GIFTS OF THE MAGI

  Doug Fortune

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature...” (Luke 2:52)
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he...” (Hebrews 5:8)
“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you...” (Galatians 4:19)

It is now the holiday season in my country, the United States. It seems that all eyes are focusing upon a Babe lying in a manger, surrounded by shepherds and Magi from the East. (Granted, there are those focusing on materialism and commercialism, but that’s another subject.) Indeed, He was the only Begotten of the Father, the prophesied Messiah, the One sent to bring restoration and healing to all mankind. Inside that Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes was the answer to every need of mankind, God’s complete provision. His parents knew it... the shepherds knew it because the angel had announced it to them... there was no question as to Who this was that had just entered the world.

Yet we find no one asking to be healed, no one seeking a miracle, no one insisting that He be put on a cross and crucified. Why?... because He was a baby, He wasn’t yet mature. Did the fact that He was not yet mature dampen the spirits of the shepherds? Did it cause them to go away saying, “It’s no big deal, just another new baby.”? Certainly not!

Those shepherds had witnessed many a lamb go through the process of being born, maturing in stature, and eventually being led to the slaughter. They understood that though a lamb possessed all the potential for its’ ultimate purpose, there was still a process involved before potential comes to fruition. Perhaps some of those same shepherds would live to witness this Lamb as He was led to the slaughter.

Contrary to what the greeting card industry would have us believe, the Magi from the East (there weren’t just three of them either, like the song says) didn’t squeeze into the stable with the shepherds and Jesus’ parents. Their visit wasn’t till later when He was a ‘young child’ and Jesus’ family was living in a house. “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.” (Matthew 2:11)

Notice also the reaction of these Magi to the fact that He was a young child, not yet mature, still they “fell down, and worshipped him.” Keep in mind that these Magi were no dummies, they were the learned men of the day. They understood that though a child possessed all the potential for its’ ultimate purpose as a King, there was still a process involved before potential comes to fruition.

Of course Jesus Christ was uniquely the only begotten Son of God, however Romans 8:29 tells us “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among MANY brethren.” Hebrews 2:10 also tells us that He is “bringing MANY sons unto glory”.

James sheds light also in chapter 1:18, “He gave us birth as sons by His Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures - a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself...” (Amplified Bible) I believe that Jesus Christ is the ‘prototype’ of a new species of humanity with a new spiritual DNA, if I may call it that, that is being birthed into the earth TODAY. “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.” (Revelation 12:5)

There is a prophetic picture that applies to the ‘son’ being birthed into the earth today hidden within the account of the visit from the Magi to our ‘prototype’, the Pattern Son. “...and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 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.” (Matthew 2:9-11)

Those dwelling in the East are the first to see the light of the new day, and these Magi were kings and learned men. I believe the ‘gifts’ of the Magi to Jesus are symbolic of an impartation of authority and wisdom for US to rule in the Light of THIS New Day we are moving into. They declared that they had seen His star arise in the East... even so for US, the bright and Morning Star (Revelation 1:16), the Day Star is arising in OUR hearts! “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19) Remember, Jesus was a young child, not yet mature when this was happening. So it is with US, the ‘son’ being birthed into the earth today is not yet fully mature, yet still we are receiving the impartation NOW. The Day Star is arising in our HEARTS; the word translated as heart, kardia in Greek, means the thoughts or feelings, the mind... this speaks of the soul. This is the process that we are in- the Day Star, the nature of Christ arising in our heart, our mind, will and emotions. Paul said it another way, “until Christ be formed in you...” (Galatians 4:19)

As we receive this impartation of authority and wisdom, as the Day Star arises within us, as Christ is formed in us, we begin to move into the fulfillment of Daniel 12:3-4; “And they that be wise shall SHINE as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” I believe that this is that day spoken of in Daniel, the 'time of the end'- not as in a cessation or stopping, but rather the 'end' as a completion, understanding we are complete in Him. We are pressing forward in revelation and understanding... truly, the knowledge of who we are in Christ is being increased, as the Day Star arises within!

To impart something is to leave a deposit, a gift. Let us consider this prophetic picture of the impartation of the Magi as it applies to US. They gave gold, and frankincense, and myrrh...

Frankincense is an odorous resin imported from Arabia, yet also growing in Palestine. It was one of the ingredients in the incense/ perfume of the sanctuary; “...sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight and thou shalt make of it incense... And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: And thou shalt beat some of it very small...” (Ex. 30:34-36). When burned it emitted a cloud of fragrant odour that provided an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord to dwell. “...and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not.” (Leviticus 16:13)

The incense is also symbolic of the Name of God, and symbolic of prayer. “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same My Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My Name, and a pure offering: for My Name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 1:11) “Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense...” (Psalms 141:2) “...golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Revelation 5:8) “...and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.” (Revelation 8:3)

Notice that the incense was made after the art of the apothecary. An apothecary grinds all the ingredients together with a mortar and pestle. In the grinding process the individual ingredients mingle together to form a new substance. So it is for US, as this is really the essence of corporate anointing. As our lives are mingled together and we enter the baptism of fire, we become a cloud of fragrant odour that provides an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord to dwell. This is one of the primary attributes of this impartation of authority and wisdom from the Magi- WE become the atmosphere for the presence of the Lord to dwell; “you yourselves also are being built up WITH THE REST, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in the SPIRIT.” (Ephesians 2:22 Amplified Bible)

