Matthew 2:1-12
Verse 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
We take a slight time jump of about 2 years and find more visitors coming to see the king born in Bethlehem. God had used another method of announcing the birth to these visitors from the east. These men were familiar with the sky and stars so when a new, special star appeared in the sky these men from the east knew what it meant. A new king was born and He wasn’t just any king.
We don’t know how many of them there were but we know there were more than just one. Nor did they travel alone, they would likely have had a large caravan that went with them. There were the gifts to take along and due to the value of those gifts, they would have wanted protection to go with them. They likely also had servants and such traveling with them. This was the trip of a lifetime.
What they probably didn’t count on was the people and king of the land not knowing what they were talking about. They had been traveling all this time and the people didn’t even know of a newborn king? The people of Jerusalem were also bothered by this search and at Herod’s direction searched the Scriptures to know where the Messiah was to be born. Herod knew it had to be the Messiah they were looking for which makes his later desire to kill all the children 2 and under even more despicable.
Notice they learn that the child was born in Bethlehem and when they set out to find Him the star reappears and they are able to follow it to the very house where Jesus is. This tells us a few interesting things. Since stars are out at night, they may have been traveling from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in the cover of darkness. We don’t know but maybe a portion of their long journey was taken at night. It also tells us that this special star moved. Normal stars don’t move out of their regular placement in the sky.
God had brought them on this two year journey for a time of worship. While they were not likely Jews, they had come to bring gifts and worship the newborn King of the Jews because they believed God was leading them to do so. He would prove it was Him that had brought them to worship by the way He warned them about going home a different way. God had set up the perfect protection plan for His Son on earth. Their gifts were given on the night they were needed and the child’s parents were reminded that as the parents of God’s Son, they would be provided for and protected.
Making It Personal
Are you committed enough to knowing Jesus that you take extra time to worship Him? What gifts do you bring Him? How can you worship Him today?
Making It Personal Kids
What are some gifts you can give to Jesus? What are some ways you can worship Him? How will you worship Him today?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for drawing us to You to worship. Give us hearts that always want to worship You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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