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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends, today is Friday December 20th and we’re looking at the famous Magi visit in Matthew chapter 2:1-12. I invite you to read this short Scripture before you read my reflections here.
“Magi” is a term used for scholars who studied what could be seen in the sky at night… stars, planets, moon etc. They studied positions at various times of the year, movements across the sky, and tried to identify and catalog what they observed. Their ‘telescopes’ were primitive by our standards, but their efforts were scientific. They also studied cultural history and the various cultural myths held by the societies of that day. Thus they would have studied Jewish history including Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, and the prophecies of an anticipated Jewish Messiah king.
Matthew tells us they came from the East and we presume traveled a long distance because Herod killed babies as old as 2 years. I presume they traveled by camel across the desert, which was slow travel. I believe they may have come from modern day Iran or Iraq which was part of the ancient Persian kingdom, and before that the kingdom of Babylon, and before that the Assyrian Empire. These were the times of the prophets who wrote many of the prophecies about Messiah. These were sophisticated empires with scholars such as the Magi.
Matthew doesn’t tell us how many Magi came, and I presume Christmas tradition usually shows three because of three gifts they brought. They arrive first in Jerusalem searching for a ‘newborn king of the Jews.’ It would be logical a Jewish king would be born in the capital of Israel and celebrated with much fanfare, of course. The arrival of a prince is a big deal in a kingdom, as we see in the modern day United Kingdom and Queen Elizabeth’s family. The Magi reported that they’d seen and followed a star, they called it ‘his star in the east’. In their study, they evidently missed Micah’s prophecy about Bethlehem. But even if they had known about Micah 5:2, they likely would have gone to Jerusalem anyway to pay respects to the reigning king, assuming this new child was born into his family, right?
Much study has been made over the years by professional astronomers seeking to understand this phenomenon in the sky. Regardless of which theory you accept, all study of the sky points to God who made them, positioned them and controls their movements.
About 650bc the prophet Isaiah wrote: “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (Is. 40:26)
“This is what God the LORD says – He who created the heavens, and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it,… I am the LORD, that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols…” (Is. 42:5-8)
Herod the Great reigned in Palestine from 37bc to 4bc. He was a strong and feared ruler. He was appointed by the Caesar, primarily to keep the peace in Palestine. He did some wonderful things, including a massive renovation of the Jewish Temple which had been built by returning Jewish exiles from Babylon, 5 centuries before, in 516bc (Ezra 1-6). This Temple replaced the magnificent one built by king Solomon in about 1000bc which had been destroyed in 586bc by king Nebuchadnezzar. The Temple in Jerusalem, refurbished by Herod, is the one Jesus visited often during His ministry. It was destroyed in 70ad by the Roman army as they destroyed Jerusalem, to put down Jewish rebellion in Israel.
But Herod was also was a manic depressive and possibly bi-polar. He had an extreme temper and killed several of his own family, fearing they were trying to remove him from office or kill him. This is the Herod who flew into a rage and ordered the slaughter of the Bethlehem babies, as we see in Matthew 2:16. Finally, Herod was deceitful and manipulative, as we see in how he received the Magi, helped them find out where to go to find this ‘newborn king’ and sent them on their way with good wishes, urging them to return to him with news.
We notice there was little debate among the Jewish chief priests and teachers of the law regarding where their Messiah would be born. In unison they pointed to Bethlehem and quoted Micah 5:2. Isn’t it interesting though, there is no evidence any of them were interested enough to make the 6 mile trek to Bethlehem to find out if what the Magi sought was what they had been awaiting for centuries!? Do we make that same mistake sometimes? Are we so intent on our own agenda, pursuing our own path, that we miss a sign from God that might have been His invitation to join with Him in something even more special?
Matt. 2:9, 10,11 are instructive for us. Stars are visible at night, right? Desert travel is much preferred at night when it’s cooler than the blazing sun of the daytime. But it appears after their conversation with Herod, the Magi still waited till nightfall so they could follow the star to Bethlehem. “On coming to the house they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshiped Him.” I’m sure you notice the word HOUSE. Joseph has evidently found a more permanent place for them to live. I believe this tells us he and Mary had planned to make Bethlehem their home, rather than returning to Nazareth where they would, of course, face the scowls, gossip and finger-pointing of those who presumed their child was conceived during their engagement and thus was an illegitimate child, defiling their marriage.
The gifts the Magi placed before them were remarkable! Gold of course was as valuable then as it is today. Incense (frankincense) and myrrh were both valuable spices used in a variety of ways in middle-eastern life. Now think about this my friends… have you ever moved? Remember the costs of setting up a new home in a new location? Have you ever moved to a place without a job waiting for you? I wonder how long it took for Joseph to find work?
Do you see what God is doing here? He knows both their current need in Bethlehem, and the needs they would soon have in Egypt… God is providing! Jehovah Jireh, the same God Abraham met on the mountain (Genesis 22). The same God Jesus spoke of when He gave us instructions about prayer. He said “..your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matt. 6:8) This Christmas season, can you remember back to how often God has provided exactly what you needed, when you were in need? Has He also provided for you BEFORE you knew you had a need?
How long the Magi stayed, we don’t know, but verse 12 tells us God warned them in a dream that danger awaited them if they returned to Herod, and so they left Bethlehem and returned to their homeland by a different route. We never hear anything further about these Magi, but don’t you suppose they do as the shepherds did, and when they arrive in their homeland, they probably tell the story to any who will hear?
Move forward in time 30 years or so…
Jesus is standing with His disciples in a place called Caesarea Philippi, up in the north of Israel. There’s a large fresh water spring there and it became a crossroads for trading caravans moving east/west, and north/south. In a sheer, cliff face, side of the hill many travelers had carved out niches in which they had placed their idols from the far away lands. Travelers refreshed themselves and their camels there with the water, but also worshiped there. Looking at it all, Jesus asked His disciples “Who do people say that I am? After several comments, Jesus asked them directly, “But what about you… who do you say I am?” and Peter boldly responded: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus said, “Blessed are you Simon, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven…and upon this rock (truth) I will build My church and the gates of Hades will not prevail.” (Matt. 16:13-18)
I have stood in that place. I’ve often wondered, as Jesus spoke these words, might there have been a trading caravan who had come from the homeland of the Magi, with ‘frankincense and myrrh’ and other spices for trade and sale? Might they have heard the story about the infant king?
Oh Lord Jesus…
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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