It is important to note that there were some restrictions for the use of frankincense; “...neither shall he put any frankincense thereon; for it is a SIN-offering.” (Leviticus 5:11), “...he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is a meal-offering of jealousy, a meal-offering of memorial, bringing INIQUITY to remembrance...” (Numbers 5:15) The frankincense was NOT to be used in any connection with offerings for sin and iniquity. Even so for us, we must move beyond the brazen altar, where the emphasis is on dealing with sin. We must move on to the golden altar of incense, where the emphasis is on BECOMING an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord to dwell. Certainly, where there is an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord to dwell there is authority and wisdom to rule in the Light of this New Day.

Frankincense was also used on the Showbread in the tabernacle; “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof... And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before Jehovah. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial...” (Leviticus 24:5-7)

As we mentioned earlier, the incense is also symbolic of the Name of God, and symbolic of prayer. We have been given a new name (Revelation 2:17). The family name denotes heritage and blood-line. We must understand that when we come to Christ we are now of a different heritage, we are sons of God, of the blood-line of the King of kings. THIS is the identity that allows us to enter into our destiny as a habitation for God. Concerning incense being symbolic of prayer, let us remember that the golden altar of incense was the only piece of furniture in the tabernacle that transitioned from the Holy Place (Second Day mentality) into the Holy of Holies (Third Day mentality); “And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies; having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat...” (Hebrews 9:3-5)

Myrrh is first mentioned as a principal ingredient in the anointing oil of the tabernacle. “Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh... And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.” (Exodus 30:23-28) Anointing oil obviously speaks of the anointing, and the anointing only comes through the Anointed One! The anointing is not a feeling, a goose-bump, or an atmosphere... the anointing is a Person, the Person of Christ! How befitting that the myrrh is referred to as a “principal spice.” The word translated as principal is ro’sh in Hebrew, its meanings include ‘head, beginning, captain, chief, first’. Indeed, Christ is our Head, our Beginning, our Captain, our Chief, our Firstborn among many brethren.

Notice that EVERYTHING in the tabernacle was anointed with this oil, everything in the Holy of Holies, everything in the Holy Place, everything in the Outer Court. Even so it is for us, whether our Christianity is based in sacrifice and dealing with sin (Outer Court experience), or based in the gifts and revelatory ministry of the Holy Spirit (Holy Place experience), or based in His Glory (Holy of Holies experience), it is the SAME oil, the SAME Christ who anoints us all with Himself. What a beautiful picture of corporate anointing! It’s the SAME Christ who anoints us all with Himself. Psalms 133:2 speaks of this also, “...precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.” Once again, it is the SAME Christ that anoints the whole body. However, I believe it is important to note that the first place the anointing flows to from the Head, is the beard. Jesus Christ is our Head and the first place His anointing flows to is the Beard, which is symbolic of those who are moving into maturity. I believe that part of His anointing upon a company of mature believers is authority and wisdom to rule in the Light of this New Day.

Myrrh was also used as an intimate perfume and used in embalming. “...six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women; Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.” (Esther 2:12-13) “Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee... I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning.” (Proverbs 7:15-18) “A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.” (Song of Solomon 1:13)

Given these verses, I believe it is safe to say that myrrh is symbolic of intimacy. And so for us, He has called us to a place of intimacy with Him. Today He is beckoning us to a place of intimate worship, as He calls out to us “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” (Song of Solomon 2:10) There are a people who are responding to His call for intimate worship, as they say “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth.” (Song of Solomon 1:2-3)

As I have written many times before, it is important to note that intimacy in worship is not an end unto itself. Isaiah 16:5 speaks of the THRONE being established in the Davidic Tabernacle. “And in mercy shall the Throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the Tabernacle of David...” Of course, the throne is the seat of authority. Normally we think of the Tabernacle of David in terms of worship, and yes, that is certainly one aspect. However, the one with whom the Lord has trusted with His heart, He will trust with His authority and power.

David was known as a man after God’s heart, he had an intimate relationship with the Lord. Consider that up until David, the Ark had always been veiled, separated from the people. The man after God’s heart knew no veil. He was an intimate lover of the Divine, and he was also a conquering King. He knew the heart of God through worship, therefore he knew the power and authority of God in dominion. I can see King David there in the shekinah glory in the Tabernacle, not only in worship but also receiving strategy for battle as he advanced the kingdom.

I believe that God is looking for a people who willingly abandon themselves in intimate worship, who have laid aside all self interests to seek His face and not His hand. How appropriate then that myrrh was used not only as an intimate perfume, but also used in embalming; “And there came also Nicodemus... and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes... Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.” (John 19:39-40) Indeed, He is looking for a people who have died to the self-life of Adam, and are risen to oneness in the Christ-Life.

Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh...

