Believe the Word of God

“Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw the star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:2 (NIV)

Have you ever wondered why the wise men in nativity scenes followed a star? And how did they know about the birth of a Jewish King? You will discover that it wasn’t a star, but God’s Word that led these men–and all after them–to the Savior of the world. 

In most nativity scenes, you will find the presence of three wise men offering gifts to baby Jesus. Although they were never at the actual manger, (their visit was later) they are included in the nativity scene because they are an important part of the Christmas story. These wise men help link the long-awaited story of the Old Testament to the nativity seen in the manger. 

Sometimes it’s hard to understand how the Christmas story connects in the whole Bible. But God’s Word shows you how the events in Bethlehem were planned and foretold long before. 

Today’s verse is said by the Magi, or wise men, as they arrived in Jerusalem to look for Jesus. But the first time that Magi (wise men) are ever mentioned in the Bible is in the book of Daniel. Who was Daniel?

Daniel was a Jewish exile that was taken captive by the Babylonians. Daniel 2:48 says that Daniel was placed in charge over all of the Magi in Babylon. He would have shared God’s plans to send a Messiah to the Jewish nation. That’s because God oversees His plan of salvation even when His people do not recognize it. 

Since Jews remained in Babylon after the exile, their teachings were passed down from generation to generation. The teachings of the Old Testament foretold a time when a new king would come, and his kingdom would not end. So people watched and waited.   

The magi were stargazers. They took their cues about life, death, the present, and the future from the stars. These astrologers would compare what they saw in the sky with what they read in the Jewish scriptures. So when they read in Numbers 24:17 that, “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel,” it was plain to them that a Great King would come and be announced by some type of an astronomical light.

But why did they follow this specific star…this specific light? The answer is because in Daniel 9:26 he foretold that the Messiah would come 490 years after the command to rebuild the Temple had been given. The wise men were able to calculate back and realize that this was the time on God’s clock for the Messiah to come. 

It really wasn’t the star that led these men to Jesus; it was the Scripture that led them to the star that led them to Jesus. These men made a journey of several hundred miles through distance, difficulty, and danger because they chose to believe God’s Word.

The world not only declares that there is a God, but who He is and how you can find Him. You, like the wise men, can believe the Word of God and follow it to the Son of God. Welcome the Holy Spirit to be the light leading you to Jesus right now so that you too, can come to worship Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I praise You for the wonderful plan You have put in place from the beginning. Thank You for watching over Your Word, and bringing Your plan to completion. And even when I cannot see or understand what You’re doing, help me trust that You are bringing Your good plan to pass in my life and in the world. I thank You for Jesus, the Prince of Peace and worship You with all my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.