John Flaxman, The Adoration of the Magi
"The gifts of the Magi were of extreme value. Though they were not given at Christmas, as we now know it, they present an archetype for the giving of Christmas gifts. In fact, as documented in the accompanying article, the Magi, those fabulously wealthy kingmakers from the East, brought gifts to the young toddler, Jesus. Their gifts were symbolic, but were no doubt far more than that.
"It is well known that Jesus was not actually born on the 25th of December. From calculations based upon the course of Zacharias’ priesthood given in Luke 1:5, we can actually calculate the birth of his son, John the Baptist, to a date in mid-March. Jesus would have been born six months later, probably on Rosh HaShanah, as given in Luke, chapter 2, when the shepherds were “keeping watch over their flocks by night.”
"Some fifteen months later, probably at the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication, the Magi came to Bethlehem (the “wise men” of Matthew 2:1) to visit the toddler Jesus. This would have been around the time represented by the modern Christmas date of December 25th..."
THE GIFT OF GOLD
All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days ofSolomon. For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.
1 Kings 10:21-22
THE GIFT OF FRANKINCENSE
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take for yourself spices, stacte and anycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each. "With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. "You shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you.
Exodus 30:34-36
THE GIFT OF MYRRH
Moreover, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. "You shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.
Exodus 30:22-25
"You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister as priests to Me.
Exodus 30:30
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste? "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.
Matthew 26:6-12
CHRIST'S OWN GIFTS
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
Ephesians 4:7-8
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Ephesians 4:11-12
"When the Magi came to pay their respects to Jesus, their visit was in fact, a prophecy, which is still in the long process of being fulfilled. One day, the world will recognize the beauty of the risen Christ, as these faithful men from Persia once did, even before He arose.
"In fact, there is a prophecy to that effect, given by Isaiah in his future view of the Kingdom, when Christ will be seated upon David’s throne:
"Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you. "A multitude of camels will cover you. The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.
Isaiah 60:5-6
Gifts: The Inside Christmas Story
by Gary Stearman, December 24, 2014
at Prophecy Watchers
"It is well known that Jesus was not actually born on the 25th of December. From calculations based upon the course of Zacharias’ priesthood given in Luke 1:5, we can actually calculate the birth of his son, John the Baptist, to a date in mid-March. Jesus would have been born six months later, probably on Rosh HaShanah, as given in Luke, chapter 2, when the shepherds were “keeping watch over their flocks by night.”
"Some fifteen months later, probably at the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication, the Magi came to Bethlehem (the “wise men” of Matthew 2:1) to visit the toddler Jesus. This would have been around the time represented by the modern Christmas date of December 25th..."
THE GIFT OF GOLD
All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days ofSolomon. For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.
1 Kings 10:21-22
THE GIFT OF FRANKINCENSE
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take for yourself spices, stacte and anycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each. "With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. "You shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you.
Exodus 30:34-36
THE GIFT OF MYRRH
Moreover, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. "You shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.
Exodus 30:22-25
"You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister as priests to Me.
Exodus 30:30
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste? "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.
Matthew 26:6-12
CHRIST'S OWN GIFTS
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
Ephesians 4:7-8
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Ephesians 4:11-12
"When the Magi came to pay their respects to Jesus, their visit was in fact, a prophecy, which is still in the long process of being fulfilled. One day, the world will recognize the beauty of the risen Christ, as these faithful men from Persia once did, even before He arose.
"In fact, there is a prophecy to that effect, given by Isaiah in his future view of the Kingdom, when Christ will be seated upon David’s throne:
"Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you. "A multitude of camels will cover you. The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.
Isaiah 60:5-6
Gifts: The Inside Christmas Story
by Gary Stearman, December 24, 2014
at Prophecy Watchers
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