Foreign Seekers Find Israel's Promised King
Daily Scripture
Matthew 2:1-6
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”
3 When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. 4 He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 You, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah,
because from you will come one who governs,
who will shepherd my people Israel.” [Micah 5:2; 2 Samuel 5:2]
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Matthew 2’s “Christmas” events happened after Jesus’ birth. Matthew used the Greek word magoi to identify not “kings” (the carol notwithstanding) but students of the stars. Matthew said these visitors, likely from the area of Persia (modern Iran), arrived an unspecified amount of time “after Jesus was born.” Judea was a minor Roman province. No one expected non-Hebrew scholars to travel far to see (much less to worship) even a “king of the Jews”—no one except God, who drew them by a star.
- Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus described an ancient prophecy that led many to believe a world ruler would rise in Judea. Both Romans said the promised ruler must have been Emperor Vespasian. They missed the true king, as did the priests and legal experts who recited Micah’s words about Bethlehem. The eastern visitors, hoping that this new King would bring the world a fresh start, * didn’t. How can you keep your mind and heart open to notice where God is at work?
- The magi may have spent as much as 18 to 24 months following the star. (After their visit, murderous Herod, based on the time he learned from the magi, ordered the death of every child 2 years old and younger—cf. Matthew 2:16.) Did you need to make a lengthy journey in life to find Jesus, or was he “right there” for you as a child? How have you learned to value and worship him?
Prayer
Lord of the whole world, you didn’t limit the message of Jesus’ birth to only people with “correct” theology. Thank you for the inclusive love that reached far beyond any one people group to share that joy. Amen.
GPS Insights
Justin Burnett
Justin Burnett serves as a Missions Engagement Program Director for Resurrection's Leawood location and is a Certified Candidate for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. Justin graduated from Drury University with a B.S. degree in Emergency Management. A Missouri native, he later moved to Overland Park, Kansas to answer God's call to professional ministry and is a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology. In Justin's spare time, he enjoys nature, travel, games, music, and film--recently working as an extra in a Hallmark Christmas movie. He also enjoys singing with the Leawood modern worship team on occasion.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* It’s quite possible that the magi had interacted with Hebrews in their part of the world and drew hope from passages like Psalm 72, Isaiah 2 and Isaiah 11.
