The Story of the Wise Men, Part 3 (Matthew 2:1-12)

The Bible says, “When they (the wise men) had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” That’s where we left off yesterday. Now, we don’t know if the wise men knocked on the door or if someone saw them coming and invited them in, but all of a sudden they were in the presence of Jesus, the Son of God. The Bible says, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Wow! Let me say that again backwards, Wow! It had been a long, long journey and they probably faced many dangers along the way, but do you think the wise men were glad they had made the journey when they found themselves being in the presence of Jesus? Oh, yes, and when we get to heaven, we will also want to kneel down and worship Jesus and acknowledge him as being our King just as the wise men did. What about the wicked King Herod? Do you think the wise men told him where Jesus lived? No, they did not. The Bible says, “And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” Of course, Herod became very angry when the wise men did not return. He tried to find and destroy Jesus, but he was too late. God had also warned Joseph in a dream to take Jesus and Mary, his mother, and escape into the land of Egypt, and that’s what they did.