Grosey's Messages

"Wise Seekers"    Matthew  2:1-12

Who was Herod the king? He had been appointed by the Roman Senate in 40 BC; he was half- Jew and half-Idumean. As he grew older, he became increasingly paranoid about threats against his person and throne. He had numerous sons, wives, and others close to him put to death because he feared plots to overthrow him. The idea of a baby "born" king of the Jews was a direct threat to him. His response to the Lord Jesus' birth was both fascinating and disturbing. By now, Jesus was between one and two years old. He and His parents were living in a house in Bethlehem. A quick review of this chapter sheds light on the response of this secular king to the Messiah.

 (3) He was "troubled." You might say he was all shook up!

 (4-6) He was insecure. He had to find this rival to his throne.

 (7-8) He was deceitful. He had no intention of worshiping the Lord.

 (16) He was angry. The Bible says he was enraged!

 (16-17) He was maniacal. He had little innocent babies slaughtered.

 (19) He was dead.

Our Quiz

Question: The "star in the east" was seen by: a. the shepherds b. three kings from the Orient c. astrologers living in Persia The answer is: "c" – astrologers living in Persia. Understand that these were the Magi. This word gives us our word "magic" or "magician". However, these Magi were more than this. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus informs us that the Magi were responsible for training the future kings of Persia. These were professors of the arts and sciences, languages and mathematics. No one could ascend the throne as king without mastering the disciplines and receiving the blessings of the Magi. The most distinguished Magi to have lived in Persia was a believing Jew named Daniel. He would live out his faith before several kings in this kingdom and nearly pay for it with his life when he was thrown to the lions. He held to the law, which informed him in Numbers chapter 24 that a star would rise from Jacob.

It could be that some of the lost tribes of Israel are to be found in isolated regions of Northern Iran. There from the exile of Israel by Assyria, there are reported to be isolated tribes that speak Hebrew in these regions of Assyria and Iran. As such they may have maintained copies of the Hebrew scriptures in their exile.  And with Daniel' prophecies and Micah's Bethlehem prophecy , they may well have come from that region familiar with the prophecies.

This was no ordinary star. The word used for "star" or "aster" can be translated "brightness".

· This was the light that guided the people of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21).

· This was the light that made the face of Moses glow after he had met with God (Exodus 34:30).

· This was the brilliant light that knocked Saul off his horse on the Damascus road in Acts 9.

· This was the vision of John the apostle as he saw the light of Christ's face shining like the sun in Revelation 1:16.

This star was the Shekinah glory of God. How can its disappearance when the Magi arrived in Jerusalem be explained otherwise? How can its sudden reappearance when the Magi left Herod's place be explained otherwise? How can the fact that

it stood over the very place where the Child was be explained otherwise?

The Magi, believing descendants of Daniel's faith and professors from the ancient kingdom of Persia, had arrived to worship the Saviour, led by a literal light of God.

This leads to the next question of when the Magi arrived.

Question: The wise men came to visit Jesus:  a. while Jesus was lying in the manger

b. just after the shepherds returned to the fields c. in the house where Joseph and Mary were staying

The answer is: "c" – in the house where Joseph and Mary were staying. Matthew records in chapter 2, verse 11, that . . . After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary . . . The text implies that Joseph might not have even been there at the time – perhaps he was at work.  The wise men came into the house and saw the Child. This word is not "brephos" (brefoV) for "baby," used earlier when the shepherds were told to go and find the baby; the word now used is the word "paidion" (paidion), which is the Greek word for "little child". King Herod's later command to kill . . . . . . all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under . . . (Matthew 2:16) . . . gives an indication of the timing of the Magi's arrival and their disappearance back to their kingdom. In order to be sure the usurper of his throne was eliminated, Herod ordered all the male children in Bethlehem ages two and under killed. By the way, the church developed the myth of three wise men. We are not told in scripture how many there were. We are only told that they brought three significant gifts of:

· gold – which represented royalty; · frankincense – which was used by the priest in his daily intercession; · myrrh

As with gladness men of old     Did the guiding star behold,

As with joy they hailed its light,      Leading onward, beaming bright;

So, most gracious Lord, may we    Evermore be led to Thee!

This story of the Wise Men of the East is placed on record to show that every sky has its star. A man may live in the most outlandish spot in the solar system. But if his heart is hungry, and his eyes wide open, he will discover some pin-prick of light in the dark vault of his heaven that, faithfully followed, will lead him to Jesus. These men kept their vigil in a place so remote, and so out of touch with the rest of the world, that Marco Polo, in spite of the most painstaking researches and inquiries, had the greatest possible difficulty in locating it. Yet, in response to their aching desire for something that, sensed by their spirits, their science failed to reveal, a star swam into their ken that led them to Bethlehem.

There is in every person's sky the light of nature.

The Evidence of Creation       Design

Moral Law                 Life-giver

There is in every person's sky the light of history.

Evidence of Jesus' Birth   -Gospels, Church

Evidence of Jesus' Life   -Josephus

Evidence of Jesus' Death and Resurrection

Eyewitnesses     Empty Tomb   Effect on believers and unbelievers

There is in every person's sky the light of scripture.

Fulfilled Prophecies

There is in every person's sky the light of providence.

You are not here by accident

Everyone experiences miracles and coincidences

Answered Prayer

 

This story of the Wise Men of the East is placed on record to show that every vision has its price. For the star insisted on going the wrong way! It went West! To an Eastern mind that was anathema. What good could come out of the West? An Eastern looked to the East as the source of all intellectual and spiritual illumination.

To make matters worse, in leading them on a westward course, it directed them, of all places, to Palestine! Palestine was the home of everything that was conservative, everything that was antiquated, everything that was behind the times, It had no observatories, no academies, no universities, no anything!

After crossing the sandy desert; after having found a way across the turgid and tumultuous waters of the Euphrates; after having forded the fast-rushing streams of the Tigris; after having followed the star among the oaks of Bashan and the cedars of Lebanon; after having seen for the first time the heights of Carmel and of Hermon; after having caught sight of the glories of Jerusalem and gazed upon the stately proportions of the Temple, they at length found themselves below a caraavanasri at a cave!  The object of their search had been born in a manger.

The Magi turned the faces their camels westward. Whatever truth was; wherever truth was; they were prepared to part with all the gems that they had accumulated in order to purchase that one Pearl of Great Price.

This way and no other! This thing and no other! This faith and no other! Even though it command me to worship a babe in a manger at a wayside inn, I prefer a religion that is sovereign and majestic to a religion that is trivial and subservient. I want to be led to a Rock that is higher than I.

Every Vision has its Price of Conversion

When the Magi understood from the scriptures that they had discovered the date and place of the Saviour's birth, they immideiately prepared and left to meet him.  When you understand who the Saviour is, and that He has fulfilled all these prophecies and is indeed the Saviour of the world, you have no choice but to be converted and go to Him. 

The word converted only  occurs twice in the New Testament.  It refers to the human side of the New birth or regeneration.  Matthew 18: 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Acts 3: 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

It includes turning from sin and turning to Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.  Have you been converted? Has the truth of who Jesus is so impacted you that you would leave home and friends for His sake?

Every Vision has its Price of Conviction  3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared…8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

Note: Herod didn't leave his fortress of solitude in Jerusalem . He wouldn't get off his throne for anyone!  He had no conviction. Therefore he had no conversion!  So the Magi left him to himself.

Every Vision has its Price of Commitment.  Those to whom the star appears may, from that hour, live lives that are divinely guided and controlled. Heaven has its beckoning and its frightening angels, The beckoning angels bade the Wise Men follow the star. The angels bade them, later on, ignore the instructions of Herod and return to their own country another way. God has many messengers yet but one message. Whether He sends angels, as in the case of the shepherds, or stars, as in the case of the Wise Men, He is seeking, both by shining spirits and by celestial orbs, to lead the wayward hearts of men to the feet of His divine Son. It may be that, if only we had eyes to see and ears to hear, we should discover that every star that shines, and every bird that sings, and every flower that blooms is calling us to the worship and service of Jesus.

Follow the Star

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

Exodus 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Luke 2:10-11 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

 

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

Throughout the story there were others that should have gone to Bethlehem too. But there was Indifference shown by the people

4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea, they replied…

In verse 4, we are introduced to the "chief priests and scribes." The "chief priests" headed the twenty-four main orders of priests who lived in and around the city. The scribes ("teachers of the law") had inherited the ancient profession of copying Scripture, but they had evolved into a class of teachers well trained in interpreting and applying the Old Testament as well. So Herod turns to the scribes and priests for advice. He has only one question: Where is this child to be born? The scribes don't have to look it up—they already knew the answer. Seven hundred years earlier the prophet Micah had predicted the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem. That was common knowledge in Israel. Little children learned that in Sabbath School before they were six years old. It's hard to believe that Herod didn't know it. Matthew cites a second fulfilled prophecy to prove that Jesus Christ is the King (Matthew 2:5).

How He was born was a fulfillment of prophecy, and where He was born was a fulfillment of prophecy.  They knew it all and did nothing! Their apathy hardened into outright opposition to Christ

You can know a great deal about the Bible, about church history, even be an expert in theology (a so called Greek scholar who can't read Greek!) and still respond to the Lord Jesus Christ with apathy and complacency. You can be sucked into a religion of rituals and you can miss out on the most important concept of all—a personal relationship with God.

John 1:10-11  11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Look at how Matthew contrasts their attitude to that of the Magi

Rejoicing  10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy

WISE SEEKERS…Recognize the Worth  Worship Him! 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Jesus was Given… Gold – a Gift for Royalty

 Incense – a Gift for Deity     Myrrh – a Gift for Humanity
The Magi gave Jesus gold, signifying His kingship, frankincense, signifying His priesthood, and myrrh, signifying the death He would one day submit to (Matthew 2:11). At the time they gave their gifts to Jesus, did they know He would one day die an unusual death? Did they know the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah dying—for example, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53?

We don't know what they knew, but providentially they gave gifts to Jesus that signified whom He would become: King, Priest, and Savior.

Myrrh was a bitter herb that was used when preparing the body of a deceased person for burial. The apostle John tells us that Nicodemus brought a hundred-pound mixture of myrrh and aloes with which to prepare Jesus' body for burial after the crucifixion. Myrrh had another use—as a sedative, or pain killer. Mark tells us that Jesus was offered a mix of wine and myrrh as He hung on the cross to deaden His pain—"But He did not take it" (Mark 15:23).

And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. John 19:39
Give thanks today that Jesus "endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2) for your salvation.
The cross shows the seriousness of our sin—but it also shows us the immeasurable love of God. It shows us For God so loved that the world that He gave His only begotten son.

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us

1John 4: 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

WISE SEEKERS… Receive the Gift

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

These wise men sought Christ with all their hearts! They surrendered to Him and acknowledged His Lordship. This illustrates the faith response that God requires for all who come to His Son. Will you submit to the authority of King Jesus?

Repent of your sins and place your faith in Him as your Lord and Saviour.

Yield your hopes and dreams to Him and follow His plan for your life.

Give Him your heart daily and live to please Him.

Trust Him when life gets hard.

HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TO CHRIST?

Will you respond to God's Messiah and our one and only Saviour with faith that results in Conversion,  Conviction, and Commitment?