The Magi from the East.

This week in the bible study “His name is…” the topic has been about “the bright morning star.” We’ve looked at several verses through out the bible where it has mentioned the star, and why that is significant during this advent season… but that isn’t what stood out to me. I have appreciated the study but the verse that struck me wasn’t because it spoke of the Star but because it told me about the Magi from the East. Here is the verse:

  “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 who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'” Matthew 2:1-2 

We’ve all heard the story of the magi.. It doesn’t actually say how many there were. They just show up in Jerusalem because they saw a star. Where from? The East. Why did this strike me? They must of had some incredible faith to travel all the way from the East, likely thousands of miles through dangerous terrain. Who does that?

Being Magi they likely studied the prophecy’s of the Old Testament. The would have read of the prophecy’s such as:

“I see him, but not now;  I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth” Numbers 24:17

To travel all that distance takes an enormous amount of faith. They didn’t even have an address and had to stop for directions along the way. Not only did they make the trip but they brought gifts fit for a king, they knew they’d be meeting a king and came prepared.

^“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.” Matthew 2:10-11

They rejoiced when they saw the star, they knew the Lord was on to keep his promises. I don’t know where you are at in your journey of faith. We’re surviving completely off of faith that our Lord keeps his promises. We don’t have all our directions or an address… or in our case a buyer for our house or a job lined up. But we know that the Lord keeps his promises.

Be encouraged friends, be like the magi. Expect the Lord to show up.