Magi: The Seekers who Found Jesus

One on One with Him in His Advent--Day 20

The fact that God sent them a personal invitation to the party is a truth we sometimes miss in all the attention on their extravagant gifts. That they came at all, traveling for more than a year across the desert to pay homage to a Jewish king, is reason enough to call them “wise.” Others may call them something else to set out on such a journey with nothing more than a bright star to point the way.

When the wise men revealed God had written in the stars His announcement of the “new king of the Jews,” it caused no small ruckus in the palace and around Jerusalem. Herod—near the end of his mad, mad life—couldn’t contain his paranoia. After faking interest in worshipping this child, he shrewdly directed the visitors to Bethlehem (to find the child for him). Seems Herod’s religious scholars knew all along that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem but didn’t bother to travel five miles down the road to investigate.

After their long, uncertain journey, the Magi were thrilled when the star appeared again, this time over the exact house where they would find Jesus.

Mary and Joseph must have been surprised (again) by the celebrity visitors at their door. The guests confirmed what Gabriel and Elizabeth and Simeon and the shepherds had all told them—that their miracle baby, Jesus, cutting His first tooth or taking His first steps by then, was the Messiah, sent by God on a rescue operation to save the world.

And if their Old Testament education served them right, the young couple also put two and two together that the magi’s visit confirmed Isaiah’s prophecy: Gentile nations would come and honor the Messiah. Their gifts of gold (for a king), frankincense (for worship), and myrrh (for burial) also foreshadowed Isaiah’s suffering Servant.

As for the other questions (from what country did the Magi come and what exactly was that star?)—we just don’t know. What we can say for sure is all the time we’ve focused on the unfolding drama in Israel, God was introducing characters in the spinoff series in another neighborhood on the other side of the world.

Gentiles, too, were looking for a Savior, and they traveled great lengths to follow every lead. And God, who promises to reward those who seek Him, used a star to signal them rescue was on the way.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2

Tomorrow: One on one with refugees on the run

Let’s talk about it:

1. On a clear night, go outside and look at the stars. Psalm 19:1 says, “the heavens are telling of the glory of God” God also uses His creation for special communication. Once a star was used as a special phenomenon, for a special time in history.
   

2. What does this miracle say about God’s desire that Jesus birth be known to the world? A popular bumper sticker says, “Wiseman still seek Him.” What does this mean to you?
   

3. How do the gifts the Magi gave to Jesus reflect their understanding of who He really was? Practically speaking how might these gifts have been God’s provision for the emergency trip the young family would take to Egypt