#BibleStudy Expressions of Faith: Advent 3 of 3. Magi: Men of Mystery, Misinformation, and More

This is the final Advent Expression of Faith.

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:  6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”  7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  8 He 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.” 9 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.  10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  11 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.  12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Matthew 2:1-12

For many years, one of my nephews was certain that the first verse of “Help Me, Rhonda” by The Beach Boys was:

Since you’ve been gone, there’s been owls puking in my bed.

I can’t find fault in that interpretation myself. If the line’s not that, I don’t know what it is. I’m pausing while you open a new browser tab, open YouTube, and find the song.

Now that you’ve heard the first line, don’t you agree . . . at least a little.

Rocket Man by Elton John has a line in it, I finally heard correctly about a year ago—44 years after it’s release. Here’s the line as it is written:

Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone

I thought it was about a defunct telephone.

In some ways, the magi are kind of like one of those song lyrics. There is what the song really says. Then, there’s what you’ve heard or thought you’ve heard.

For real, the Magi:

      ·     were from the East. No specific country is mentioned, but it’s not Eastern
        Israel.

      ·      represent all of the non-Jewish population that Christ came to save.

[The Lord is] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

        ·      brought gifts to the Messiah that represented stages of His life: Gold for
            His Kingship,  Frankincense for His priesthood, Myrrh for His death.

       ·        knew Old Testament prophecy to some degree. They went to Jerusalem
           expecting the established church leadership to know what was going on.

       ·      were looking, not just lucky.

For not real, the Magi

       ·      were three in number. This number is derived from the gifts listed.

       ·      visited Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem. Matthew tells us that Herod sent
           them to Bethlehem. He then says that

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. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Matthew 2:9,11

        ·      there is no mention of going to Bethlehem or a manger.

        ·      there is mention of a house—maybe in Nazareth. Joseph would have taken          his family home soon after the circumcision on the 8^th day after Jesus’
            birth.

Additional Information

        ·      Herod orders the killing of all male children 2-years-old and younger. The
            implication is that nearly that much time had passed since the Magi left the 
            East.

       ·      When Joseph returns to Judea after fleeing to Egypt to avoid Herod’s death 
           order, he goes to Nazareth—his home.

So, what do I take away from the Magi’s visit?

        1.    Be looking for where God is.

        2.   Go where God shows you He is.

        3.   Worship God regardless of what the circumstances are.

        4.   Give Christ your best

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