Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem (Matt 2 :1)
This is the time of year when people all over the world
celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
in so many different ways it seems they are confused
about what really happened that time some 2,000 years ago

Our fascination with fantasy and superstition all too often
creates pictures of what we want, not what really happened
just look at the majority of Nativity Scenes that are found
most depict what man has decided occurred on that occasion
which man in his ignorance has declared to be on December 25

The Bible only mentions one instance where visitors
actually went to the stable to see Baby Jesus in the manger
shepherds were in the fields keeping watch over their flocks (Luke 2 :8)
as soon as the angels left them they all went to Bethlehem
and made known abroad what they were told about the child (Luke 2 :9-17)

I have seen Nativity Scenes with every kind of animal
one could imagine: sheep, cows, donkeys and a camel!
None of this is ever mentioned in the Bible description
of that wondrous occasion, yet man has placed it there,
not caring that man is forbidden to change God’s words (Rev 22 :18-19)

I was taken back by a Nativity display in front of a “church”
in a town I mentioned in one of my earlier blog posts
It had the typical Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus in a manger
that appeared to be a wooden cradle complete with rockers
and of course, there in the back of the stable, they stood

Leaning over the shoulders of Mary and Joseph smiling,
dressed in long flowing robes, with crowns on their heads
you would think that three kings had come in from Persia
or even farther away, but, it was only those wise men
who were never near the stable by any accounts of the Bible

Where is he that is born King of the Jews?
for we saw his star in the east,
and are come to worship him. (Matt 2 :2
While their number is never mentioned there
is some evidence they did go to Bethlehem later (Matt 2 :8-9)
but there is no indication they ever appeared in that stable

And when they came into the house,
they saw the young child (Matt 2 :11)
with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him:
and when they had had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts;
gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Gold, a gift for the King of kings.
(1 Tim 6 :15, 1 Peter 2 :17, Rev 17 :14)

Frankincense, a gift for a High Priest.
(Psalm 110 :4, Heb 5 :6, Heb 7 :17)

Myrrh, an oil used to anoint a body for burial.
(Matt 26 :12 ,Mark 16 :1  John 20:1)

after many years of reading and studying the Bible
I find very few who realize the meaning of those gifts
I believe this is the key reason today that Christmas
has become most about exchanging gifts not Jesus
I did not mean to preach but it really bothers me
to see Jesus, who died for us, remembered once
a year and worshiped solely for His monetary value

This will be reposted each year around this time
as long as this blog is active…..Jerry Marks