Wise Men
Mat 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Men seek wealth, honor, power and may be filled with a certain pride of achievement, but it doesn't last, they always want more.
1 Tim 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1 Tim 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
They are never truly satisfied until they seek and find the Lord.
Mat 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Tradition has it that they were three kings, but they were astronomers and probably more then three. Perhaps these were influenced by Daniel and his revelations? The wise men knew what they were looking for and were looking for a sign. They came to worship the Messiah. They were following a star, a sign in the heavens. We are not to go to seers, diviners, or sorcerers for spiritual direction, but many do. We go to the LORD. The wise men had to hear from the scriptures to know where the Messiah was to be born.
Worldly Counsel
Mic 3:7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Mat 2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
The people had no idea that a king had come. Herod was troubled and filled with jealousy and fear. Perhaps the people knew of Herod's ways and feared for what would be coming. Herod was a ruthless cruel king even killing members of his own family.
Counsel from the Scriptures
Mat 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
Mat 2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
Mat 2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
A ruler is born in Bethlehem who came from old, from everlasting. The everlasting king of the Jews is born in Bethlehem.
Mat 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Mat 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem to inform him when the Messiah is found. The lying King said that he would worship him too, but the devil was in him. He would try to destroy the Messiah. Satan opposed Jesus from the start and will oppose his servants today and until he is judged by Jesus, the Christ, at the end time.
Gifts for the Messiah
Mat 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
I remember once riding a motorcycle with a full moon before me. The trees seemed to move by swiftly, but the moon remained in its distant position. Real stars are like the moon, distant and unreachable. A rocket may go to the moon, but the stars remain distant. To go to the sun, a star, you would burn up. This was a special star, a glowing star made by God that led the wise men to where the Christ child was staying.
Mat 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
True worshippers rejoice at the presence of the Lord. The scribes and pharisees and the people that the Messiah came to bless, were uninterested and at the most frightened. How will you feel at the presence of our Lord?
Mat 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
The baby no longer was in the stable. This meeting occurred sometime afterwards, for they were living in a house, but still in Bethlehem. It was not a permanent home, there home town was Nazareth.
The wise men fell down and worshipped him. They knew he was the Messiah. The Lord that guided them by the strange star also guided them in their hearts by His Spirit.
The wise men brought gifts to the messiah:
gold for his royalty as king of kingsfrankincense, a sweet smelling fragrance for the great high priest, (Exo 30:34-37) who would offer himself a sacrifice, being the atonement for our sins.
myrrh, a spice for his burial. They wrapped the body with white linen, using aloe and Myrrh, as spices. (John 19:39-40)
Warned in a Dream from God
Mat 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
They were following God and hearing him in a dream. They were believers connected by the spirit of God to God the Father. They obeyed the Father and not the wicked king. They went home another way, not giving any information to the King.
When it comes to living and walking in truth, we obey God before earthly authorities. The apostles said it well when they were told to not witness for God.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
There are many perils in the lives of those serving our Lord. Satan is our enemy and he controls most of the world. God is our help, His Spirit our guide. As he guided the wise men and Joseph, he will guide us. We are of the light and the truth. Our God is greater then the god of the world.
Wise men and women still seek Jesus. We give him the gift of our needy lives and he gives us eternal life and the gifts of his Spirit. He makes us vessels of honor for his glory.
Into Egypt
Mat 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
The angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream, apparently soon after the wise men departed with a warning and a command from God. Arise now, take the baby and Mary and flee into Egypt. Joseph had heard from the Lord before and believed. The just shall live by faith obeying God. There was no need to question, we are to obey. God sees the future and He is our guide.
He was told to stay until he heard again from God. How many of us let God direct our paths? Do we go as the Spirit leads us and do we stay until He says to move again? This requires a closeness to God, to be able to know his will. God wanted to be sure Joseph understood, because Jesus was in danger from Herod. " Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."
Mat 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Mat 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Mat 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Herod was so mad with jealousy, that he would kill his potential rival, to be sure of this, he had all the children under 2 years old killed who were in the region of Bethlehem. Another prophecy is fulfilled.
Mat 2:17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
Mat 2:18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
Jer 31:15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
Rachel had been buried in Bethlehem.
Mat 2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Mat 2:20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
All is clear, come home again. Satan seeks to steal and kill and to destroy but we have the Lord protecting us. Who satan has divided and scattered, the Lord will bring back home. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord.
Prov 10:28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
Prov 10:29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
Prov 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
Jesus of Nazareth
Mat 2:21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
The angel having told Joseph to return to his home, because Herod was dead. Historians have said that when Herod was near death that he ordered the most prominent leaders in Israel to be held. When Herod died, they were to be put to death. No one would mourn Herod's death, but there would be tears shed over the death of these beloved people. This is the way of satan, he is a destroyer. The work of satan is to destroy that which is good, to try to take as many to death and hell as possible. Hell is the place of torment that souls are kept until the final judgment. After the judgment, satan, death and hell will be thrown into the lake of fire, a place of eternal torment.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Satan knows that his end is eternal torment in the lake of fire. He wants to deceive all he can by false light; the lusts of the world and the pride of life, so that when he is destroyed, many others who were created for Gods pleasure, would be destroyed with him. That is why Jesus came, to destroy the work of satan. To save you and me from sins payment. To restore us to the place of children of God, beloved children who belong to the God of creation who is good and loving and merciful. Come to Jesus and be saved from the destroyer.
Mat 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Archelaus was ruthless like his father Herod. Because of this Joseph being warned in a dream, did not return to Bethlehem.
Mat 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Luke 2:39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
Nazareth comes from the Hebrew word "netzer" meaning "branch" or "sprout." It is used figuratively for that which is lowly or despised. The Messiah was lowly and despised by the world who knew him not.
Later, Jesus would gather followers, who questioned about him coming from Nazareth;
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Those who opposed Jesus would mention that he came from Nazareth. They knew him not as God's son. Yet, the demons knew who he was.
Luke 4:33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
Luke 4:34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah from heaven, our savior, our hope and our peace.
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