Throughout the Scripture, gold is symbolic of divine nature. Certainly this applies to us as 2 Peter 1:4 states it so clearly, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these YE might be partakers of the divine nature...” Yes, we now have a new DNA, and we must exude this new Divine Nature Attitude.

However, gold is also symbolic of a royal kingly impartation. For our purposes in dealing with this gift of the Magi, we will concentrate on the royal kingly impartation. “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord... thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.” (Psalms 21:1, 3) “...a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold...” (Ezekiel 16:12-13) “Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.” (1 Kings 10:18) “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image.... This image's head was of fine gold... we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them All. Thou art this head of gold.” (Daniel 2:31-32, 36-38)

As those verses in Daniel state, part of this royal kingly impartation is to POSSESS and to RULE. Now then, before we go thinking, “All right, I’m going to be rich and tell everybody what to do!”, we need to understand some things. Remember, we are king/priests after the order of Melchizedek... Melchi- Zadok; Melchi is ‘king’ in Hebrew, Zadok is ‘righteous’ in Hebrew. Of the Sons of Zadok, the Father says, “And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I AM their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I AM their possession.” (Ezekiel 44:28) It’s not about having lots of ‘stuff’, a true POSSESSING mentality is when HE is our possession, because He is “possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19). And if the Possessor of heaven and earth is our possession, then all that He possesses is available to us as HE DESIRES.

We need to get rid of that mental picture we have of Jesus as a poor starving itinerant preacher. Quite the contrary, He had a ministry staff of twelve and enough resources to need an accountant to “keep the purse”. We cannot forget that these Magi were bringing gold to be a gift that was fit for a king. More than likely, Jesus’ family was financially set up for life. Or do we suppose that Mary and Joseph went on a shopping spree and spent all the gold intended for Jesus?... Certainly not. The gold from the Magi is probably what financed Jesus’ ministry! It takes resources to advance the Kingdom of God in the earth.

In his book entitled “Access Granted”, Apostle Joshua Fowler states:

“It takes money to do what God has called you to do. There’s no way around it. God is our Provider, the All-Sufficient One — and money is the commodity He uses in this earth to get things done. Money itself is not evil; it is the love of money that is evil. And believers must break out of a poverty and just-get-by mentality if the Church is going to win the world to Jesus. “All those prosperity preachers are just out to get your money. I can’t stand to listen to them.” Would you rather listen to poor preachers? Are you saying that you don’t want prosperity and God’s blessings? Don’t you want to understand God’s financial system? If that is how you think, then I have one more question for you: How can you reach the nations of the world if you can barely pay your bills? God’s abundance must be released so the Church can reach the world.”

Granted, there have been and still are some who have perverted the message and squandered Kingdom resources on their own folly and lust, however the Father takes this possessing thing seriously. He says in Romans 4:13, “For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be HEIR OF THE WORLD, but through the righteousness of faith.” The word translated as heir means a POSSESSOR. Also, what exactly was the blessing pronounced by Melchizedek upon Abraham?... “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, POSSESSOR of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” (Genesis 14:19-20) Here we see that the Most High Possessor covenanted to make Abraham and his seed a possessor! And what is it that the seed is to possess?... “Ask of Me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” (Psalms 2:8) Even after his name was changed to Abraham, he did not see the ultimate fulfillment of this, for the fulfillment comes in the Seed of Abraham- the many-membered, RE-membered Body of Christ. “There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are ONE man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, HEIRS according to promise.” (Galatians 3:29)

So, here we have it... gold, and frankincense, and myrrh... an impartation of authority and wisdom to rule in the Light of this New Day we are moving into. Remember, the ‘son’ being birthed into the earth today is not yet fully mature, yet still we are receiving the impartation NOW. There are perhaps some who are looking at this ‘son’ being birthed into the earth today, not understanding that there is a process involved before potential comes to fruition, going away saying, “It’s no big deal, just another new thing.” There are perhaps some who are looking for the fruit of a fully mature ‘son’, but because they don’t yet see it, they doubt the reality.

Like Wise Men, we must understand this Kingdom principle; “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given... So is the kingdom of God... first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear... And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” (Mark 4:24,26-28, 30-32) So it is for the ‘son’ being birthed into the earth today, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. I like the way the Literal Bible states Mark 4:24, “Be careful what you hear! In what measure you measure, it will be added to you.” Did you catch that?... WE determine the measure that is added to us. If we ‘measure’ this birthing of a ‘son’ as just another new thing, another fad, we don’t receive the impartation, we gain nothing. However, when we ‘measure’ it with the same esteem that all creation measures it, with “earnest expectation”, then we have just measured abundance to ourselves. “For the earnest expectation of the creature (creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God... For we know that the whole creation GROANETH and travaileth in pain together until now.” (Romans 8:19, 22)

The Magi ‘measured’ the birthing of a ‘son’ with great esteem, for they traveled far from their familiar surroundings and brought gifts fit for royalty, though they found only a young child, not yet mature. Even so for us, we may have to travel far from our familiar doctrine to experience the birth of a Man Child. With natural eyes, we may only see the ‘immature child’, the ‘blade’, but we must understand that the Father sees the ‘full corn in the ear’. For He declares “the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)