“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem …” – Matthew 2:1
“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11
Jesus was born in Bethlehem as prophesied in Micah 5:2. The city of Bethlehem is significant for several reasons:
- It was the same city King David was born in over 1000 years before Christ. God told the prophet, Nathan, that the Messiah would come through the lineage of David (2 Samuel 7). Jesus is in David’s lineage and is even referred to as the Son of David 13 times in the New Testament.
- The word Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Jesus called himself the “bread of life” (John 6:35). So, it was fitting that the bread of life was born in the house of bread!
- Bethlehem was a city on the outskirts of Jerusalem and the Temple. It was an important city because Jews from afar would stop in Bethlehem to purchase their sacrificial lambs and goats that they would later give to the priest in the Temple. Jesus was the ultimate sacrificial lamb sacrificed on the cross for the sins of the world.
Ever wonder what significance the gifts of the Magi played? They each pointed to one of the three main roles Jesus lived out, King, Priest, and Prophet:
- The gold was a gift fit for a King, specifically King Jesus, the King of all mankind.
- Frankincense was incense used at the altar before the Holy of Holies. It was used by the High Priest (Jesus!) as an offering before entering into the presence of God to intercede for the people.
- Myrrh was an anointing agent used only by Prophets to anoint people.
The Magi knew exactly who Jesus was. Not only was He the Messiah, but the one and only true Prophet, Priest and King sent to reconcile sinners back to God the Father.
Isn’t that something to be thankful for? Amen!
In Christ,
Dave
Other articles in this series:
Jesus – More Than a Name
Immanuel – God is With Us
The Word – Reason for our Existence
Jesus – God in the Flesh
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