The Mystery of the MagiSample

 Gifts for A King 

The Old Testament declared that Gentiles from around the world would come to the Messiah bearing gifts including gold and frankincense (Psalm 72:10-15; Isaiah 60:1-6). When the Magi from the east visited Jesus, they partly fulfilled this prophecy. The nations were paying their respects to the great Jewish King, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor Him. These gifts carried powerful prophetic meaning. 

Gold had great value in Jesus’ day, just as it does in ours. It would have been a wonderful financial blessing for peasants, but in addition to its obvious practical use, gold was a gift for kings, and the Magi had come to meet the greatest King of all. The Messiah that Daniel foretold was to be a great King that would rule over the whole earth. It is no wonder the Magi would have been eager to meet the Jewish Messiah and honor Him with gold. 

Frankincense and Myrrh are edible and fragrant with multiple purposes—the most practical of which are medicinal. The most obvious reason these gifts were given to a child was to treat any potential illnesses or injuries. The Magi had not come simply to pay respects out of dutiful reverence, these were heartfelt gifts of care and love. 

The Messiah predicted by Daniel and expected by these Magi was clearly an extraordinary person. In fact, He could not be considered a mere mortal at all, the person described by Daniel was nothing less than a God-man. Daniel called Him, “The Son of Man,” a title Jesus often used for Himself, identifying Himself as both human and divine. Somehow, the Magi understood that Jesus was more than a man and even more than a king. They had not come merely to esteem a great king but to worship the unique and eternal Son of God.