus 16:12,13). The incense used here was offered as a type of prayer and praise.
In Psalm 141, David in his prayer asks God “Give ear to my voice when I call to you.” And he continues, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:1,2). Here again, we see incense as an integral part of prayer and worship to God.
When the living creatures and the 24 elders worship in heaven, Revelation tells us, “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8). Just as the smoke of the burning incense rises upward, so do our prayers rise to God in heaven.
3. Myrrh – was used as an embalming oil. The ancient Egyptians used myrrh to embalm their mummies. Therefore, myrrh symbolized “suffering and death.” Jesus Christ actually suffered and died. There is absolutely no mistake that Jesus was born to die. Because of the sin question, Jesus had to die for the salvation of mankind. The writer to Hebrews tells us “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). It was absolutely necessary for Jesus to die. The Scripture points out “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).
For a little while, Jesus was made “a little lower than the angels.” Hebrews tells us, “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). Yes. For a little while Jesus was made lower than the angels during His earthly life. As He was very man of very man, Jesus died for man so as to bear man’s sin in His body on the Cross.
We must conclude that gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh presented to the baby Jesus by the wise men speak volumes concerning God’s redemptive plan for the human race. We can therefore celebrate Christmas knowing “that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20).