The True Gifts of the Magi Part#4

The second treasure from the Wisemen was Frankincensce. Gold was first as Jesus is King of Kings! Frankincense was the second gift presented because the Lord Jesus is our Great High Priest . This was an incense used in the temple by the Jewish Levite Priests. Jesus now sits in Heaven as our Great High Priest, making intercession for us as we pray! Romans 8:26 says, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Prayer is our daily talking or fellowship with God.This is a sweet time of fellowship that the Bible compares to "the sweet smelling sacrifices" given in the Law to Moses by God Himself in Leviticus. He WANTS to spend time with us and cares about all of the good and bad things that happen to us; no matter HOW SMALL we think they may be! He CARES ABOUT IT ALL! But Frankincense was the oil used to sanctify Aaron, the first Levite priest, by Moses in the wilderness, after the Exodus from Egypt.He was to be called of God Himself and chosen,clothed upon with the holy garments also given in specific detail and direction from the Lord, and then only could Aaron become the High Priest. (Lev 7:35-38). Leviticius 8:9&10 gives a very interesting piece of attire," And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, THE HOLY CROWN; as the Lord commanded Moses. And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them." As High priest, a Crown type hat and annointing took place. As I studied, I learned as pictured below, that Frankincense blossoms grow in A CROWN SHAPE until they open up! This is NOT coincidence! The Creator of all Heaven and Earth put testimony and witness to His great detail in everything that He spoke into existence and detailed with His Hand, leaving HIs fingerprint on it! Also,the only way the annointing oil of Frankincense can be harvested, is for the tree has to be PIERCED OR TAPPED in its side, and allowed to flow out! Our Saviour's side was pierced by the soldier's sword after He died on the cross(John 19:34), where His Precious Blood and water flowed out and opened up the Holiest of Holies to all!! (Luke 23:45). " Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."Heb.10:19-22" Lastly, this oil was used ONLY for a sweet-savour offering, combined with other sweet smelling odours for this offering, to make a type of perfume. It was so holy, that it was to be used ONLY for this sacrifice, and if any man was caught using it for other reasons, was to be cut off from the Hebrews.This was to be a meat offering sacrifice that represented our Lord Jesus and it was the most HOLY offering unto the Lord. It represented Jesus sinless perfection, obedience to the Father, and to be a memorial by fire unto the Lord. This showed the great sufferings our Lord took upon Himself willingly, while living and on the cross for OUR SIN AND PAYING FOR ALL OF IT!! Only our HOLY HIGH PRIEST could do so, ONCE and now we have access directly to the Throne Room, because the veil is now gone!! (Hebrews 5:5-10), He suffered it all to know EXACTLY how we would feel, in every aspect of life, and help us! "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Thank God above that these Gentile Wisemen had FAITH in God's Word and believed that Our Great High Priest had come to open up access to the Throne Room of God to us all!! Tomorrow the Conclusion will be complete and a NEW SERIES STARTING I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT for this Christmas!! Thank you again for ALL of you that even take the time to read these devotions and encourage me through it!!

