This post is Day 2 in a series of studies about “Gifts & Giving”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Gifts & Giving – Day 2

The virgin Mary was the first to receive the gift of Jesus. What a courageous young woman she was. She was one among many who had been awaiting the Messiah for generations. He had been promised centuries earlier through the prophets, but also mentioned at the beginning of the Bible.

Matthew 2:11

On coming to the house, the magi saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The Thought

There are many gifts described in these verses. The virgin Mary was the first to receive the gift of Jesus. What a courageous young woman she was. She was one among many who had been awaiting the Messiah for generations. He had been promised centuries earlier through the prophets, but also mentioned right at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis when man was banished from the garden of Eden but with a promise that in generations to come, this curse would be reversed.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel. (Genesis 3:15)

Mary must have had very great faith to do what she had to do, and she suffered much. From the very beginning when she had her angelic encounter she knew, on saying “yes” that she could possibly be stoned to death for being pregnant outside of marriage. This gift was not always easy to live with. Thankfully Joseph, after his own angelic encounter, protected her and was the gift that God had prepared for Mary, to be her husband and head of the family.

We don’t know if they were aware of the fact, but the kings or magi brought gifts with prophetic meanings.

Gold is still of great value today and is a symbol for a king.

Frankincense symbolises the high priest who burned incense in the temple.

Myrrh suggests sacrifice and the embalming of a body after death.

These three gifts tell us that Jesus would be king, high priest and sacrifice.

Action

If you visited a friend with a newborn baby, what gift would you take? Would it have prophetic meaning?

Pray for any young children that you know today, for their future in this very disturbing world, and that the Lord would reveal Himself to them early in their life.