The Great Gifts: Gold, Frankinscense, and Myrrh

Jesus Brought To Jerusalem For His Dedication
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:21

So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord (Forty Days), they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
Luke 2:39-40

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
Matthew 2:1

Who Was Herod?
&
Who Were The Wise Men?

“Herod The Great”
Great Politician, Great Ruler, Great Builder, Great Architect
Great Manipulator, Great In Brutality

Especially Known For His Great Outbursts Of Wrath and Sexual Misconduct

Herod The Great
Herod’s Father – Antipater of Idumea
“Idumea” From The Old Testament Region of “Edom”
This Region Willingly Converted To Judaism
Over Time Developed Strong Ties To The Jewish Nation
Herod Born 72 B.C.
Therefore, Herod Was Considered A Third Generation Jew

Herod is Made Governor Over Galilea By His Father
In 47 B.C. Julius Caesar Declares Herod’s Father A Roman Citizen
43 B.C. Herod’s Father Is Poisoned

Herod Established His Leadership
39 BC The Magi Supported The Uprising To Dispose Herod
37 B.C. Herod Wins Control of Jerusalem By Military Force With Rome’s Help
He Was Then Referred To As Herod “The Friend of Rome”
40 B.C. The Roman Senate Confirms Herod as King of Judea, Galilee, Perea and Idumea

Herod Immediately ordered the execution of 45 nobles (Community Leaders)
Other Famous People Simply Disappeared
Herod Ordered The Execution of The Sanhedrin in Jerusalem
Herod Then Establishes His Family, Friends and Close Associates As Community and Temple Leaders (Religious Mafia)

**Herod Ordered His Wife Mariamne (1 of 10) To Be Executed,
Along With His Three Oldest Sons, His Wifes Grandfather and His Mother-in-Law, And His Brother-In-Law

Herod was perpetually paranoid over his power being taken away from him**

“I would rather be Herods’s pig than his son.”
Romans Emperor Octavian (Augustus)

Who Were The Wise Men?

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men (Greek – Magi) from the East came to Jerusalem,
Matthew 2:1 wise men

The Magi Were An Elite, Powerful, and Fabulously Wealthy Group of Political, Spiritual, Scientific, Leaders Who Were Dedicated To The Study of Dreams and the Constellations

The Magi Preferred To Be Close To The Places They Lived But When Traveling,
History Records The Magi Traveled In Massive and Luxurious Caravans

The Magi Themselves Would Not Have Ridden Camels But Rode In Sumptuous Coaches

They Traveled With Servants To Set Up and Tear Down Tents With All The Accommodations of Home, Along With Their Own Massive Military Army For Protection and Security

“The particular kind of eastern calvary that traveled with the magi, if they were engaged in battle, would use waves of horsemen archers that rode in massive succession, and approach the enemy in close proximity, where they would release a deadly hail of arrows. Soon afterward, the the next wave of galloping archers rapidly loomed in to rain, similar destruction on the enemy. Again and again, hoards of fiercely racing archers, transcended enemy lines to release a continuous storm of arrows that annihilated their opponents.”
Christmas The Rest of the Story, Rick Renner
Page 198-199

Were There Three Magi?

History Does Not Say There Were 3 Magi

History Suggest That There Were 12 Magi
Which Would Constitute a Caravan Of A Thousand Or More

The Magi Once Visited Rome Under Nero
“The people of Rome were so enamored by news of the Magi, visiting that star-struck throngs poured into the streets to see these mystical power-brokers regally conversing the streets of Rome. Nero spent 800,000 sesterces each day of their visit to entertain them, and also gave them a parting gift of 100,000 sesterces. Page 180

Christmas The Rest of the Story, Rick Renner

They Traveled 1000 – 1200 Miles
From Babylon, Persia, Arabia

Remember In 39 BC The Magi Supported
The Uprising To Dispose Herod

Matthew 2:

2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11 And when they had come into the house (NOT THE CAVE), they saw the young Child (NOT A BABY) with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him (WORSHIPED HIM). And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The Status of The King Determined, The Size of the Gifts
Lower Level Kings – Received Lower Level Gifts
They Had Been Waiting For The King of Kings

Things That A High-Level Kings Would Have Received In Jesus Time Period

Gold, Silver, Ebony Objects, Ivory Creations, Oriental Carpet, Fabulous Fabrics, Goblets of Gold and Silver Utensils, Also Made Of Silver And Gold Items Inlaid With Precious Stones, Beautiful Carved Tusk, Garments Spun From Golden Thread, Exotic Perfumes, And Resins From Rare Trees Thousands Of Flasks, Rare Spices, Furniture Overlaid With Gold, Footstools Fashion Of Ebony And Ivory And Overlaid With Gold Unimaginable, Unimaginable Beautiful Pieces Of Jewelry, Precious And Semi Precious Stones Items Of Bronze Alabaster And Malachite, More Lavish, Lothing, Luxurious Foods

The Gift of Gold

Frankincense
Gum Like Resin of Trees That Were From The Far Eastern Lands
It Was Exotic, Rare, and Very Valuable
If Burned It Would Have A Powerful Fragrance
This Was The Chief Fragrance Used In The Temple Worship
700 Pounds Were Used Annually In The Temple Worship
Could Cost More Than Gold

Revelation 5:8
8 Now when He (Jesus) had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16

Myrrh
From The Resin Derived From Exotic Trees In The Eastern Lands
It Was In High Demand and Very Costly
Used as Perfume
Also Used In The Embalming Process

39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
John 19:39-40

Gold
Declares Jesus Is King

Frankincense
Declares Jesus Is Our Great High Priest

Myrrh
Jesus Is The Suffering Savior and Redeemer

Which are you, A Magi Or A Herod?