Matthew 2:1-11
Psalm 72:10-11 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to Him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present Him gifts. May all kings bow down to Him and all nations serve Him.
We now move ahead a couple of years and see a prophecy fulfilled that was not necessarily one that would have been high on Mary and Joseph’s radar and therefore may have come as a welcome and perfectly timed visit.
Mary and Joseph have continued on in Bethlehem. There could be various reasons for this but we are not told their reasons, we just know that is where they were because that is where the Wise Men were sent by Herod after hearing from the teachers of the Old Testament scriptures. These men would have come from the east and may even have come from the region where Babylon had been and therefore learned about the special star from things that Daniel and the others who had been taken captive had taught.
The first stop for these men had been Jerusalem as that seemed the logical place for the new king to be born but not only were they shocked that He wasn’t there but that people of the city didn’t seem to know anything about Him. They had been traveling for about two years on faith that the star they had seen was the star that told of the special King’s birth and they weren’t giving up that easy. They had come to worship and wouldn’t leave until their mission was complete.
Imagine Mary going about her normal daily chores with a young Jesus toddling about and Joseph not far off working on some form of carpentry when there is a large commotion in the road out front. While many talk of there being 3 kings, from afar due to the three listed gifts, there wouldn’t have just been 3 men traveling by themselves. These men would have been wealthy men who were on a lengthy journey that may have taken around 2 years. They would have had servants, livestock and such with them because of course there were no fast food stops along the way. Everything they would have needed would have been with them. Not just for the trip there but also for the trip home. Bethlehem was a small town so an entourage of this size would have brought notice of more than just the small family, yet it was this small family that got to play host.
Making It Personal
Do you have the kind of faith that can believe God even when people doubt what you believe? How do you live out that faith? How can you encourage others to find that kind of faith?
Making It Personal Kids
What does it mean to have faith in something or someone? How can you show you have faith in Jesus? Do you know someone that could learn to have faith in Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for the example of the wise men. Help us learn to have faith so strong in You that we are willing to go the extra mile to seek You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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