We Have Seen His Star
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, 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."
The wise men from the East were philosophers. They
belonged to a large and influential class that included men of noble birth, and
comprised much of the wealth and learning of their nation. Among these were many
who imposed on the credulity of the people. Others were upright men who studied
the indications of Providence in nature, and who were honored for their
integrity and wisdom. Of this character were the wise men who came to Jesus.
The light of God is ever shining amid the darkness of heathenism. As these
magi studied the starry heavens, and sought to fathom the mystery hidden in
their bright paths, they beheld the glory of the Creator. Seeking clearer
knowledge, they turned to the Hebrew Scriptures. In their own land were
treasured prophetic writings that predicted the coming of a divine teacher.
Balaam belonged to the magicians, though at one time a prophet of God; by the
Holy Spirit he had foretold the prosperity of Israel and the appearing of the
Messiah; and his prophecies had been handed down by tradition from century to
century. But in the Old Testament the Saviour's advent was more clearly
revealed. The magi learned with joy that His coming was near, and that the whole
world was to be filled with a knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
The
wise men had seen a mysterious light in the heavens upon that night when the
glory of God flooded the hills of Bethlehem. As the light faded, a luminous star
appeared, and lingered in the sky. It was not a fixed star nor a planet, and the
phenomenon excited the keenest interest. That star was a distant company of
shining angels, but of this the wise men were ignorant. Yet they were impressed
that the star was of special import to them. They consulted priests and
philosophers, and searched the scrolls of the ancient records. The prophecy of
Balaam had declared, "There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall
rise out of Israel." Num. 24:17. Could this strange star have been sent as a
harbinger of the Promised One? The magi had welcomed the light of heaven-sent
truth; now it was shed upon them in brighter rays. Through dreams they were
instructed to go in search of the newborn Prince.
As by faith Abraham
went forth at the call of God, "not knowing whither he went" (Heb. 11:8); as by
faith Israel followed the pillar of cloud to the Promised Land, so did these
Gentiles go forth to find the promised Saviour. The Eastern country abounded in
precious things, and the magi did not set out empty-handed. It was the custom to
offer presents as an act of homage to princes or other personages of rank, and
the richest gifts the land afforded were borne as an offering to Him in whom all
the families of the earth were to be blessed. It was necessary to journey by
night in order to keep the star in view; but the travelers beguiled the hours by
repeating traditional sayings and prophetic utterances concerning the One they
sought. At every pause for rest they searched the prophecies; and the conviction
deepened that they were divinely guided. While they had the star before them as
an outward sign, they had also the inward evidence of the Holy Spirit, which was
impressing their hearts, and inspiring them with hope. The journey, though long,
was a happy one to them.
They have reached the land of Israel, and are
descending the Mount of Olives, with Jerusalem in sight, when, lo, the star that
has guided them all the weary way rests above the temple, and after a season
fades from their view. With eager steps they press onward, confidently expecting
the Messiah's birth to be the joyful burden of every tongue. But their inquiries
are in vain. Entering the holy city, they repair to the temple. To their
amazement they find none who seem to have a knowledge of the newborn king. Their
questions call forth no expressions of joy, but rather of surprise and fear, not
unmingled with contempt.
The priests are rehearsing traditions. They
extol their religion and their own piety, while they denounce the Greeks and
Romans as heathen, and sinners above others. The wise men are not idolaters, and
in the sight of God they stand far higher than do these, His professed
worshipers; yet they are looked upon by the Jews as heathen. Even among the
appointed guardians of the Holy Oracles their eager questionings touch no chord
of sympathy.
The arrival of the magi was quickly noised throughout
Jerusalem. Their strange errand created an excitement among the people, which
penetrated to the palace of King Herod. The wily Edomite was aroused at the
intimation of a possible rival. Countless murders had stained his pathway to the
throne. Being of alien blood, he was hated by the people over whom he ruled. His
only security was the favor of Rome. But this new Prince had a higher claim. He
was born to the kingdom.
