The Wise Men who brought Jesus gifts have always fascinated me. As a child, this fairy- like story gripped my heart and every year at Christmas, I would dress up my three younger brothers like shepherds and wise men, and drag them through the caravan park where we spent our summer holidays, singing carols and spreading the Good News of Jesus’ birth to all the campers around us.

The Bible gives us very little information on who they were and why they sought after Jesus, but their determination to find and to worship the King of the Jews, urged me to find out more about these men.

Matthew is the only gospel to mention the Magi. In Matthew 2:1-2 we read, After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of king Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked: “Where is the one that has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship
Him.”

The gospel never mentions the number of Magi, but most Christian denominations have
assumed them to have been three in number, based on the statement that they brought
three gifts. One of the earliest mentions of magicians and wise men is found in Genesis 41. “And it came to pass in the morning that his (Pharaoh) spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.” Then the Pharaoh sent for Joseph to interpret his dream. In verse 16 Joseph declares that it was not him, but God who would give Pharaoh the interpretation. In verse 40 we read, “You shall be in charge of my palace and all my people are to submit to your orders.”

Another incident with magicians and wise men worth mentioning, is found in Exodus 7:8-13 where we read of the account of Moses performing miracles to the Pharaoh. Pharaoh called for his magicians, wise men and sorcerers and they performed the same miracles as Moses. In the end Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs, after they had been turned into snakes. The “contest” between God and the magicians becomes more intense with every plague that God brought upon the Egyptians and in the end, God showed Himself to be the only true and almighty God.

In Daniel 2 we read of Daniel and his friends during their time of exile in Babylon:
Nebuchadnezzar had a troublesome dream and summoned his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what his dream meant. These were various types of wise men on whom Babylon relied to foretell the future. Magicians could have been involved in occult practices and enchanters may have been “experts” in exorcisms.

Sorcerers cast spells and astrologers were a class of priests who claimed to receive special knowledge through the stars. One can assume that they were highly qualified people and it made Nebuchadnezzar very angry that none of the wise men could interpret his dream, so he orderded that all be put to death.

Daniel took the opportunity, with great wisdom, humility and tact, to ask the king if he might interpret the dream. He then returned to his friends and explained the situation, urging them to plead for mercy from God concerning the interpretation and that he and his friends would not be executed with the rest of the wise men. Then Daniel asked Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, not to put the wise men to death, but to take him to the king and he would interpret the dream.

Nebuchadnezzar appointed him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief
prefect over all the wise men. This account, similar to the story of Joseph, is God revealing Himself to be what He says He is: the same yesterday, today and forever! James 4:10 rings so true in the lives of Joseph and Daniel: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” Moses is also spoken of in Scripture as the most humble man on the face of the earth.

It seems certain that the Magi learned much from Daniel the prophet, about the one true God and about His will and plans for His people through the coming King.

The Scriptures do not tell us how the Magi knew about the birth of Jesus, but it is amazing to realize that they must have been seeking God and studying all the prophecies about the coming Messiah. It is equally noteworthy that they recognized the star, the sign that the Messiah had been born, that eventually led them to Jesus. These people, who occupy only a few verses in Scripture, have influenced mankind in a profound way.

Dear friends, if we say that we are children of God, we too should have a profound influence on everyone around us. Jesus commanded His disciples: “As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Let us determine in our hearts to do what we were commanded to do and go out and change the world!

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that You are the same yesterday, today and forever. Teach
me to live in humility, as I fulfil Your command to bring heaven to earth. Amen.