Creator, Father, King #357

Wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

DO YOU LOVE MYSTERIES? If so, you’ll love today’s devotion! It’s all about a famous group of individuals whose brief but fascinating appearance in Matthew 2 has captivated our imaginations and spawned a whole cottage industry of Christmas-related songs and paraphernalia.

Yep, we’re talking about the wise men.

The Bible doesn’t give us many specifics about these mysterious travelers, but we can make some educated guesses based on a couple of scriptural clues. Today’s passage describes them as “wise men from eastern lands.” They were probably from Persia (modern-day Iraq or Iran). Our English phrase “wise men” comes from magoi in the New Testament’s original Greek language. Magoi, or Magi, refer to magicians and astrologers—experts in ancient pagan religious rituals of sorcery, spells, incantations, astrology, etc. The wise men were stargazers, looking for cosmic signs to interpret the times. This was a big part of ancient near-Eastern religion (Daniel 2:2; 4:7; 5:5-8).

How did these faraway magicians know about a promised “king of the Jews” and connect him to “his star as it rose” (Matthew 2:2)? It’s a mystery! Perhaps they knew about messianic prophecies, such as Numbers 24:17, from Old Testament scrolls that exiled Jews brought with them to Babylon after they were conquered and deported by King Nebuchadnezzar six hundred years earlier.

Did the wise men truly have saving faith in the Christ-child, or did they travel hundreds of miles to only satisfy mystic curiosities and superstitious fascinations?

Another mystery!

What’s It Mean?

While so many questions surround the wise men, there is no mystery about God’s love for you. He sent his Son to a dark, fallen world to redeem sinners like you to himself. Amazing love and mercy!

There’s also no mystery about the child that the wise men worshiped. Jesus is God’s promised Savior who came to save us.

Where is your faith right now? It’s no mystery to God. He knows your heart. Bow down in humble adoration before the Savior. Present to him the gifts of your time and God-given talents.

Mysteries are for novels and movies. Your love for the Lord should be unmistakable!

Now What?

Read about the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12.

Did You Know?

The wise men didn’t visit Jesus at the manger. That’s a man-made tradition. Their trip likely took weeks after Jesus’ birth.