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WEEK 4: He leads us home

Sunday (Day 22)

VERSES: Numbers 24:17, Daniel 2:46-49 & Matthew 2:1-6

In the days following Jesus’ birth, a group of Magi from the east (probably Iraq or Iran) saw a new star and made a long journey to Jerusalem. This is a familiar story to us, so it seems “normal” that Magi would journey hundreds of miles across a desert in response to a new star … BUT, we would do well to ask a few questions.

First, who were these Magi? The Magi were a group of star gazers who were prominent in Babylon and Persia for hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. As a matter of fact, during the time of the Babylonian captivity, several young Jews were carted off to Babylon, and one of them (Daniel) was placed in charge of (you guessed it) the Magi in Nebuchadnezzar’s court!

Second, why would these star gazers associate a new star with a new king in Jerusalem? Daniel lived in Babylon among the Magi 500 years before Jesus was born, but Daniel prophesied about the time when Messiah would come. He put a time table on it in Daniel 9:24-27 that pointed towards Jesus’ day. Additionally, the Jews had another Scripture that alluded to a star representing the arrival of a liberating leader (Numbers 24:17). Daniel may very well have referenced this hope to the Magi during their decades together. It is difficult to know for sure, but it is easy to see Daniel’s influence prompting the Magi to watch for the arrival of a new star around the time of Jesus’ birth.

Third, we also need to ask, why were Herod’s priests and scribes not also looking for Messiah’s arrival? This will come even more clear if you read Matthew 2:13-18, but Herod was a ruthless and jealous man and saw Jesus as a threat. The priests and scribes knew where Messiah would be born, but they were too afraid of Herod to check it out.

It is interesting to see God’s pursuit of the Gentile Magi, using Daniel to teach God’s prophetic promises and create a Messianic hope. The Magi embraced that message and were ready to act and respond when the star appeared. God is still speaking through His Word and through His world today. Like the Magi, will we come and worship or, like the priests and scribes, will we stay at home?