Some of us can remember back when we were little, and we took part in reenactments of the Nativity in church or Sunday School Christmas pageants. I don’t recall any from my childhood, but I do remember several that my children took part in some 25 or more years ago. Children have their favorite roles they wish to play. Every little girl wants to be the Virgin Mary. One year my son was delighted when he was picked to be one of the three wise men. They had the nicest costumes and the best props! How well do you recall that part of the Christmas narrative? January 6th is the day that the Church commemorates this. Let’s look at our Scripture and reacquaint ourselves with this part of Matthew’s Gospel.
As chapter two of Matthew’s Gospel begins, the Evangelist states the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the days of King Herod the Great (vs. 1). If the events that unfolded in chapter two hadn’t occurred, it is quite unlikely that King Herod would ever have heard about the birth of Jesus, as that powerful king would not have concerned himself with the humble birth of a peasant child in the village outside his capital city. However, some time following Jesus’ birth, some unusual visitors came calling at the royal palace, asking some questions that disturbed the king.
Who were these unexpected visitors of King Herod’s? The Greek word that Matthew uses here is “magos”. They were likely very well-educated Zoroastrian priests who studied the stars, interpreted their meanings, and were royal advisors in the courts of the Persian Empire. These men were familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures, and after meticulously studying the sky, and their notes, along with Hebrew prophecies such as Numbers 24:17, they determined that the celestial event they were observing in the sky, heralded the birth of the awaited Messiah, the “King of the Jews” (vs. 2).
The magi were Gentiles, and not of the sons of Abraham, yet the Lord extended His grace, opening the way for these to be among the very first to come and worship the Lord Jesus. The magi were alert to the signs that the Lord had placed in the sky for them to see. If they hadn’t been watchful and attentive to God’s signs, nor familiarized themselves with His Word, they could likely have missed out on this tremendous opportunity to come and worship the newborn King. God used nature and the star to speak to the Gentile Magi. People without God’s Word are not abandoned. If they are sincerely seeking God, they will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).
What was this star or celestial event that the magi observed? It could possibly have been a conjunction of Jupiter, the “king of planets” with that of the star Regulus, which is the brightest star in the constellation Leo, which represents the lion, the king of beasts. Regulus is then often called the “king of stars”. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. Others have thought that it might possibly have been a conjuncture of the planets Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest objects in the night sky, after the moon. Whether it was this conjuncture, a comet, a supernova, or some other event, it honored God as Creator. Creation bears witness to the Lord (Romans 1:20). The Magi recognized this as fulfilling the prophecy made by Balaam many centuries earlier.
Not everyone was rejoicing in this star and what it heralded, however. When he heard about this, King Herod was very upset, and because of his mental instability, when he was upset, everyone else feared for their lives. After consulting with his advisors, Herod determined that this Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (vs. 3-6). He then instructed the Magi where to find the newborn king, and to bring him word once they found His exact location (vs. 7-8). We quickly find out that was a lie, as Herod intended on killing the infant Jesus.
When the wise men found Jesus, they fell on their knees, worshiping Him, and they presented Him with their gifts - gold, frankincense, and myrrh (vs. 11). Gold is naturally a gift of great value, fit for a King. Frankincense is a gift for a Priest, One who would intercede for humanity before God. The myrrh was an aromatic resin used in embalming Though the Magi probably had no concept of the death Jesus would die, their gift signified the importance of that death.
King Herod had lied when he said he wished to worship the newborn king, as he planned on killing Him. God, though, did not allow that to happen. Again, the Magi were alert and attentive to the voice of God, as He spoke to them in a dream, warning them to return home a different way (vs. 12). If the Magi had ignored God’s warning, or even just not been alert to it, and had reported back to Herod, they would have contributed to his evil plans. There is evil and deception all around. We need God’s wisdom and guidance, just like the Magi did. If we go through life oblivious to the dangers of sin, we can do great damage to ourselves and others. What is the Lord trying to say to you and me today? Are we attentive to His voice, like the Magi were, or do His Words pass us by? Let’s be ready for His message.
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