Topic: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS GIFTS – Right From The Heart Daily Devotional by Bryant Wright Ministry 20 December 2020

“…they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11

December 20, 2020

Giving and Christmas go hand in hand, but have you ever thought about where the gift-giving idea originated? Some will suggest that it began with St. Nicholas, commonly known as Santa Claus. But, it actually originated long before that.

Giving at Christmas began with three men who visited Jesus as a young child. They became known as the Three Wise Men, and their gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

GOLD is the gift for a king. It’s an expensive gift symbolizing the belief that Jesus was born with a royal destiny – born to be a king.
FRANKINCENSE is the gift for a priest. It reminds us that Jesus is the ultimate High Priest and mediator between God and mankind.
MYRRH, however, was an unusual gift for a child. It’s a precious spice or perfume used to anoint a body at death. So why myrrh? It was a prophetic gift. Jesus had come to die, giving His life for our sins. Jesus was born to die, becoming our Savior.

King. Priest. Savior. Three gifts, each one revealing more of Jesus’ purpose here on earth.