Herod suspected the priests of plotting with
the strangers to excite a popular tumult and unseat him from the throne. He
concealed his mistrust, however, determined to thwart their schemes by superior
cunning. Summoning the chief priests and the scribes, he questioned them as to
the teaching of their sacred books in regard to the place of the Messiah's
birth.
This inquiry from the usurper of the throne, and made at the
request of strangers, stung the pride of the Jewish teachers. The indifference
with which they turned to the rolls of prophecy enraged the jealous tyrant. He
thought them trying to conceal their knowledge of the matter. With an authority
they dared not disregard, he commanded them to make close search, and to declare
the birthplace of their expected King. "And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of
Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
"And thou Bethlehem,
land of Judah,
Art in nowise least among the princes of Judah:
For out of
thee shall come forth a governor,
Which shall be shepherd of My people
Israel."
R. V.
Herod now invited the magi to a private interview. A
tempest of wrath and fear was raging in his heart, but he preserved a calm
exterior, and received the strangers courteously. He inquired at what time the
star had appeared, and professed to hail with joy the intimation of the birth of
Christ. He bade his visitors, "Search diligently for the young child; and when
ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also."
So saying, he dismissed them to go on their way to Bethlehem.
The
priests and elders of Jerusalem were not as ignorant concerning the birth of
Christ as they pretended. The report of the angels' visit to the shepherds had
been brought to Jerusalem, but the rabbis had treated it as unworthy of their
notice. They themselves might have found Jesus, and might have been ready to
lead the magi to His birthplace; but instead of this, the wise men came to call
their attention to the birth of the Messiah. "Where is He that is born King of
the Jews?" they said; "for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to
worship Him."
Now pride and envy closed the door against the light. If
the reports brought by the shepherds and the wise men were credited, they would
place the priests and rabbis in a most unenviable position, disproving their
claim to be the exponents of the truth of God. These learned teachers would not
stoop to be instructed by those whom they termed heathen. It could not be, they
said, that God had passed them by, to communicate with ignorant shepherds or
uncircumcised Gentiles. They determined to show their contempt for the reports
that were exciting King Herod and all Jerusalem. They would not even go to
Bethlehem to see whether these things were so. And they led the people to regard
the interest in Jesus as a fanatical excitement. Here began the rejection of
Christ by the priests and rabbis. From this point their pride and stubbornness
grew into a settled hatred of the Saviour. While God was opening the door to the
Gentiles, the Jewish leaders were closing the door to themselves.
The
wise men departed alone from Jerusalem. The shadows of night were falling as
they left the gates, but to their great joy they again saw the star, and were
directed to Bethlehem. They had received no such intimation of the lowly estate
of Jesus as was given to the shepherds. After the long journey they had been
disappointed by the indifference of the Jewish leaders, and had left Jerusalem
less confident than when they entered the city. At Bethlehem they found no royal
guard stationed to protect the newborn King. None of the world's honored men
were in attendance. Jesus was cradled in a manger. His parents, uneducated
peasants, were His only guardians. Could this be He of whom it was written, that
He should "raise up the tribes of Jacob," and "restore the preserved of Israel;"
that He should be "a light to the Gentiles," and for "salvation unto the end of
the earth"? Isa. 49:6.
"When they were come into the house, they saw the
young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him." Beneath the
lowly guise of Jesus, they recognized the presence of Divinity. They gave their
hearts to Him as their Saviour, and then poured out their gifts,--"gold, and
frankincense, and myrrh." What a faith was theirs!
It might have been
said of the wise men from the East, as afterward of the Roman centurion, "I have
not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Matt. 8:10.
The wise men had
not penetrated Herod's design toward Jesus. When the object of their journey was
accomplished, they prepared to return to Jerusalem, intending to acquaint him
with their success. But in a dream they received a divine message to hold no
further communication with him. Avoiding Jerusalem, they set out for their own
country by another route.
In like manner Joseph received warning to flee
into Egypt with Mary and the child. And the angel said, "Be thou there until I
bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him." Joseph
obeyed without delay, setting out on the journey by night for greater security.
