Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him"… And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:1-2, 11
The One Step Daily Devotional is intended to provide just one step each day for your journey with God. Every journey requires water breaks. Here is a water break for you.
As we enter into the new year, it’s customary in our culture to make new-year resolutions. We decide to stop doing some things and/or to start doing other things in the coming year. Often this is done just before or on January 1st.
Less customary in our culture is the celebration of Three Kings Day. Also known as The Epiphany or Little Christmas and celebrated on January 6th, participants recognize the arrival of the three kings who came to worship Jesus at His birth. But who were these three kings, and why is their arrival worth recognizing?
The idea of “three kings” is purely tradition. The western tradition of three individuals comes from the fact that there were three gifts.* Contrastly, according to eastern tradition, there were twelve kings.* Regardless of the number of “kings,” their questioning of the location of baby Jesus in verse two was impactful enough to reach the ears and concerns of King Herod (v. 3).* According to scholars, the involvement of King Herod himself might indicate that they arrived with a large party, large enough to gain the attention of many.* This theory of a large group aligns with the travel customs of their day. Believed to have come from Persia, they would have traveled approximately 900 miles to get to Jerusalem.* This distance would have taken several months to travel and would have included a large group.*
Additionally, the individuals who came to worship Jesus were not kings.* No, they were magi.* Magi were most often advisors to kings, learned in astrology, science, magic, and wisdom, meant to help kings to look good to their people and to rival countries.* It would not have been completely abnormal for them to go as ambassadors to another kingdom to pay homage to the birth of a king, nor would it have shaken the confidence of their Persian king who viewed himself as the King of Kings (a title we know belongs to Jesus).*
These magi brought three gifts to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. According to tradition, gold signified the royalty of Jesus, frankincense signified the divinity of Jesus (traditionally burned in the temple), and myrrh signified the death and burial of Jesus (used as a burial spice). These special gifts were of great value and important foreshadowing to the purposes of Christ come.
Now that we know some of who the magi were, why does it matter to recognize them and their visitation to little Jesus?
First, the magi were not Jewish. This fact holds significance because it sets the tone for the message of the Good News: it’s for all people.* The magi weren’t Jewish, though Jesus was Jewish and came to the Jewish people as a fulfilled promise of many Jewish prophecies.* No, the magi were pagan.* They were Gentiles. It amazes me that God wastes so little time in extending the good news of the birth of His son to outsiders. I’m an outsider, and if you aren’t Jewish, so are you. Jesus came for all, and I’m overwhelmed and grateful.
Second, when we celebrate Christmas, all of our traditions point toward the gift of Jesus given from God to us. When we celebrate Little Christmas, we have the opportunity to look to Jesus and, in an act of worship, give something of value to Him.
Today, on The Epiphany, we have the opportunity to follow the example of the magi by offering something of great value to our King as a gift and as an act of worship. What does it look like to give something to Jesus? It looks like dedicating what you do to Jesus. It looks like dedicating your dreams to Him. It looks like giving Him your morning, your evening, your waking, and your sleeping. It looks like doing everything as an act of worship to HIm.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…
Colossians 3:23
Today, take a step. Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to ask Him what He would like you to give Him this year as an act of worship. Perhaps God would ask you to give Him your work. Maybe He would have you give Him your rest. Perhaps today God would have you give Him your life.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a water break… we all get thirsty.
Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!
*Osborne, G. R. (2010). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 86). Zondervan.
Osborne, G. R. (2010). Matthew (Vol. 1, pp. 86–87). Zondervan.
Wilkins, M. J. (2004). Matthew (pp. 92–93). Zondervan Publishing House.
Wilkins, M. J. (2004). Matthew (pp. 92–96). Zondervan Publishing House.
Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (pp. 35–37). W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
Carson, D. A. (2010). Matthew. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew–Mark (Revised Edition) (Vol. 9, pp. 107–112). Zondervan.
Turner, D. L. (2008). Matthew (pp. 78–81). Baker Academic.
Keener, C. S. (1997). Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 2:1–12). InterVarsity Press.
Hagner, D. A. (1993). Matthew 1–13 (Vol. 33A, pp. 26–28). Word, Incorporated.