January 7
“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy,” Matthew 2:7-10.
Today, we continue the story of King Herod and the visit of the Wise Men from the East. Herod had learned from the religious leaders that the Christ Child was to be born in Bethlehem. Then, like a politician, he called a secret meeting of the Wise Men. Politicians often do things behind closed doors, things that are not open and above board. Herod was plotting and planning to kill the Christ Child. He inquired of the Wise Men the exact time when the star first appeared. Mathematically, he figured that if he killed all the male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding territory who were 2 years old and under, he would succeed in killing the Christ Child.
That was Herod’s wicked plan. God had other plans. Scripture tells us that the Wise Men listened to what Herod had to say. We are not told that the Wise Men made any promises to report back to Herod as he requested. They may or may not have known that Herod did not intend to worship the Christ Child. King Herod was a liar, as people in public office often are also in our day. To get at the truth is often very difficult. However, remember that God’s Word says, “He who speaks lies will not escape,” Proverbs 19:5. Sooner or later, every liar gets caught and is exposed. That is God’s Word; count on it!
All of the efforts to kill the Christ Child and to get rid of Him failed before His hour had come! Indeed, Jesus came into the world to suffer and die to redeem all people. Seven hundred fifty years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all . . . He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth . . . For the transgressions of My people He was stricken,” Isaiah 53:3, 5-8. Indeed, all this took place, as Isaiah foretold – but not according to the plan of King Herod or during his days as ruler.
The Wise Men left King Herod and rejoiced to see that God was leading them again by the star that they had followed from the East. The star did not stop until it came to the house where the young Child was. Note that the Wise Men did not go to the manger in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary were living in a house elsewhere. Like the Wise Men, let us wise up and follow God’s Word, and then we will have every reason to rejoice!
We rejoice when we know Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior, who conquered for us sin, death, and the devil. We rejoice and believe and trust in Jesus, who suffered, died, and rose again to bring us back to God! He opened heaven’s doors for us and for all people.
Rejoice, my heart, be glad and sing, a cheerful trust maintain;
For God, the Source of ev’rything, thy Portion shall remain.
He knows how oft a Christian weeps, and why his tears now fall;
And in the book His mercy keeps, these things are noted all.
His wisdom never plans in vain, ne’er falters or mistakes;
All that His counsels did ordain, a happy ending makes. Amen.