Characters Of Christmas - Shepherds And Wisemen Series

Characters of Christmas 3 Shepherds and Wisemen

- Read Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12

In these passages new find the accounts of 2 different groups of people, first the shepherds and second the wise men. These are very different groups of people, from very different backgrounds.

I. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROUPS

1. They come from different backgrounds

One of the first occupations mentioned in the Bible was that of shepherd. “In the ancient days of the Old Testament, working as a shepherd was a respectable career. The social status of a shepherds declined when Israel ceased living as nomads and became more accustomed to farming. For a short time, King David's rise to power raised the shepherd status, but it didn't take long for shepherds to lose social acceptability once again. Some earned their poor reputation by making senseless choices of lawlessness, but many were only victims of a harsh stereotype. Randy Alcorn says, "In general, they were considered second-class and untrustworthy." Jeremias, the prophet who authored the book of Jeremiah, documented that shepherds were deprived of all civil rights. They could not fulfill judicial offices or be admitted in court as witnesses. However, the temple still needed them, ironically. Pharisees needed shepherds to raise spotless lambs for sacrificial sin offerings.

The Mishnah are documents that recorded Jewish oral traditions--like laws, they governed the Israelites during the time of the Pharisees. One of its regulations states, "it forbids the keeping of flocks throughout the land of Israel except in the wilderness, "... only flocks otherwise kept would be those for temple services." (Bab K.7:7; 80a).

So, the shepherds we read about it Luke 2, were actually fulfilling temple duties. They were not quite second-class or untrustworthy. They were shepherds appointed by the temple for the temple. The only ones who could carry out temple duties were these shepherd-priests. They served in the fields on the outskirts of Bethlehem at a place called Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2). This is where the sacrificial lambs for the Passover Festival and Feast were cared for. (Exodus 12:1-30). “ (How Were Shepherds Viewed at the Time of Jesus’ Birth? Amber Backus, Dec 7, 2019, online)

So the first to hear about Jesus’ birth, other than Joseph and Mary, were some in society that many in society looked down on. They were largely uneducated, or minimally educated, with very menial jobs.

The second group we find in the account of the birth of Jesus were the wisemen or Magi. These were learners. They were scholars. They were advisors to their king.

“The story of the Magi began centuries before Christ’s birth. Since the beginning of kingdoms, kings have sought advice from their advisors and prophets. Babylon, however, perfected a council of advisors. It included well-trained “magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers” (Daniel 2:2). This council became known as the Magi.

As the Babylonian Empire grew in power, they laid siege to Jerusalem (2 Kings 25). The Lord delivered Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Among the first group of Israelites deported to Babylon included “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” (Daniel 1:4). These men were trained for three years in the language and literature of the Babylonians. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among the young men chosen.

In the mighty city of Babylon, the young Israelites found themselves thrust into a world far removed from the familiar hills of their homeland. Babylon was steeped in mysticism and the occult. In contrast, Daniel and his friends were men of profound faith and unwavering devotion to God.

Daniel and his friends remained obedient to their faith. God blessed them and they excelled in their studies. “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Daniel 1:20).

As a result, “the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court” (Daniel 2:48-49).

While serving as chief of the Magi, Daniel received prophecies from God concerning the coming Messiah. Daniel wrote about his activities and the prophecies he received, including the time frame the Messiah would arrive in Daniel chapter 9.

These writings, along with the prophecies of Isaiah and other Scriptures, would be added to the Magi’s library of ancient writings. Under Daniel’s guidance, the Magi were more than mere practitioners of the occult. They became devoted seekers of truth. Daniel, firmly rooted in his faith, taught the Magi to recognize the God of Israel as the one true God.