Matthew 2:11c they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

The three wise men presented baby Jesus with these three gifts. It is once again time to visit upon the meaning of gifts. Don’t we all want to present meaningful gifts to our children? So we will look at these.

Gold the most precious of metals was not used in common trade and barter systems of the times. The ability of the poor to obtain and protect gold was impossible. Metaphorically it means the brilliance of the heavens, the bright and morning star. Ref. Revelations 22:16

Frankincense is a white resin used as an element of the holy incense within the temple ceremonial burning. This represents the prayers offered up to God. Ref. Revelation 8:4

Myrrh is a pungent gum with a root meaning to wrap or cover, it was used often in preparation of the dead for burial. Its purpose was cover up or hide the stench of death. Ref. Isaiah 25:7,8

These were three meaningful gifts which spoke directly to the royal birth, the life of faith and the covering of sins due to His death. Those were meaningful but not very practical for a new born.

Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

These impractical gifts for a child gave Joseph and Mary the resources to obey the angels bidding without undue stress on them during those days.

Genesis 22:8a And Abraham said, My son, God will provide

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Genesis 38:2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

This is that time of year when we look to scriptures about the birth of Christ. Written in the first book of the New Testament is the lineage of Christ. Christ is born of the house of David, from the tribe of Judah. Here in Genesis 38 is the telling tale of Judah and his marriage to a Canaanite woman who gave birth to three sons.

Genesis 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

This “charge” not to marry any daughter of Canaan was generational, passed down from father to son. Judah had three sons from this Canaanite woman. The first two sons died without fathering children. The woman chosen for the eldest was passed down from Er to Onan in marriage and yet never gave birth to a child by any of those sons born of the Canaanite woman. Her name was Tamar.

Genesis 28:14 And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

For this reason Tamar played the harlot with Judah and became pregnant with a son, Pharez, who is in the lineage of Christ Jesus. Tamar and Judah were not wed when all this took place. Such is the lineage of our Lord as to include men and women who were disobedient and sinful.

So often we look to the virgin birth and say praise the Lord for having chosen such a virtuous woman to bare God’s son, but the truth is that His lineage is lined with sinners of all sorts. This is just the first of many cases in which the grace of God saw fit to bless those who were not worthy to be included in His lineage.

But they were blessed, and so are we.