11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[a]
When the Magi entered the house, the dwelling place of God, they saw the Christ child with Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Immediate reaction. As we enter the presence of God today may we do the same! If we're searching Him out and we've prepared the way for Him by seeking His face, He has gone before us. He is already in His dwelling place. Let's give Him a fit reception! So everyone will say The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!!
Notice how worship of the newborn King produced an open heart to give. "...they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts..." Automatic response. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) What did they give the Lord?
Gold, a precious* gift symbolic of what is most valuable and long-lasting, like our very lives and families.
Frankincense, a white resin (from a tree, like sap) burned as fragrant incense,** symbolic of prayer and our continual relationship with the Lord.
And myrrh, a bitter gum and costly perfume which exudes from a certain tree or shrub in Arabia and Ethiopia, or is obtained by incisions made in the bark: as an antiseptic it was used for embalming. It also comes from the Greek root word muron,**** meaning ointment and symbolic of the Holy Spirit's anointing. Wow, the power of three in One!
The Magi were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their country by another route.
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a (another) dream. God continually communicates with His people. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you (a call to walk by faith), for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." Are you tuning your ear to the voice and direction of the Lord? The enemy lurks in the shadows, even at the most celebratory times, seeking whom he may devour. Joseph listened to the Lord and found escape from his enemy. He got up, took the child and his mother and left for Egypt where he stayed until the death of Herod. Obedience is crucial.
Let's enter this Christmas celebration and worship today bringing our gold, frankincense and myrrh! Let's continually bring to the Lord what is most valuable to us, let's give Him our hearts in prayer and devotion, and let's give him our pain and fear and ask for His power and anointing over our lives and families.
*Greek Strong's #5557, **Hebrew Strong's #3828, ***Greek Strong's #4666, ****Greek Strong's #3464
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