The True Gifts of the Magi Part #3

The Wisemen that begain their journey in Faith, kept that TRUE gift of faith throughout the journey, until the Star, Jesus Himself, delivered them to Bethtlehem.All because of the faith of the other wisemen and women in the Old Testament,that had faith to stand for God and follow Him into the unknown! But the three gifts that we all most likely know are the three UNIQUE gifts; Gold, Frankincense, and Myrhh. But there is a reason they were given to Him in this specific order and HOW they were. Gold is the most precious or valued of stones/precious metals and respresents power and wealth. The wisemen knew from the Scriptures that the Saviour of Israel would be KING of the Jews, which is why they came to the palace,asking "Where is He that is born KING of the Jews.." Matt.2:2, and looking for the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev,16:19)! Where else should a King be? BUT, There was no error in the Word they received, as prophecy was usually combined,showing BOTH comings of our Lord together.The 2nd time He comes WILL be as King in New Jerusalem. So Gold was befitting a King, although He would have had untold amounts of it. BUT remember the prophecy that foretold the GOLD and INCENSE that would be brought when He was born (Ish 60)?This gold represented the fact that He would be King of kings, BUT it also went hand in hand with the other 2 gifts He was presented. This gold pictured the future payment for our sin debt as PAID IN FULL by the sinless, precious Blood of Jesus! 1 Peter says "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and GOLD, But with the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot..for YOU." Friend, the Lord Jesus came and ordained, before He ever made this world, that He would die on the Cross and pay OUR sin debt IN FULL! HE is the ONLY ONE that could! He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world! He was BORN to die for us!(John1:29)If Jesus has NEVER filled that empty void or hole in your heart, you can by simply ASKING HIM to, by getting saved! PLEASE cry out to Him today for it! He is standing right there beside you, waiting for you to ask HIm! He turns NO ONE AWAY!"For WHOSOEVER calleth upon the name of the Lord SHALL be SAVED." Romans 10:13 No amount of gold on or in this the earth can ever pay your way into Heaven, or pay a loved one out of purgatory/hell. It is JESUS BLOOD and His death, burial, and resuurection that does! Please come to this King of Kings that has His throne room open to ANYONE- Jew or Gentile, and humbly as He came today! Turning from your sin and self, to Him alone, just as these Wisemen did. They HUMBLY WORSHIPPED HIM (Matt.2:11). They admitted they were in the prescence of ROYALTY, and by Faith bowed and worshipped! Christian friends; today may we remember today to do the same. Let us humbly come to our King in praise and worship for WHO He is, and what He did for us,thanking Him, and for what HE is GOING TO DO for us!!! One day, we can literally bow before King Jesus and do the same! This pic is Frankincense in its form from the plant before the oil is abstracted from it-notice the bloom is in the shape of a CROWN!! For a King of Kings-the next post will talk about it.

The True Gifts of the Magi Part #2

The Wisemen that started their journey on the back of camels, on a dangerous 2 year trek across a desert, was actually foretold hundreds of years before it happened.The whole chapter of Isaiah 60 foretells this, but specifically verses 3 & 6" And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." Verse 6 aslo specifically calls out WHO, What, When and Where they would come from, and EVEN the HOW of transportation.. " The multitude of CAMELS shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring GOLD and INCENSE; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord." The true gifts these Wisemen possessed weren't the gold, francincense and myrryh they carried; they were the GIFTS OF FAITH AND THE WORD! Romans 12:3 says we can't even BELIEVE the Word if we haven't had our HEART opened by faith. The book of Hebrews says that Faith comes by hearing the Word of God; so how did these Gentile leaders-- wisemen in the courts of the Medes and Persians- have Jewish Teachings/History and prophecy, the revealed Word entrusted to Hebrews only then? The Answer is from one of the Wisemen himself,a HEBREW WISEMAN; Daniel! Yes, the SAME Daniel that wrote the book in the Bible. He was the longest living Jewish captive, that held a place of high position throughout several Kings' reigns, being referred to by the Gentiles lastly as a president. He came as a young man from Israel, with other well known people in the Bible.Some were Hananiah , Mischal, Azariah,( Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai and Esther. ALL of these people ended up being greatly used of God to fulfill His purpose and Word, amongst heartache, fear for their lives, and being torn from the only home they had ever known. They all chose to remain faithful to the Lord in strange land, and the Lord put them in the exact positions they needed to be in for it to happen. Just as the Star, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF, literally guided the Wisemen into the position they needed to be in to read and study HIS WORD, He guided them to where HE PHYSICALLY was as a young toddler child! Romans 8:28 tells us that ALL things work together for good when the Lord is working in our lives, the GOOD and the BAD. The rough times Daniel and his brethren faced were VERY serious and despite all, they CHOSE to follow the STAR! They had the Light of the Word in them, while living in darkness all around them. BUT, it guided them, gave them wisdom, and great HOPE that this Star would deliver them one day! The Wisemen that saw this same Light of the Word, The Star of Bethlehem, would guide them through literal physical darkness, deliver them to the True KING of the Jews, and allow them to kneel and bow at His feet and WORSHIP HIM! The Star that had positioned, protected, and prepared great blessings to all of these pilgrims for their Faith. Today may we look Northward to the Star of Bethlehem in faith with this same gift of FAITH, for help, guidance, protection, and PEACE that passes all understanding, no matter what we are going through today.