Tis the season to be giving, goes a popular song at this time of year. Without a doubt more gifts are given and received at Christmas than at any other time of year. What is a gift? A Dictionary meaning has: Something given, a present; a special aptitude, ability, power, a talent: The power or right to give or bestow. The act or process of giving: to give a present as a gift to. It’s probably one of those things we develop an early understanding of and love for (Prov. 19:6). The giving and receiving of gifts was more frequent and more formal in the East than in our culture. The Hebrew language contains no less than fifteen expressions of the idea. Presentation was with as much parade as possible. The refusal of a gift was regarded as a great insult. Likewise, to fail to bring a gift when the position of the person demanded it was shameful (1 Sam. 10:27).
Where would our life be without gifts? We might think that we only receive them occasionally – birthdays, Christmas, maybe Valentines or anniversaries etc. In reality, if we receive them everyday, we wouldn’t regard them as gifts – rather as expectations and rights – just like salary. Perhaps this is the problem in understanding the nature of our life before God – we are do dependent upon His gifts (Jas. 1:17). How many things have to be provided by God every day for us to survive? An edition of TIME magazine some time ago featured an article which acknowledged that many scientists are coming to the conclusion there must be a mind behind the universe because so many things are essential for our survival. Let’s start with something basic. Archimedes, upon working out the principle of the lever, said, give me a place to stand and I’ll move the world. We need a place to stand, don’t we – we take our earth for granted, but men in outer space do not. Neither do they take the atmosphere for granted which we just expect to be there all the time – they have to take their oxygen with them and manufacture it for the duration. As somebody once said in reply to someone who said he didn’t need God, Quit breathing His air and drinking His water! A place to stand and a life to live is only the beginning (Eccles. 3:13; 5:19; Ps.68:19). (‘who daily bears our burdens’ – NIV)
Gifts are given for all sorts of reasons: we give them to God (Heb. 5:1). What is the difference between a gift and a sacrifice? Sometimes the words are used interchangeably (Heb. 11:4; Gen. 4:3-5), but when used to describe different things, gifts refer to bloodless offerings, while sacrifices refer to those things which require the life of a victim. Also, gift is used of money (Luke 21:1). Gifts are used in celebration (Esther 9:22; Rev. 11:10), for appeasement (Prov. 21:14), to express honour (Dan. 2:48; Matt. 2-11 cf. Heb. 5:1), for compensation (Gen. 25:6), or to establish favour (Prov. 18:16). Gifts have bad uses (bribery, hit money: Isa. 1:23; Ezek.22:12; Prov. 17:23), and sometimes they can be used in a combination of ways (Matt.7:9-11).
Parents give good gifts to their children – what sort of gifts are best? Let me say that it is not material things. We live in an age when so many people have never had it so good materially. Children today have more clothes, shoes, food, and toys than ever before. Are they the better for it? Are they the happier for it? Are they better prepared for eternity because of it? One of the traps of living in prosperous times is that the value of things gets to be measured in monetary value. We have reached a point now where many parents think that the best gift they can give their son graduating from High school is a car, and for their daughter it’s a breast implant. I kid you not.
What are the best gifts parents can give their children? A Christian home where Mother and Father model the Christian life and teach it to them. Children learn what parents live: If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn: If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight: If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy: If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty: If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient: If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence: If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate: If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.: If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith: If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world. Anon.
Contrary to the world’s view of pandering and indulgence, a child needs discipline. Parents, the Bible hasn’t changed its mind on this, despite the announcements of the Dr. Spocks and child psychologists of the day who have trusted in their own wisdom rather than that of the Lord. A child needs to learn to accept the consequences for his actions, that the way of the transgressor is hard. A child needs to learn the virtue and value of hard work, rather than being sheltered from it by not being given chores to do. A child needs to learn to pay his way in life, rather than being a parasite. A child needs to learn to be a giver, not a taker. A child needs to learn that he is not the centre of the world, but that he has to earn his place in the world. A child needs to learn responsibility, rather than being excused from it. A child needs to learn to put the kingdom of God and His righteousness first. A child needs to learn that a secular education is important but an education in the Word of God is more important. A child needs to learn that physical exercise is important but exercise in godliness is moreso. A child needs to learn that honesty is the only policy. Parents who provide these gifts and the others that are like them to their children give them the greatest gifts of all. A Christian heritage and heavenly inheritance are worth more than all the riches and attainments of the world, for what if the child was given the whole world, what would he give in exchange for his soul? Physical gifts and presents have their place, but the spiritual gifts are greater and of more importance.
As mentioned before, God gives physical benefits or gifts everyday, but He has greater gifts(Eph. 4:8 cf. Psalm 68:18 – this is a psalm that speaks about the ark of the covenant. It was called the ark of the testimony or ark of the covenant because it contained the law of God for Israel, and in that sense was a type of Christ of whom it was written in Ps. 40:8, Thy law is within my heart. The ark always went before the people – when it moved so did they – when it stopped they rested. Again this prefigures Christ whom Isaiah prophesied as “the leader and commander of the people” (Isa. 55:4). We see this illustrated in the Lord’s earthly life – John 10:3,4. He continues to say follow me. The ark was the meeting place between God and His people (Ex. 25:22). What was there in shadow we now have in substance – Christ is the meeting place between God and man (2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 2:18; Matt. 1:23).
The ark was associated with the great events in the history of Israel. Some of them are referred to in this psalm (68). Verse 7 refers to the leading through the wilderness; verse 12 refers to victory in battle. Even so Christ has been with His people from the beginning and will be till the end (Matt.28:20). When first in the Promised land it was located at Shiloh and seems to have moved around somewhat till David’s time when he moved it to Mt. Zion (later it was moved to the temple at Mt. Moriah). This was the place of God’s choosing, and as vs. 15,16 indicates, it was not the highest or grandest peak in the land, such as those found in Bashan, but God has a habit of using the unimpressive to show His glory. This psalm also refers to the ascending of the ark up on Mt. Zion. This was a day of great celebration and the procession was considered as a victory procession after a war. They acknowledged that the establishing of Jerusalem as the capital of the nation was due to the strength of God. In such processions the captive enemy were led in humiliation, and so the powers of darkness were led captive by Christ when He ascended, not to Mt. Zion, but to Heaven itself as the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As spoils went to the conquering commander, who would give them to be shared amongst his soldiers and citizens, so Christ conquered and gave gifts to men – Eph. 4:8. Where did it start? Acts 2:33. This is something no man could give. Remember John the Baptists’ promise of One who was coming who could baptise in the Holy Spirit? – anyone can baptise in water, but only God can baptise in the Holy Spirit. Such a gift cannot be bought (Acts 8:20). Miraculous powers were rightly called gifts, but ultimately the Holy Spirit revealed what greater gifts were on offer. (2 Cor. 9:15) We know this because of the Holy Spirit’s word – John 17:20; John 4:10; Rom. 5:16-18; Eph. 2:8.
In 1829, two men, Wilson and Porter, were convicted of robbing the U.S. Mail and sentenced to death by hanging. Three weeks before the execution date, President Andrew Jackson pardoned Wilson. Strangely enough, Wilson refused the pardon. The case went to the Supreme Court which finally handed down its decision; A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, and if it is rejected, we have discovered no power in this court to force it upon him.
Most people agreed that Wilson was a fool for not accepting the President’s pardon, yet most of those people reject the pardon God has signed for them. Because God is just, He must punish sin. But because He is merciful, He Himself forgave our awful penalty through the substitution of His Son’s death for ours. There is no greater gift, but a gift must be received (Rom. 6:23). Have you received it by obedience to the gospel or are you rejecting it – holding it at arm’s length? You must decide for you.