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MATTHEW - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Matthew
PART 1 - The Preliminary Period in the Ministry of Christ (Matthew 1:1 - 4:25)
A - Birth and Childhood of Jesus (Matthew 1:1 - 2:23)

3. Visit and Worship of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-11)


MATTHEW 2:7-10
7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” 9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

King Herod and the supreme Jewish council closed their hearts against the call of God. They neither repented of their sins nor believed the wise men. So Herod called the visitors from the East to a secret meeting and inquired the exact time the star had appeared in order to learn the time when Christ was born. He had already learned from the priests and scribes where he was born. He cunningly sent the wise men to Bethlehem to search for the royal child among the numerous children of the town with intent to kill him.

Herod pretended before the wise men that he would follow them to worship the divine child. All this might look suspicious, if he had not covered it with a show of religion: "that I may come and worship him also." The greatest wickedness often conceals itself under the mask of religion and piety.

Most likely, neither Herod nor the scribes, nor anyone in Jerusalem believed the story of the wise men. The Jews and Romans considered their sayings a legend and mocked the wise men of the east. The chief priests did not believe that God might send Christ without informing them since they considered themselves just men and other nations unclean. The thought that God might disclose his secrets to strangers was contrary to their perception.

In any case, Herod asked the wise men to bring back word to him upon finding the child. Had Herod been wise, he would have chosen someone loyal to him to do his bidding. Bethlehem being so close to Jerusalem, he could easily have sent spies to watch the wise men, and even destroy the child when they found him.

God can blind the eyes of enemies of the church from seeing methods they might easily use to destroy the church; just as he can "make the judges fools" and "lead princes away spoiled" (Job 12:17, 19).

While the chiefs of the Jews at first closed their hearts against Christ, the wise men observed on the fourth day of December 7 BC, for the third time, the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. How astonishing! This time, their conjunction happened in the south not in the east. They were already traveling from east to west but they changed their direction towards Bethlehem, which is located about six km to the southwest of Jerusalem. The star, as it apparently seemed, was going ahead of them.

The wise men came from a far country to worship the newborn child while the Jews, his kinsmen, would not go to the next town to bid him welcome. It might have been a discouragement to these wise men to find him whom they sought so neglected at home. Yet the wise men persisted in their resolution. We must continue in our coming unto Christ. Though we may be alone, we must serve the Lord no matter what others do. If they will not go to heaven with us, we must not go to hell with them.

If we serve the Lord in every area he directs us, God will enable us to do that which we cannot do; "Arise and be doing, and the Lord will be with you" (1 Chronicles 22:16). A Latin proverb says, "The law affords its aid, not to the idle, but to the active."

The star had left them for some time and then returned. Those who hold fast to God in the dark will find that light is always reserved to illuminate their path. God led Israel by a pillar of fire to "the promised land", and he led the wise men by a star to "the promised Seed", who is himself "the Bright and Morning Star" (Revelation 22:16). God would rather "create a new thing" than leave those at a loss who diligently and faithfully seek him.

God did not abstain from giving the believers a sign from the Gentiles. Although the wise men were not scribes and knew not the scriptures, they took a long journey to see the King of Kings and to seek his blessing. They were filled with unspeakable joy when they saw, for the third time, the conjunction of the two planets in the sky. Until now, great joy fills all those who seek God and search for him with all their hearts. They worship him and delight in him.

We must recognize these days that the Lord gives some non-Christians dreams and visions to attract them to Christ, to his words and to his church. They seek and find the truth they were introduced to in the person of Jesus. Unfortunately many educated Christians do not believe that Jesus was born of God. They mock his resurrection and they consequently lose the eternal treasure deposited in their hands. Which one of those parties do you follow? Do you seek God with all your heart aiming at nothing else but him? Is he your treasure? Or you wish for earthly presents? Leave everything and seek Jesus and his light since he is the only hope for our worried world. He was born for your sake. Christ is your greatest present. Will you present yourself to him without any reservation?

Now that Christ, the Sun of righteousness is born, we do not need to observe the stars and planets any longer to learn and discover the secrets of the future. Christ satisfies, secures and guides us; whoever relies on stars, astrology, or palmistry to foresee the invisible denies Christ and remains a distant shadow.

PRAYER: I love you Lord Jesus, because you became a man, and you made me a child of God. I am, in reality, corrupt. You are my Savior and Shepherd, my Power and my King. I give my life to you that I may be worthy, by your glorious grace, to be one of your children.

QUESTION:

  1. Why were the wise men filled with great joy?

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