Tuesday-Dec 13
The star seemed brighter than all the others! Why did it appear to stand out? Was it the blackness of the background, the night sky or was the star producing more light? Wait something is different? They had never seen that star before. Where did it come from? How did it appear?
The questions rushed through their minds and spilled out of their mouths to each other. Their words collided together as they each sought to give an answer. Their curiosity was aroused! An action was being kindled. A fire of desire was growing between them! The answer to what this bright light was and what it represented could only come by one thing! A search! They would have to seek the answer out laying aside previous thoughts and beliefs until they came to the treasure of knowledge of what it represented.
The third group that would see the baby were the wise men. They would see Him because they searched for Him. They had no command or word, neither an encounter with the Spirit nor a promise. They came because they were searching for Him.
Matthew 2:1–2 (KJV 1900)
1Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
The Greek word for "wise" men in the original manuscripts was "magi." R. T. France decides their position as follows: "This was the title of a Persian priestly caste who played an important role in advising the king, was applied more widely to learned men and priests who specialized in astrology and the interpretation of dreams, and in some cases magical arts"[1]. Most likely they were from the area of Babylon.
The star they had seen had been located while they were in the East! That is they were east of Jerusalem. The star was located west of where they were at! But it disappeared. The location of the star in the western part of the star seemed to imply that it was connected to a nation that was located in that region. Might it be Israel the home of the mighty counselor Daniel? Daniel was well known to them. He had been the model that each magi tried to follow. Daniel had served as a minister to two kings of Babylon, the King of the Medes and the King of Persia. He was so valuable as a counselor that he had survived the takeover of each of their kingdoms and found a place of power in each.
But Daniel was not a Babylonian. He was an Israelite who had been brought to the Babylonian Kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar as a young man. The holy books of his people might give information concerning this star and who or what it might represent. As they searched these writing, the came upon a prophecy of one of their own named Balaam. Balaam like themselves was non-Israelite, "a holy man" and visionary from the east whose home is located on the Euphrates (Numbers 22:5; 23:7).[2]
Numbers 24:17 (KJV 1900)
17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite the corners of Moab, And destroy all the children of Sheth.
The star that they had seen mostly likely was the angel Gabriel and the heavenly host who joined him in celebration on the night of the birth of Jesus! Luke records that when Gabriel appears to the shepherds that "the glory of the Lord shone round about them" (2:9). The Greek word for shone, περιλάμπω, is only found in one other place in the New Testament. That is at the testimony of Paul as he describes the light on the road to Damascus. The thought is "a light much brighter than the sun shone around me from the sky’ Ac 26:13".[3] The sun is considered a bright star yet the star that shone the night Jesus was born was brighter than the sun! No wonder it was a curiosity to the wise men!
The search was beginning to pay off! They had a lead! They would journey to Jerusalem the seat of the King of Israel, Herod. Surely a son had been born to him!
Matthew 2:3–8 (KJV 1900)
3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5And they said unto him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6And thou Beth-lehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8And he sent them to Beth-lehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
When Herod met the wise men and heard their request it troubled him. He knew that there were no new baby boys in his harem. What was going on? Was there something happening in the kingdom that he was not aware of? These men were intelligent people! For them to travel this great distance meant something important was going on. And it was happening right under his nose, and he knew nothing about it! He sensed a threat!
He summoned the priests and the scribes. What did they know about a King of Israel? Did the scriptures speak about this king? And if they did, did they tell the location of his birth?
The scribes quickly read that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Herod quickly formed a plan and began to tell it. "You men of Babylon, when did the star appear?" After they had answered he stored the information within his mind. He addressed them and challenged them to go search diligently for the child, to come back and tell him then he would to the child and worship Him also!
There was no reason to say to the wise men to go search diligently for the young child. They had been doing that for months. The interesting point that is being made is that there are some who will meet the babe because they have searched for Him. The parallel can be seen in the throne room of Herod. Herod will talk a good line about going and worshiping the child but the wise men will take action and seek Him, will find Him and will worship Him.
Matthew 2:9–13 (KJV 1900)
9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11And 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.
12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When the wise men stepped out into the night in Jerusalem, they were shocked! Looking up in the sky for the thousandth time they expected to see what they had seen for months. A black hole where the star had been. Yet tonight it reappeared! They could not contain themselves! Laughter could be heard in their cry's! Their faces shone with joy!
When they did arrive it in Bethlehem, it was not at the manger but at a house. Jesus is not called a baby but a young child (2:11). The response to the end of their search is to immediately fall down and worshiped Him! Humbly they present the gifts that they had brought yet realizing that the best gift they could give to Him is their lives!
The journey of the wise men had taken time. The search had been filled with questions, decisions, and long hours of travel. Often they wondered if they would find Him. Yet they had done what Herod would not do! They had sought for Jesus diligently!
That was the last group. A group of men who understood if you will seek you will find (Luke 11:9-13)! Only those willing to pay the price of laying their lives on the line are able to meet the Savior. Many people are as Herod continent to allow others to pay the price and find the path always wanting the easy road. Be someone who seeks the Lord!
Your Response:
Take time to slowly read and meditate on the scriptures below. Examine yourself. Are you seeking God with all of your heart? Do you desire Him more than anything else? Search the scriptures for they speak of Him (John 5:39). Make a plan to read the Bible through in 2014. Notate in a journal the thoughts He gives to you! Join with a family member or friend and make each other accountable to read the Word and pray daily.
Psalm 34:4 (KJV 1900)
4I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 63:1–2 (KJV 1900)
1O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, My flesh longeth for thee In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2To see thy power and thy glory, So as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Isaiah 55:6–7 (KJV 1900)
6Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near:
7Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV 1900)
13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Daniel 9:3 (KJV 1900)
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Matthew 6:33 (KJV 1900)
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Hebrews 11:6 (KJV 1900)
6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
[1] R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007). 66.
[2] R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007). 62.
[3] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, electronic ed. of the 2nd edition. (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996). 173.
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