The King's Report Cancelled
He met with them in secret. He questioned them about the star. He directed them to “make a careful search for the child.” He said he wanted to worship Him. Is it possible the Magi became suspicious?
“After 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. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On 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. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:9-12
What do we discover in this passage from Matthew?
The verses contain the phrase “On coming to the house.” The Magi met Jesus at the house where Mary and Joseph were living. Only shepherds found Jesus in the manger on the night of His birth.
Would you have liked to witness this meeting?
Jesus-King of Kings, Immanuel-God with us-the Son of God meeting the three wise men from the East. Matthew wrote “they bowed down and worshiped Him.” But they were not finished. The Magi gave Jesus gifts of “gold, incense and myrrh.”
How should we respond to this account?
Remember they were wise. They had studied. They gave attention to signs (the star) God provided. These respected men of authority believed Jesus was the Son of God. Though they were elite leaders-they gave no thought to their positions or what impressions their actions would leave. These wise powerful men came to worship Jesus-a baby! They humbled themselves and bowed to Him. It must have been a truly amazing sight!
And they did not give in to the pressure to report to Herod.
Herod was the earthly authority of the area. But they did not ignore the dream. Did one of them have it? Did all three have this dream? It doesn’t matter-the dream warned them to not report to Herod. The dream came from God. The Magi understood where true power was. With God not Herod. They disobeyed the authority and power of Herod. Years after the Magi chose to obey God rather than Herod, Peter, a disciple of Jesus said:
“We must obey God rather than human beings!”
They obeyed God. They brought no report to the king. To return by a different route likely took more time…but they obeyed. These (wise) men-obeyed…worshiped, bowed to Jesus…gave Him gifts.
Today there is no “star.” The baby they came to worship died on a cross for the sins of the world. He has ascended into heaven. The wise men are long ago in the grave. But they left us a powerful example.