Three Gifts Of Epiphany Series

EPIPHANY, THE TWELFTH DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, IS WHEN THE CHURCH MARKS THE CONCLUSION OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. OUR FOCUS IS ON THE WISE MEN AND THE SIGNIFICANCE BEHIND THEIR GIFTS PRESENTED TO THE CHRIST CHILD.

"EPIPHANY" MEANS "TO SHOW, TO REVEAL" OR“MANISFESTATION.” THE STORY TELLS OF THE "THREE WISE MEN" FROM THE EAST WHO HAD COME "TO SHOW" AND "TO REVEAL" THAT THIS TODDLER-BOY WAS LORD AND KING.

MATTHEW REFERS TO THE MEN AS “MAGI!” THEY WEREN’T LITERAL “KINGS,” BUT SIMPLY EXPERTS IN THE OCCULT OF THE MAGICAL ARTS WITH A STRONG FASCINATION WITH ASTROLOGY WHICH IS WHY THE BETHLEHEM SKY CAPTIVATED THEIR INTEREST.

LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THAT IN THEIR PASSIONATE QUEST OF THE STARS THAT THEY WOULD BE FULFILLING THE WORDS OF ISAIAH 60:3, "ALL NATIONS WILL COME TO YOUR LIGHT. MIGHTY KINGS WILL COME TO SEE YOUR RADIANCE."

THE VERY STAR THAT BALAAM PREDICTED WOULD RISE ALONG WITH THE RULER’S STAFF OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB. NUMBERS 24:17, “I SEE HIM, BUT NOT HERE AND NOW. I PERCEIVE HIM, BUT FAR IN THE DISTANT FUTURE. A STAR WILL RISE FROM JACOB; A SCEPTER WILL EMERGE FROM ISRAEL….”

AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF CONTINUOUS TRAVEL, THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN BETHLEHEM. WE ARE TOLD THAT SEEING THE STAR FILLED THEM WITH GREAT JOY AS IT POINTED THEM DIRECTLY TO HOME OF THIS NEW KING OF KINGS.

UPON REACHING THE HOME, THEY KNEEL IN WORSHIP OF THIS YOUNG CHILD. THEIR WORSHIP IS HEIGHTENED WITH THE CUSTOMS OF THEIR LAND THAT REQUIRED THEM TO RENDER GIFTS TO THOSE WHO WERE CONSIDERED SUPERIOR.

THEY LAY BEFORE THE CHRIST-CHILD THE GIFTS OF GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH. THEY UNDOUBTEDLY GAVE BEYOND WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED "INEXPENSIVE AND PRACTICAL."

FIRST - GOLD: THIS IS A GIFT OF A KING. PSALM 72:15, “LONG LIVE THE KING! MAY THE GOLD OF SHEBA BE GIVEN TO HIM.MAY THE PEOPLE ALWAYS PRAY FOR HIM AND BLESS HIM ALL DAY LONG.”

GOLD RECOGNIZED THE DEITY OF JESUS AND THAT HE WAS THE ONE, PURE, HOLY CHILD BORN TO BE THE KING OF KINGS. ISAIAH 61:6, "YOU WILL BE CALLED PRIESTS OF THE LORD, MINISTERS OF OUR GOD. YOU WILL BE FED WITH THE TREASURES OF THE NATIONS AND WILL BOAST IN THEIR RICHES."

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS GIFT SET THE STANARD OF OUR LEVEL OF GIVING. WHEN WE GIVE GOD OURSELVES, OUR TIME, RESOURCES, ABILITIES, AND WORSHIP, IT MUST BE OFFERINGS OF SUBSTANCE AND OF VALUE.

THE GIFT OF GOLD TEACHES US TO GO "ALL OUT" AND “GIVE ALL” WHEN WE SERVE GOD. THE MAGI OFFERED GOLD, NOT BRONZE, COPPER, SILVER OR BRASS, BUT PURE, REFINED GOLD. NO "LEFT-OVERS" OR "HAND-ME-DOWNS"… EXCEEDING THE STANDARDS, BY GIVNG THE MOST SACRIFICIAL GIFT WORTHY OF A KING.

PROVERBS 3:9, "HONOR THE LORD WITH YOUR WEALTH AND WITH THE BEST PART OF EVERYTHING…." MALACHI 3:10, "BRING ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE SO THERE WILL BE ENOUGH…." THE GIFT OF GOLD SHOWS US THAT WE MUST LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, AND ALWAYS GIVE HIM FIRST PLACE AS WELL AS OUR VERY BEST.

FRANKINCENSE, WAS A GIFT FOR DIETY. ISAIAH 60:6(B), “THE PEOPLE OF SHEBA WILL BRING GOLD AND FRANKINCENSE AND WILL COME WORSHIPING THE LORD.” IT WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT CORE INGREDIENT IN THE TEMPLE'S HOLY INCENSE, SYMBOLIZING PURITY, HOLINESS, AND PRAYERS RISING TO GOD.

FRANKINCENSE PLAYED A SACRED ROLE IN DIVINE WORSHIP BECAUSE IT REPRESENTED GOD'S PRESENCE AND THE PRIESTLY SERVICE, MAKING IT A FITTING GIFT FOR THE CHRIST CHILD TO SYMBOLIZE HIS DIVINITY AND PRIESTHOOD.

WE NEED TO WELCOME THE AROMA OF FRANKINCENSE TO INTENSIFY OUR DESIRE TO LOVE, SERVE, AND WORSHIP GOD AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF ALL. PSALM 96:4, "GREAT IS THE LORD! HE IS MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE! HE IS TO BE REVERED ABOVE ALL OTHER GODS." THE GIFT OF INCENSE CALLS US TO ELEVATE AND MAINTAIN THE PURITY OF HEART TO WORSHIP THE MAJESTY AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN EVERYTHING WE DO. BE HOLY. LIVE HOLY!

THE THIRD OF THREE GIFTS IS MYRRH. A VALUED SPICE AND PERFUME ASSOCIATED WITH EMBALMING. THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A BIZARRE GIFT TO BRING A TWO-YEAR OLD CHILD, BUT NOT REALLY! THE SON OF GOD CAME TO DIE IN SACRIFICIAL, DIVINE LOVE!

THE MAGI SHOW THAT BY GIVING JESUS MYRRH THAT HIS LIFE WOULD BE THE SACRIFICE AND THE DEATH THAT WOULD PUT AN END TO ALL SACRIFICES AND ALL DEATH BECAUSE OF THE NEW COVENANT HE WOULD ESTABLISH IN HIS BLOOD.

THIS GIFT USED FOR EMBALMING THE DEAD SHOWS US WE MUST PREPARE FOR ETERNITY! WE RECOGNIZE OUR SINFULNESS THROUGH CONFESSION AND SEEKING FORGIVENESS TO OBEDIENTLY FOLLOW JESUS. WE STAY FOCUSED AND LIVE IN THE PERPETUAL REALITY OF OUR OWN MORTALITY. WE DIE TO SELF AND FULLY SURRENDER TO THE COMMANDS AND LORDSHIP OF JESUS.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:21-22, "FOR AS BY A MAN CAME DEATH, BY A MAN HAS COME ALSO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, SO ALSO IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE."