December 22nd Sermon

My acting career began and ended on a Sunday evening over half a century ago. Two friends and I were asked to be in the Christmas Program at our church and we were cast as the three kings. They dressed us up in costumes complete with crowns and we were supposed to walk up on the stage, stand behind the others who were playing the parts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and sing “We Three Kings.” I remember knowing the chorus of the song, “O, star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright; Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.” 

Years later I reexamined the lyrics of the song and concluded that it contained many assumptions not included in the Bible’s account of Christ’s birth and the Magi’s visit. First, the Bible says they were Magi, not kings. Second, the Bible gives no exact number. There could have been a much larger number. Let us revisit Matthew’s account to see what really happened. 

THE MAGI. Matthew 2:1-2 

Magi from the East. These magi were part of a special group of scholars from ancient Babylonia and Persia; today we know them as Iraq and Iran. In those days the science of astronomy was sometimes connected to magic and mysticism. The Magi of the east studied the stars extensively because it was believed that they often showed signs that affected human destiny. The Magi were often called in to help explain the dreams of kings and other high-ranking officials. Old Testament law prohibited sorcery, but not the study of stars and planets. We are introduced to the Magi of the east in the book of Daniel. You recall that Daniel had been taken captive to the capital city of Babylon where he was a government employee, that is until King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. The dream was so unsettling, that the king called in the wise men to interpret it for him. But none could. 

According to verse twelve, the king decided the wise men were useless and ordered them to be destroyed. In the midst of this crisis, Daniel, came to the rescue. He sent a message to the king that he, with God’s power, could interpret the dream and asked that the wise men be spared. The king listened, but only on the condition Daniel could indeed give the interpretation. Daniel, with God’s wisdom, amazed not only the king, but the whole court, and was good at his word. He attributed the dream to God’s provision, and gave Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation. Most of Daniel 2 is concerned with the vision of the kingdoms included in the times of the Gentiles, with Babylon being the head of gold. The king was ecstatic and the rest of the wise men uttered a collective sigh of relief. 

For our purposes, verse 48 is important. As a reward for his faith and wisdom, Daniel was promoted as a ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and as the ultimate leader of the wise men of Babylon–Daniel became the head of all the Magi. Keep in mind this happened between four and five centuries before Jesus was born. 

Daniel’s Messianic Vision. (Daniel 9:24-27) Daniel requested information regarding the promised return to Jerusalem and its restoration. God responded with a vision regarding the Messiah. Notice that a specific date is mentioned. The text shows that from a “decree to rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince (that is Jesus Christ) will be roughly 483 years.” The Messiah will appear in Israel and then be cut off (that means He would die). The prophecy continued with references to Christ’s Second Coming.  

Daniel did not receive this vision in a vacuum. He was still the head of the wise men, and they were well aware that Daniel was a Jew, and they knew this prophecy. As time went on, Daniel finished his earthly pilgrimage, but the wise men and the prophecy remained. The magi would have known when a royal decree sent the Jews back to rebuild Jerusalem. They could also calculate 483 years. They then could come up with a very rough estimate as to when Jesus, the Messiah, would be born. By the time of Jesus’ birth, they were searching for a sign that He had come. The quest of the wise men from the east combined with the large Jewish community that remained in Babylon would have generated much interest in the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy. The Messiah’s coming was as important then as it is now. 

Off To Jerusalem. The Magi did not know exactly where Jesus was born. They could only estimate a time. That is why they stopped first at Jerusalem, a logical place since it was the capital of Israel. The text tells us they went throughout the city asking anyone who would listen where the Messiah was born. Nobody could tell them. Finally, they were ushered into King Herod’s audience, who had inquired of the Jewish leaders. They discovered the prophecy of Micah 5:2, which told of His birth in the village of Bethlehem. When the Magi heard this, they were off to Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a very small village, and finding Jesus would not be very difficult. Remember, Luke tells us the shepherds went everywhere proclaiming Jesus’ birth. 

Gentiles Worshiped Jesus. A period of time had elapsed and it is very unlikely that the wise men arrived on the night of Jesus’ birth. The Greek word for “child” shows that Jesus was no longer an infant. Because Herod will later destroy boys in Bethlehem two years and younger, it is possible Jesus was up to two years old. Note that Jesus was there with His mother; Joseph is not mentioned. Also, please note carefully that the wise men did not worship Mary. They worshiped Him and gave the gifts to Him. Why would Matthew include this story about Gentiles worshiping Christ? Matthew wrote his gospel to reach the Jewish people for Christ by proving that He is the promised Messiah. But Matthew, through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, also included the truth that Jesus came to bring salvation to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. 

What was the Star? The word in our text could apply to any celestial phenomenon. A long list of possibilities has emerged over time. Comets, meteors, supernovae, and planetary conjunctions have been submitted. We use the word “star” in much the same way. We inaccurately call meteors “shooting stars,” and planets can be called “morning or evening stars.” We also say the sun rises and sets, when it is really the earth’s rotation that produces that effect. Stars also rise and set, and the text tells us the wise men saw the star rising, in the east. We are left with two possibilities about this star. 

Modern astronomers with advanced computer programs are able to chart the night sky on any date in history. They went back to the time when Jesus was born and found some interesting facts. Remember, the wise men had been given a clue that approximated Jesus’ birth. In the night sky, the planet Jupiter, which is known as the king of the planets or the royal planet rose into a constellation that was associated with Israel. This was unusual and would been of great interest to the wise men. From their vantage point in Babylon, this event happened in the western skies and would possibly be responsible for sending them off to Jerusalem. It seems that the “star” disappeared for a while, since the wise men rejoiced at its return. Apparently, the star appeared to stop in space, an effect called retrograde action that has to do with an observer on earth and the revolution of the earth around the sun. If this is true, then in eternity past, God wove into the fabric of the universe stellar and planetary effects that would announce the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. 

There is a second explanation: as Israel departed from slavery in Egypt, God did something unique and supernatural. Exodus 40:38 tells us that God led Israel by using a cloud in the daytime and a fire at night. Both of these spectacles were found in the heavens. From a distance the fire in the sky might look like an ordinary star or planet. We know that the glory of the Lord shone brightly on the night of Jesus’ birth as recorded by Luke and seen by the shepherds. It is possible this is what the wise men saw and rejoiced when it reappeared as they drew near to Bethlehem. 

THE MESSIAH’S PROPHECY. Matthew 2:3-8 

Micah’s Prophecy. When called upon, the chief priests and the scribes showed the absolute accuracy of the Word of God by finding the prophecy that told exactly where Jesus would be born. Although they knew the Word, it made no difference to them. Not one of them made the six-mile journey to Bethlehem to welcome the Messiah for whom the Jews had waited for centuries. There were no celebrations and no recognition. How sad to be so close, yet miss the coming of Christ so completely. We find Herod was troubled when he heard the news about the King of the Jews. While he was a good administrator, Herod was terribly paranoid and jealous of his position. He had two of his sons killed because he thought they were trying to get his throne. He had his favorite wife murdered because he believed she was disloyal.  

Herod’s Murderous Plot. Hearing about a potential usurper to his throne that had been born terrified Herod to his core. He developed a plot to murder Jesus, once the Magi told him their journey had been successful. He lied to them by telling them he wanted to worship Christ. Only God’s supernatural intervention spared Christ and His family. We know this for three reasons. First, God told the Magi to return home by a different way, avoiding another meeting with Herod. Second, the Lord told Joseph to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus because Herod desired to destroy Him (verse 13). Finally, Matthew recorded the account of Herod’s order to send people to kill all of the male children two years old and under (verse 16). 

THE MAGI’S GIFTS. Matthew 2:9-11 

The Gift of Gold. These Gentile scholars deeply desired to understand and experience for themselves the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jewish people regarding the birth of their promised Messiah. Somehow, they obviously understood that Israel’s Messiah was indeed the divine Savior for all men and women. They chose to endure personal hardships on their long journey, including the months away from their homes and the financial cost required. They showed a passion and a longing to understand this ancient prophecy of a coming King. 

What do you give to a King of this supreme magnitude? Trinkets and baubles would certainly not qualify. In presenting gifts to this King, they would need to be of appropriate value and significance. While Matthew only mentions four gifts, there were surely more than these. Gold was certainly as valuable in the first century as it is today in the twenty-first century. Gold has been associated with royalty and rule throughout mankind’s history, so its symbolism would be meaningful, as well as practical because of its enduring value. Gold is the metal of kings. When gold was presented to Jesus by the Magi of Persia, it pointed to His royalty and it was an acknowledgment of His right to rule.  

The Gift of Frankincense. Incense was a significant and symbolic gift as well. Incense had long been used in worship at Israel’s temple. The fragrance emitted an aroma that would permeate the area of its usage. It was mixed with oil to anoint the priests of Israel and it was blended with the meal offerings that were offered as thanksgiving and praise gifts to God. Frankincense points to the fragrant aroma of Jesus Christ, specifically of His saving work on the Cross, which was a pleasing aroma before God the Father, as it provided for the redemption for all who believed in Him as Savior. Frankincense also pointed to the sinless Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Gift of Myrrh. Just as gold spoke of Christ’s royalty and frankincense spoke of His deity and perfections, myrrh spoke of His death. This perfumed ointment or oil was often used by the Jewish people in their burial rituals. You may recall at our Lord’s burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus brought one hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare His body. 

It may seem odd and perhaps offensive to present a spice used for burials at the birth of a child. But rather than being offensive, it was a gift of faith. While we do not know what the Magi understood, we know from the Old Testament that Jesus’ ministry was pictured as one involving His suffering. About Jesus, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5). 

Jesus came to suffer for our sin, and His suffering was symbolized by the Magi’s gift of myrrh. Whether the Magi fully understood the prophetic relevance of this gift, we certainly do. The Apostle Peter informed us, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). 

The Gift of Worship. Worship obviously involved giving. The gifts the Magi brought all the way from Babylon or Persia were gifts that acknowledged the royalty of Jesus Christ. They also decreed that Jesus was worthy of worship. We tend to view worship as an emotional experience, yet here we see a much more subdued atmosphere. Their worship was from the depths of their hearts in admiration for God’s matchless grace. 

Notice please that the Magi, all of them, fell to the ground in front of this lowly, young Child and worshiped Him. There seems to have been no hesitation at all. Their long journey concluded with true and righteous worship of the King of kings. Their study of God’s Word had pressed upon them the compulsion to journey far, at the hazard of life, only to humbly present their treasures and themselves before a Child. 

While the gold, frankincense and myrrh they presented were costly, practical, and prophetic, their wisdom extended past those physical items as they bowed to the ground and worshiped. Those who are wise men and women today can only follow their example. 

Why were these men wise? First, they were wise enough to seek Jesus. God made them aware of the birth of the new Jewish king and they made a time-consuming and expensive effort to find Him and worship Him. Are we wise enough to seek Jesus today? We commonly say, “Wise men and women still seek Him.” Do you? 

They were wise enough to listen to the Bible. God’s Word told them precisely where Jesus was. They found Him because they listened and obeyed. The Bible says that all people need to receive Jesus as Savior. Have you and I listened and obeyed that truth? 

They were also wise enough to humble themselves and worship Jesus when they found Him. There was no hesitation in their minds, no doubts and no questions. They found the King of kings and worship Him as their Lord and Redeemer. We must do the same. The greatest gift of all is the gift of eternal life that is given to men and women by the Lord Jesus Christ. All that is required to receive this gift is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have never done that before, will you do that today?