Matthew 2:1-4 New American Standard [NAS]
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in 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 Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.” And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. [Magi = 1. in the Bible, the Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant, Jesus. 2. priests of ancient Persia.]
Dorothy:
Interesting part was Magi. They were called the wise men, but what exactly was their job? [Note from Zondervan quoted: These men were probably members of a learned religious class from the region that is now called Iran. They specialized in astrology (study of stars), medicine, and natural science. Their visit occurred when Jesus was between 40 days and 2 years old. The importance of this story is that Jesus is worthy of royal honor from all humanity, and Gentiles as well as Jews are included in God’s redemptive (salvation) plan.]
Next interesting thing: King Herod became alarmed about another ‘king’ so he called for chief priest and scribes who were teachers of the Law and they studied the prophecies from the Scripture in Old Testament. So Herod asked them a question, where would Christ be born? Matthew 2:5 And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for it has been written by the prophet…” I discovered that they had read from the book of Micah 5:2 and I was inspired! Why? It was 700 years later that God led ‘Magi, the Wise Men’ from Persia [Iran] to travel a long way to Jerusalem. The Magi were following the Star to Jerusalem and the Star must have disappeared because Matthew 2:9 says “…they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it (the star) came and stood over where the Child was.
What this means to me?
It is just the way God does things. I noticed something that the Star led Magi to Jerusalem and Magi didn’t know where Christ would be born and they started asking question. It seems that God wanted to bring attention to all people of Jerusalem that Christ was already born. Magi found out from the chief priests and the scribes that Micah prophesied that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. After they have left, the Star appeared to Magi and the Star led them to the Child. They fell down and worshiped Christ. There is a Christmas song called, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ and you can find them in a song book.
To be continued.
