December 17, 2021
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
We know very little about these men. Contrary to what has been widely depicted in illustrations, we do not know how many magi visited Jesus as a child. We are only told there were 3 gifts. At some point during the Middle Ages three names emerged--Casper, Balthazar, and Melchior, but the Bible never names them.Their land of origin is also a mystery, and we know not their means of travel from the east. A little backstory: In the book of Daniel, magi were referred to as wise men. These men were knowledgable on the subjects of astronomy, agriculture, science, and mathematics. They were highly honored men of great power. Kings would seek advice from these wise men. The book of Daniel tells us that wise men were among the highest ranking-officials in Babylon, and Daniel became chief among them because God revealed to him how to interpret dreams (Daniel 2:48).
There were magi before Daniel appears on the scene, of course. Other magi had pagan practices. In general, magi practiced sorcery and astrology. It will come as no surprise to you that 'magi' is the word from which we get the word 'magic' and 'magician'. However, Philo was a Jewish philosopher who lived in a large Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt during Jesus' lifetime. His writings reveal that there was a prestigious eastern school, and some believe this particular eastern school can be traced back to Daniel. This would explain why Jesus' magi-visitors had an interest and knowledge of Jewish Old Testament writings. They would have been familiar with the prophecy in Daniel 9:25-26, and would have been anticipating Christ's coming based on this prophecy. Numbers 24:17 and Micah 5:2 would not have been a mystery to these magi. When they saw the display in the sky, it must have been an obvious sign to them because when they arrived in Jerusalem, they asked Herod directly where the king of the Jews was located. They had assumed he saw, understood, and reacted to the star the same way they had. This was a group well acquainted with the promises of God in Old Testament writings. They came to Herod with knowledge and interest in Jewish writings and prophecies revealing that they themselves were most likely invested in Israel's God--more likely they worshiped Israel's God too. Herod may not have respected Jewish writings or people, but Herod respected these magi enough to take their quest seriously. The magi that came from the east travelled anywhere from 700-1,000 miles. Why? They had a deep chasm of faith. These men did not let feelings of uncertainty get in the way. They journeyed because they believed God gave them a sign. I mean, they trusted God would guide them with a star! Imagine if they decided they required an angel to appear or the voice of God to direct them? They would have missed the gift of worshiping the Messiah in human flesh. Doubt can do big things, but faith can do far more. Hebrews 11:1
God created you for such a time as this. He created you to do big things for His kingdom. How can you excersise your faith beginning today?
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