Friday-Dec 13
The star seemed brighter than all the others! Why did it
seem 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. He 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 a 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 wonder 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 in his harem there were no new baby boys. What was
going on? Was there something happening in the kingdom that he did not know
about? These men were intelligent men! For them to travel this great distance
meant something important was happening. 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 of 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 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 tell 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 worshipping 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 worshipped
Him! Humbly they present gift 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! Only those willing to pay the price of laying
their lives on the line are able to meet the Savior. Many are as Herod continent
to allow others to pay the price and find the path always wanting the easy
road. Be someone who seek the Lord!
Your Response:
Take time to slowly read and mediate 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment