Wise Men Worship the King
The longer I live the more I want to be around wise men.
“Wise men,” more properly, “Magi from the east arrived in
Jerusalem” looking for the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-2).
Since Herod had all of the children less than two years of
age murdered in Bethlehem, the Magi probably arrived after Jesus had already
become a young child. The Magi didn’t find Mary and Jesus in the stable, but in
a house.
The “star” that guided the Magi was possibly the appearance
of the Shekinah glory that signified the presence of God and guided the Jewish
people in their wilderness wanderings. The glory could have appeared and
reappeared as needed to guide the wise men to Bethlehem on their long journey.
The “star” “stopped over the place where the child was” (v. 9). It kept on going
before them and then “came and stood over where the child was.”
We are not told how long the journey was, how many Magi
were on the trip, or any details about the star. We do not know where they came
from except for a general indication “from the east.” Probably the distant
Persia was the beginning of their journey. The important thing for the Gospel
writer was the fact that non-Jews made the long journey to come and worship the
Jewish Messiah. He even concludes his Gospel reminding the church to take the
good news of Jesus Christ to “all the nations.”
These wise men made their journey “to worship Him.”
They brought gifts and “presented to Him gifts of gold and
frankincense and myrrh” (v. 11). They brought from their “treasures” gifts
appropriate for the newborn “King of the Jews.”
“Gold is the metal of kings.” Their gold laid at the feet
of Jesus was a humble acknowledgement on their part of His right to rule their
lives. They acknowledged His sovereignty.
The gold reminds us that Jesus Christ is the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords. He is the majestic King of the universe. He alone has the
right to rule over our lives.
Have you bowed in humble submission to your Sovereign Lord?
One day, the Bible tells us, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”
(Phil. 2:10-11).
Are you wise enough to seek Jesus? He promises to come to
those who seek Him.
Are you wise enough to bow and worship Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior?
Jesus was a king, and these wise men of Persia knew,
acknowledged it and worshipped Him. Have you confessed His kingship over your
life?
Not only did the wise men bring gold to confess their
submission to the King, but they also brought incense to worship Him.
Incense was used in worship at the temple in Jerusalem. It
was used in thanksgiving and praise gifts to God. The incense gave the meal
offerings their pleasant aroma.
Our lives as believers are to be “a fragrant offering, an
acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18).
These wise men pointed to our great High Priest who was
without sin, and the perfect offering He gave to the Father. He was always a
pleasing aroma to His Father.
The wise men laid another gift at the feet of Jesus. It was
a gift that reminds us of the death of the perfect sacrifice for sin.
Myrrh was another aromatic fragrance. Nicodemus brought a
hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare the body of Jesus for burial after
he took Him down from the cross.
The myrrh reminds us that Jesus the Son of God, “took up
our iniquities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God,
smitten by Him and afflicted.” Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions, He was
crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed.”
What will you bring to Jesus today? Gold, incense,
myrrh—gifts for a king. Have you acknowledged His right to rule over your life
because He is the sinless One who gave Himself as a sacrifice for your sins?
Wise men still seek the presence of the King and worship
Him. Are you a wise person?
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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