The Commands, Teachings, and Life of our Lord Jesus Christ: Matt. 2:7-12

 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

      The cunning, wicked king Herod calls the wise men to himself and tells them to go and find the young Jesus in Bethlehem (as the prophets foretold) and to come back and tell him exactly where the child was when they are done. Herod lies that his intentions are to come and worship Jesus, when in reality he is simply planning how to kill him quickly.

 

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw 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 exceeding great joy.
 
      It was the star that came and stood still over where young Jesus was that rejoiced the heart of these wise men; not the counsel of Herod. Our hearts should likewise be stirred by finding our King.
 

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him:

 

    It is important to note what the wise men did when they entered the house. They saw Jesus with Mary and what did they do? They fell down and worshipped him! They didn’t come and ooo and ah over Jesus. They didn’t try to hold him or touch him. They fell at his feet and worshipped him as God. Likewise, when we see Jesus, may we worship him for who He is.

 and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

 

     What did they do next? They gave to Jesus—gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

 The Jamieson-Fausett-Brown Bible Commentary has an important note on the significance of these three gifts:

gold, frankincense, and myrrh -- Visits were seldom paid to sovereigns without a present (1Ki 10:2, &c.; compare Ps 72:10, 11, 15 Isa 60:3, 6). "Frankincense" was an aromatic used in sacrificial offerings: "myrrh" was used in perfuming ointments. These, with the "gold" which they presented, seem to show that the offerers were persons in affluent circumstances. That the gold was presented to the infant King in token of His royalty; the frankincense in token of His divinity, and the myrrh, of His sufferings; or that they were designed to express His divine and human natures; or that the prophetical, priestly, and kingly offices of Christ are to be seen in these gifts; or that they were the offerings of three individuals respectively, each of them kings, the very names of whom tradition has handed down -- all these are, at the best, precarious suppositions. But that the feelings of these devout givers are to be seen in the richness of their gifts, and that the gold, at least, would be highly serviceable to the parents of the blessed Babe in their unexpected journey to Egypt and stay there -- that much at least admits of no dispute.

 

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

 

    And being warned by God, in a dream, they did not return to Herod, but departed back home another way. The wise men were warned in a dream. That is significant. A dream only happens when you are asleep! Apparently they did not see Jesus and then leave right away. But when the the wise men received a warning from God, they obeyed. O that we would obey God when He warns us as well; we must have sensitive hearts and be in tune with His spirit to hear and heed His warnings, or else like the family of Lot that stayed in Sodom, our hearts will be darkened to the truth and suffer wrath. Delayed obedience is disobedience…..

 

Matt 2:7-12 (KJV)