Matthew 2:1-12
Of the four Gospels, two explain Jesus' birth, and only Matthew records the visit of the wise men from the East. The wise men, or magi, were from Persia or Arabia, and were learned men. In Daniel's time, they were astrologers, magicians, and soothsayers. The wise men understood the times, and were the ones that the king turned to for answers.
Let's back up a bit here. Between 500 and 700 years before Jesus was born, the Israelites had been exiled to Babylon for their disobedience. When the time came, not all of the Jews returned to Jerusalem—some stayed behind in Persia, and their descendants could have still been living there at the time of Jesus birth. I am pointing all of this out to suggest that these were not just astrologers, who saw a star and came to check it out. These wise men knew who God was, and they were watching and waiting for this very moment.
The Magi's very coming may have enraged a tyrant, and led to the deaths of many young babies in Bethlehem, but God knows all things, and prophesied every event in the Old Testament. He even appeared to the Magi right before they were to leave, and warned them not to return to Herod, and so endanger Jesus' life.
After years of waiting and watching, they finally saw His star in the east, and left immediately to see the new king. I can hardly imagine what would have been going through the minds of these men as their eyes gazed upon the manifestation of a 3,000 year old promise! Have you ever wondered if these wise men could have even known the full meaning of Jesus birth? Would they have ever thought, that at just 30 years old, He would start a ministry that would last just 3 years, and yet change the course of history forever? It's easy to look back in the Scriptures, and see the whole picture, and yet these men got up and followed a star. They believed God for who His Word says He is; do we? Would we be willing to leave everything, and go on a long and dangerous journey, if it was God's will? These men traveled very far in order to just see God, and yet we have God living among us now in Spirit. We don't have to travel anywhere; all we have to do is bow are heads in prayer and seek His face. He is real—do we believe this? There is a saying that goes, “wise men still seek Him.” It was true then, and true now—do the wise thing, and seek Him today.
~ Jason Frantz
