12 Days of Christmas - The Real Story (Day 9) - The Wisemen Come to Jerusalem
Matthew 2:1-10
Now the Magi, having traveled a great distance, and having made their way to Israel, come first to Jerusalem. This would be the logical place for them to come since they had seen the star of the King of the Jews. Where else would they find a king but in the palace in the capital city?
However, it doesn’t seem as though they knew much about the local politics of the day, and why would they? While it’s possible there could have been some trade between their nations, it is unknown whether word of the state of the Roman empire and the actions of king Herod had reached these wise men. Presumably, they had no idea that Herod was a ruthless ruler who would kill anyone who got in the way of his throne.
Having seen the star of the King of the Jews, the wise men came looking for the great King of kings in the nation of God, to the city of Zion.1 They certainly thought the rest of Israel and Judah were fully aware of the coming of the long-awaited Christ. It was a great moment in history, certainly if these wise men knew He had come, all of Jerusalem was also well aware of this wonderful birth.
Boldly the wise men approach the palace and request an audience with the king. King Herod once hearing that princes from the east have arrived and desire an audience, no doubt welcomed them to see what this was all about. With no hesitation, and with incredible confidence, the wise men inquire, “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.”2
The starling question pierced the stubborn king to the soul and he was troubled by the suggestion. Some other king had been born? He had gone to great lengths and killed even those he should have loved in order to keep his throne, and now a new threat was in front of him. Who was this king that had been born?
There is an interesting phrase in the Scriptures about this moment, it says that all of Jerusalem was troubled with him.3 Certainly people of Jerusalem understood the potential ramifications of the news, and they would not be wrong to be afraid. As we know from later in the story, Herod would have all children ages 2 and under killed in the town of Bethlehem.
And so, Herod the Great gathered the chief priests and the scribes together and demanded that they tell him where the Messiah was prophesied to be born.4 Now think for a moment, if Herod was asking the priests of God about the birth place of the Messiah because there was a sign in the sky that He had come, did he not realize that he was dealing with something far beyond his human power? He had set his heart on killing God Himself.
The scribes and the priests, after searching the Scriptures and chatting with each other to find the prophecy, come forward with the book of Micah, one of the 12 minor prophets, and they read the section that pointed to the birthplace of the Messiah, Bethlehem.5
Then king Herod called the wise men privately and asked them when exactly the star had appeared.6 If we take our Bethlehem star, it would have first appeared in September of 3 BC. It is now December of 2 BC, about 15 months later. The rendezvous with Venus, symbolizing the birth, would have happened in June of 2 BC, only 6 months earlier.
And he sent them to Bethlehem in search of the young child.7 I wonder if the wise men were initially discouraged. They had come to the place where the King of kings should have been born. They had come to the people of God and the nation of God in search of God, but they didn’t find Him there. Instead they had found an Edomite king, and a city that was entirely unaware of the birth of God on earth.
I fear that many who profess to follow God today are just as blind to the truth as the people of Jerusalem in that day.
As they walked out of the palace that night, the wise men looked up in the sky, and there it was!! The star was in the sky, almost directly above them. As they made their way to Bethlehem, the star seemed almost to lead the way, as it slowed, then stopped directly over the very place where Jesus was born.8
The clash of motives between the wise men and Herod the Great is significant. On the one hand, we have thoughtful men of science and philosophy who are willing to travel any distance just to be near the King of kings and Lord of lords, so that they can worship Him. On the other hand is a king who wants nothing but to destroy the very God that created him.
But where were the priests and the scribes? They had heard of the star, they knew of the prophecy of the coming Christ, and now they had evidence in front of them that He was born! Only the wise men would go down to Bethlehem. Perhaps for fear of what Herod would do, perhaps for skepticism that these wise men had gotten it wrong, or perhaps out of apathy, all the rest who heard this news largely ignored it.
Have we ignored the news? Have we ignored the powerful truths we find in the Scriptures? This Christmas, we should do our best to come near the King and not miss what He has done.
Mat 2:1 KJV - 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,
Mat 2:2 KJV - 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.
Mat 2:3 KJV - When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Mat 2:4 KJV - 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 KJV - And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
Mat 2:7 KJV - Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Mat 2:8 KJV - 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.
Mat 2:9 KJV - 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.