Through the wise men, God had called the attention of the Jewish nation
to the birth of His Son. Their inquiries in Jerusalem, the popular interest
excited, and even the jealousy of Herod, which compelled the attention of the
priests and rabbis, directed minds to the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and
to the great event that had just taken place.
Satan was bent on shutting
out the divine light from the world, and he used his utmost cunning to destroy
the Saviour. But He who never slumbers nor sleeps was watching over His beloved
Son. He who had rained manna from heaven for Israel and had fed Elijah in the
time of famine provided in a heathen land a refuge for Mary and the child Jesus.
And through the gifts of the magi from a heathen country, the Lord supplied the
means for the journey into Egypt and the sojourn in a land of strangers.
The magi had been among the first to welcome the Redeemer. Their gift was
the first that was laid at His feet. And through that gift, what privilege of
ministry was theirs! The offering from the heart that loves, God delights to
honor, giving it highest efficiency in service for Him. If we have given our
hearts to Jesus, we also shall bring our gifts to Him. Our gold and silver, our
most precious earthly possessions, our highest mental and spiritual endowments,
will be freely devoted to Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us.
Herod in Jerusalem impatiently awaited the return of the wise men. As time
passed, and they did not appear, his suspicions were roused. The unwillingness
of the rabbis to point out the Messiah's birthplace seemed to indicate that they
had penetrated his design, and that the magi had purposely avoided him. He was
maddened at the thought. Craft had failed, but there was left the resort to
force. He would make an example of this child-king. Those haughty Jews should
see what they might expect in their attempts to place a monarch on the throne.
Soldiers were at once sent to Bethlehem, with orders to put to death all
the children of two years and under. The quiet homes of the city of David
witnessed those scenes of horror that, six hundred years before, had been opened
to the prophet. "In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted,
because they are not."
This calamity the Jews had brought upon
themselves. If they had been walking in faithfulness and humility before God, He
would in a signal manner have made the wrath of the king harmless to them. But
they had separated themselves from God by their sins, and had rejected the Holy
Spirit, which was their only shield. They had not studied the Scriptures with a
desire to conform to the will of God. They had searched for prophecies which
could be interpreted to exalt themselves, and to show how God despised all other
nations. It was their proud boast that the Messiah was to come as a king,
conquering His enemies, and treading down the heathen in His wrath. Thus they
had excited the hatred of their rulers. Through their misrepresentation of
Christ's mission, Satan had purposed to compass the destruction of the Saviour;
but instead of this, it returned upon their own heads.
This act of
cruelty was one of the last that darkened the reign of Herod. Soon after the
slaughter of the innocents, he was himself compelled to yield to that doom which
none can turn aside. He died a fearful death.
Joseph, who was still in
Egypt, was now bidden by an angel of God to return to the land of Israel.
Regarding Jesus as the heir of David's throne, Joseph desired to make his home
in Bethlehem; but learning that Archelaus reigned in Judea in his father's
stead, he feared that the father's designs against Christ might be carried out
by the son. Of all the sons of Herod, Archelaus most resembled him in character.
Already his succession to the government had been marked by a tumult in
Jerusalem, and the slaughter of thousands of Jews by the Roman guards.
Again Joseph was directed to a place of safety. He returned to Nazareth, his
former home, and here for nearly thirty years Jesus dwelt, "that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."
Galilee was under the control of a son of Herod, but it had a much larger
admixture of foreign inhabitants than Judea.
Thus there was less
interest in matters relating especially to the Jews, and the claims of Jesus
would be less likely to excite the jealousy of those in power.
Such was the Saviour's reception when He came to
the earth. There seemed to be no place of rest or safety
for the infant Redeemer. God could not trust His beloved
Son with men, even while carrying forward His work for
their salvation. He commissioned angels to attend Jesus
and protect Him till He should accomplish His mission on
earth, and die by the hands of those whom He came to
save.
Footnotes: This story based on Scripture Reading Reference Matthew 2
