Matthew 2:11 states, " And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

King Herod had one thing in mind—that being to destroy the Christ child. That is why he drew the wise men into the situation.

A star had appeared to them and guided them to Christ, so Herod sought to interrogate them about when the star had appeared unto them. He wanted to know when it first appeared, probably, so he could calculate the age of Jesus. Herod after interviewing the wise men was so frustrated and angry that he ordered all babies two years old in Bethlehem and the coast thereof to be slain (Matt.2:16).

What I want you to see is the significance of the three gifts the wise men brought to the Lord Jesus some time after his birth. The three gifts consisted of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts were so fitting for the Lord Jesus, they convey three things to us about Him.

I. Gift One Presents Jesus As Potentate. In some countries, no one could approach a king without a gift–here it is gold. First, it is a fitting gift. Gold is very appropriate for a king. Then, it is a foretelling gift–it tells us in advance that Jesus will rule and reign. Also, it was a foreordained gift. God had before designed that Jesus’ family have this gold to help defray the cost of the journey into Egypt and back. God is the One who can always meet needs (Phil. 4:19). Since we can never meet Jesus on equal footing with Him, we should always bow in submission before our Lord and acknowledge He is King of Kings–Lord of Lords.

II. Gift Two Presents Jesus As Priest. If you study out the word "frankincense," you will discover that it would be a priestly gift. It was used in the worship at the temple and when sacrifices were offered up to God. The frankincense was a gummy substance which came from trees. It released a sweet smelling odor. The Book of Hebrews tells us that His priesthood is permanent, powerful, and that it procures for us entrance into the presence of God.