7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:7-12)
Thoughts: The wise men, magi from the east were called kings by some in a reference to Old Testament passages that speak of kings bringing gifts to the Messiah. Numbers 24:17 has an ancient prophecy: "a star shall rise out of Jacob." Isaiah 9, 11 and Daniel 7 also speak of this. Psalm 68:29 ("kings shall bear gifts to you") and 72:10 ("May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts") speak of the natural response to bring gifts to a king. Some have made specific guesses of heavenly signs- from a nova, a comet, a volcanic cloud, alignment of planets- all that happened about this time.
Raymond Brown rightly points out that Matthew was making a theological point. Star gazers- following a natural light are pointed to the heavenly light of Christ. So all of us look at the heavens that are telling the glory of God only to specifically find the clearer revelation of God come to earth to show us the way (and make a way).
Prayer: Lord, help me to see my need to give to you. Let me follow the light you give me into your presence.
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