Hold fast and shine like stars
- Details
- Published: Wednesday, 23 March 2016 02:24
- Written by James Dean
We don't know exactly where they came from. We don't know exactly how many there were. One thing is for sure, the magi (or wise men) were determined to find the new king of the Jews.
There's not much to the east of Israel besides desert and then if you travel far enough you hit Persia (modern day Iraq). Since these wise men came from that direction and, it would seem, they were God-fearing gentiles, then perhaps they were descended from the great Babylonian empire. Perhaps among everything else they had been taught, they had been given knowledge of ancient Jewish prophecies about a Messiah. Perhaps their teachers in turn had been taught by a very familiar Jewish wise man called Daniel. We may never know.
However it was that these men knew to look for signs of a new king, once they saw and recognised that sign - in this case a very special star - they didn't sit around and congratulate themselves but left the security of home to follow it. They wanted to see the king for themselves. They wanted to worship him.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
"'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:1-12
One of the beautiful about this passage is that it once again reminds us of God's great mercy - his saviour wasn't just for the Jews but for all who believe. Just like us, the wise men weren't Israelites and yet they still came to worship this new king. They wanted to find the Messiah, the promised deliverer for all mankind, and God led them right there to the very house where he was to befound.
God provided a star which he used to lead the wise men to the place where Jesus was. God still provides lights to direct people in the darkness, only now we call those lights Christians! Paul wrote...
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.
Philippians 2:15-16
So no matter where God has placed you, hold fast to his word and shine like stars in this dark world. Let's pray that God would be pleased to use his light in us to draw more and more to salvation in his son this Christmas!
