Gold is a precious metal. And things made out of gold are valuable items. Some people buy gold as an investment; but most of us just wear it in items of jewelry. I’m going to talk about gold today.
When the wise men came from the east, they brought special gifts to Jesus. In Matthew 2:11 we read, “…and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
Have you ever wondered by the Magi brought those three gifts to a child? They certainly didn’t shop at Toys-R-Us, did they? Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Well, let’s consider gold today. Why did they bring gold?
Our clue to the meaning of these gifts is the context in which they presented them. The Bible says the wise mean “fell down, and worshiped.” So, it’s in the context of worship that we should understand the gifts. Also, the very fact that they worshiped Jesus, meant that they believed He was God. And if you want to know how the God of Israel wants to be worshiped, just go back in the Old Testament and see what He said.
In Exodus 24-40, God gave Israel strict instructions on how He wanted to be worshiped. He wanted them to build a Tabernacle out of special materials for the purpose of worship. Well, did you know what the major material for the Tabernacle was? That’s right – GOLD! It seems that everything was made of gold or plated with gold: the boards of the Tabernacle structure, the rings and staves that held things together, the Table of Shewbread, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat… Gold, gold, gold – everything was gold. That’s how God wanted to be worshiped.
So when the wise men brought gifts to worship Jesus, the first thing they brought was gold.
Say—Do you worship Jesus with your gold? Giving is a big part of worship, you know.