Four Weeks of ADVENT
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
Four Weeks of ADVENT
Day 18 | THE MAGI ARRIVE | Matthew 2:1-3
Four Weeks of ADVENT
Day 18 | THE MAGI ARRIVE | Matthew 2:1-3
THE MAGI ARRIVE
Matthew 2:1-3
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the King heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.”
Approximately two years after the birth of Jesus, the wise men arrived at the town where Jesus was living with Joseph and Mary. (Yes, many of our nativity scenes show the magi, aka “wise men,” there but this is not correct in the timeline.)
So, these magi came to worship the newborn King.
These men were possibly astronomers or maybe Zoroastrian wise men from Persia whose knowledge of the Hebrew Scripture could be traced to Daniel 5. Further, they were not kings, and there were likely many more than three of them (though three is often said because that was the number of gifts mentioned). They could have been among the Jews exiled from Judah and Israel centuries before.
Interestingly, they came to Jerusalem… probably because this baby was prophesied to be “King of the Jews,” and they thought that the leaders of the Jews and all people would be aware and excited about the birth of their Messiah. (They soon found out that was not the case. “Herod, the king, heard this; he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” )
Imagine the commitment of these Magi who believed the prophecies and wanted to see and worship this newborn King of the Jews. Assuming the star they saw appeared the night of Jesus’ birth, they’ve been planning, packing, and traveling for TWO YEARS before arriving to see the newborn King.
And many in our modern world today won’t drive ten minutes to go to church to worship the King of Kings.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for this information about the wise men and the baby Jesus. It’s true today as it was then, “Wise men still seek Him.” Amen.
Matthew 2:1-3
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the King heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.”
Approximately two years after the birth of Jesus, the wise men arrived at the town where Jesus was living with Joseph and Mary. (Yes, many of our nativity scenes show the magi, aka “wise men,” there but this is not correct in the timeline.)
So, these magi came to worship the newborn King.
These men were possibly astronomers or maybe Zoroastrian wise men from Persia whose knowledge of the Hebrew Scripture could be traced to Daniel 5. Further, they were not kings, and there were likely many more than three of them (though three is often said because that was the number of gifts mentioned). They could have been among the Jews exiled from Judah and Israel centuries before.
Interestingly, they came to Jerusalem… probably because this baby was prophesied to be “King of the Jews,” and they thought that the leaders of the Jews and all people would be aware and excited about the birth of their Messiah. (They soon found out that was not the case. “Herod, the king, heard this; he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” )
Imagine the commitment of these Magi who believed the prophecies and wanted to see and worship this newborn King of the Jews. Assuming the star they saw appeared the night of Jesus’ birth, they’ve been planning, packing, and traveling for TWO YEARS before arriving to see the newborn King.
And many in our modern world today won’t drive ten minutes to go to church to worship the King of Kings.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for this information about the wise men and the baby Jesus. It’s true today as it was then, “Wise men still seek Him.” Amen.
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