Christian Living

THE WISE MEN'S STORY

by paul hoffmaster
12/30/18
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Understanding Scripture and acting on the knowledge that it offers, gives way to wisdom which opens the door to a whole new life style.   The Bible relates an event that happened in the city of Bethlehem that would have an effect upon every living created individual, both past, present and future.   It was the birth of the Jewish Messiah.  Not only would God’s chosen people be restored to a living relationship to their Creator, but the invitation to God’s family would be offered to every person, no matter race or gender.  The news of the long awaiting Messiah was first revealed to the Shepherds who became the first evangelist to spread the “Good tidings of great Joy.” (Luke 2:10)  About 900 miles to the northeast of the city of Bethlehem were a group of scholars that made it their business to share and expand their range of knowledge.   On one particular night they happened to notice a new star that had suddenly appeared.  To them it meant that something very special had happened, but what?  Seven hundred years earlier the Southern Kingdom of Judah had  fallen to the mighty army of the Babylonians.   Many of the elite Jews and their possessions were brought back to Babylon.  Among the bounty were probably the Holy Scroll’s and religious artifacts.  One of the individuals captured was Daniel.  Many of the Jews who were loyal to God continued to worship Him in their hostile environment.   I can imagine the “wise men” engaged these new arrivals in quest of knowledge.  Studying the Scroll’s they could have found a reference to a star in Numbers 24:17.  Further study would have shown that a great person would appear on the earth. (Micah 5:2.  Daniel 9:24-27.)  Convinced in the validity of the Word, they decided to seek the individual who had just been born.

After months of travel through all kinds of terrain they finally came to the restored capital of Judah (Jerusalem.)   Desiring to find the specific location of the “King of the Jews,” they met with the political leaders to get specific directions.  I image they thought the country would still be celebrating the arrival of their Messiah.  Instead, the rulers were dumb founded.  King Herod’s cabinet immediately searched the Scroll’s and found that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)  Herod informed the Wise Men where they could find Him.  He also told them when they found Him, to return and tell him so he could worship Him.  I imagine they thought how could Herod not have known of this great event.

Finding the house where the Messiah was, they entered and immediately fell to the ground and worshipped Him.  How long they worshipped we do not know, but when they finished, they opened the gifts they had brought and laid them at His feet.  They must have lodged in Bethlehem overnight, for they had a dream to not return home by way of Jerusalem.  So the next day, they set off by an alternate route. 

What does the Wise Men’s story tell us?  They read and believed God’s written Word. (Scroll’s)  They sought Jesus. (Traveled far) They found Him. (In Bethlehem)  They worshipped Him. (Fell down before Him)  They obeyed God. (As a result of a dream)    Let us read His Word and be willing to seek Him.  Let us worship Him and then obey God’s leading!