Yesterday we began reviewing the story of the Wise Men.  Before we continue let us review the Scripture again.

Matthew 2:1-12 (NKJV)
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a RulerWho will shepherd My people Israel.'”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 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.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the East, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
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Well, getting back to our story……..Once the wise men left Jerusalem after having seen King Herod, the star once again appeared in the sky.  It went before them.  The Word tells us the star was over the house of the child.  When they went in they saw King Jesus and His mother.  What joy must have filled their hearts as they finally reached their destination and fell before the one they knew to be the King of kKings (v.9-10). They worshiped Him and gave Him the gifts they had brought with them (v.11).

Mary must have invited the men to spend at least one night, for before we read of them starting their journey home they were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod.  They must have believed the warning for they left for their own country by a different route (v. 12).

All the pictures we see during the Christmas season of the wise men show us three men coming to worship the infant Jesus, still in the manger.  When we submit ourselves to the reading of the Word we find out the real story.  Wise men from the east followed a star and they brought three symbolic, valuable gifts to King Jesus, who was no longer an infant although likely very young.  King Herod must have thought Jesus was under two years old for in his fear of having Jesus take away his position he ordered the slaying of all male children less than two years of age (Matt. 2:16).  From the time Jesus was young the enemy tried to kill him.  But He had a destiny and it would be fulfilled.

So what can we learn from these wise men?
1. These were men who had eyes to see what God was doing on the earth in their lifetime.  They must have known the Word of the prophet Micah and believed it could come to pass in their very imperfect world (Micah 5:2).
2. It appears that they sought the TRUTH no matter what the cost.  A long journey on camels could not have been a pleasant journey.  The cost of their gifts were surely of great value.  Now they may have been wealthy but even so they were willing to spend a great deal of money and time to follow where they believed God was doing a great work.
3. I wonder why they went into Jerusalem.  Did they no longer see the star?  Did they get weary and go into Jerusalem for some rest or supplies?  The Word doesn’t make it clear but it was very unfortunate as it alerted King Herod that the King of the Jews was born.  Many innocent male children under two were killed.
4. When they left Jerusalem God restored His light in the form of a star to lead them.  They followed and did not depart from His plan.
5. They humbled themselves and worshiped Jesus.  They gave Him significant symbolic gifts.
6. They chose to obeyed God rather than man.  Regardless of how young King Jesus was, regardless of the fact that He was not living as one would expect a King, regardless of the fact that King Herod could have sent an army against them, they made a choice to believe a dream they knew God gave them and sought another route to their own country.

What does this mean for you and me?
1. I pray we will be women who know the Word in this New Year and trust that God will still fulfill His Word in our imperfect world.
2. I pray we will be willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to follow hard after our Lord.  I don’t say this lightly as I do believe it is may get more challenging to faithfully follow our Lord. 
3. I pray we will not get weary in doing good.  For we shall reap if we do not get weary (Gal. 6:9).
4. I pray we will be children of light, and give our heavenly Father good gifts.  For the fruit of the light is all goodness and righteousness and truth, and we will try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 5 8-10).
5. I pray we will humble ourselves before our Lord and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (James 4:10; John 4:24).
6. I pray we will have the wisdom to discern what the Spirit of God is saying to us, be it in a dream, through a fellow believer, or His Word.

As Revelation often says, may we have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to us, His church (Rev. 2:7a, 11, 17a, 29; Rev. 3:6, 13,22).

God Bless you and yours in 2013,
Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate