Wise Men Always Seek Jesus

Well, here we are at the normal “gift-giving” time of the year. It seems that our whole country only seems to understand buying and selling. It is all about gifts and the “holiday” spirit. They have dropped “Christmas” for the most part. No one wants to offend other religions in this county. Yet those other religions are minor in number. We have become politically correct and morally decrepit.

The movers and shakers of the retail industry, the movie industry and politicos have relegated Christ away from the main stream. Interesting, it is no different than we He came into this world.

Much was written about the coming of Him.

Of all the persons ever born on this planet, none can compare to the Lord Jesus Christ.

His birth was promised many times in OT scriptures. Israel was looking for Him. The Messiah was the One for Whom every Jewish woman desired to birth. They understood the miraculous nature of the prophecies concerning Him.

Moses wrote of Him

(Deu 18:15) The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Isaiah wrote of Him

(Isa 7:14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

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(Isa 9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(Isa 9:7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Jeremiah wrote of Him

(Jer 23:5) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Micah wrote of Him

(Mic 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.

(Mic 5:3) Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

(Mic 5:4) And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

(Mic 5:5a) And this man shall be the peace,

And of course, Matthew and Luke wrote the narratives that detail His coming and birth. We will look at just part of this wonderful Christmas story. Let us hear what Matthew says.

Premise: Wise men and women seek him. Fools wish to rid the world of him

Summary of the Wise men and their visit to Bethlehem

(Mat 2:1) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

(Num 24:17) I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

(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.

Numbers 24:17

The Prompting for sending the wise men by King Herod

(Mat 2:3) When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

(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 Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

(Mat 2:6) And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

These were well-studied persons in the scriptures. It is interesting that a wicked king like Herod decided to check the scriptures. When all else doesn’t work, try anything. Many persons must get to the “bottom” of themselves before they will turn to the One Who can take care of their needs.

The chief priests and scribes, no doubt, referenced the following scriptures.

(Mic 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.

He would be born in a little town called Bethlehem.

Bethlehem means “house of bread”.

The bread of life was born in this very village.

Inquiry into Scripture

(Mat 2:7) Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Interestingly, the Jewish shepherds on the hillside had an angel announce the Messiah.

The gentile wise men had a star to lead them.

The Jews understood angelic appearances as they occurred somewhat frequently in Jewish history.

The Persian wise men would have an understanding of the heavens. The star was much different than any other star they had ever seen. Its difference indicated to them something of extraordinary importance.

The Commission

(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.

Search for Him.

Do it diligently

Find Him

Bring word back

I will then go worship Him.

The Trip

(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.

(Mat 2:10) When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

The star had appeared at one time in the beginning of their trip.

The trip was exceedingly long - 600 miles at the very least.

They were traveling from Persia (currently Iraq) to Israel by caravan.

The star reappears when they near Bethlehem.

The Arrival

(Mat 2:11) And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Lets read some OT prophecies regarding this event:

(Psa 72:10) The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

(Psa 72:11) Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

(Psa 72:15) And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

(Isa 60:6) The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the LORD.

The wise men come into a house. This is indicative of the amount of time that has passed.

The wise see the young child. They see Mary. Who do they fall down and worship? They worship the young child. If there ever a time to render worship to Mary, this would have been it. But wise men always know Who is the Savior and Mediator.

The Divine Warning

(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.

Wicked, wicked Herod had a nefarious plan in which he pretended genuine interest in the coming Messiah as promised in the scripture.

The Young Child is the Object of Concern

(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.

(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.

The Death Decree

(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.

(Mat 2:17) Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

(Mat 2:18) In Ramah 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.

(Mat 2:19) But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

The Return

(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.

(Mat 2:21) And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

(Mat 2:22) But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea 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: