Meeting Of The East And West Series

Theme: Born to Give

Text: Matthew 2:1-12

Greetings: The Lord is good and His love endures forever.

Introduction:

The image of the wise men on the Christmas cards, the visit of the Magi scene in Christmas play are different from what we are told in the Bible. Matthew commences his gospel by showing a contrast between the Gentiles and Jewish secular and religious leaders. The Magi “knelt down and worshipped Him.” (Matthew 2:11). But the King Herod the Great wanted to kill him and the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and oppressed him.

In this midnight service, I would like to share with you a few spiritual lessons from the VISIT OF THE MAGI and response of the King Herod as the Wicked Herod, the Wise men and the Wisdom of God.

?1. The wicked Herod

Carson comments: ‘Herod was wealthy, politically gifted, intensely loyal, an excellent administrator, a builder including the Temple, and clever enough to remain in the good graces of successive Roman emperors. He loved power, he turned to cruelty and in fits of rage and jealousy killed close associates.”??Matthew sets the context of the birth of Christ into a historical setting. The king Herod was a historical person lived on the earth at the time of God’s incarnation. Herod represents the world of wickedness, a man with political position, which yielded him the political power, decision making, thinking of himself as the universal ruler. He was thinking that he wasabove everything, above God, above the ethics, above the morality, above the fellow human beings.

He is identical and classifiable with most of the presidents, prime ministers and the princes of this world. They think that they are the ULTIMATE of their times. But, Herod was threatened and had an unknown fear of the future through the entry of another child who would rule in the future, will be the leader in the future, he was disturbed, had puzzled, anxieties and disturbances in his heart, there was a confusion in his palace and in his country.

?Herod represents the modern religious people:

“Herod heard a good Bible study about the birthplace of the Messiah, but it did him no good.” (David Guzik).

“Some men may be well instructed in their Bibles and yet be all the worse for what they have discovered.” (Spurgeon).

“A man may be persuaded of many truths, and still hate them because they interfere with his ambition or sinful indulgences. Such a belief will make him uneasy, and the more resolved to oppose the truth and the cause of God.” (Matthew Henry).

His search of the scriptures, his consultations with chief priests and scribes was absolutely for wickedness. He turned his scriptural knowledge into wickedness, no fear of God in his eyes, no fear of the Almighty. His intentions were revealed at the end the chapter that he doesn’t want to worship God but eradicate God. How foolish he was as described in Psalms 14:1 & 53:1.

?Who is he? Who is Herod? He is none other than ‘You and me.’ We are afraid of someone who is better than us is many ways, and in everything. We are afraid of someone who is emerging as a promising leader, a potential person, someoneis more skilful, someone is brainier, and someone more magnanimous in words, and in deeds. We are afraid of someone who is going to challenge out position in work andachievements. We are afraid of such persons as Herod was afraid of the prince of peace. He represents the wicked world.

The world corrupted in every aspect, no fear of God, no fear of consequences, no fear of accountability, and no fear of malign of dignity. Hostility increases, bitterness increases. We are completely independent, and God of our own world and our own lives.

?Herod was a subtle, cunning man. His friendship was not reliable, his words were not trustworthy, and his religious life was full of hypocrisy. “Sinners are often tormented with secret fears, which they keep to themselves. The greatest wickedness often conceals itself under a mask of piety.’(Matthew Henry).

?2. The Wise men of the East

The term µa???, magi, is a designation given to philosophers, or men of learning, particularly those that were curious in examining the works of nature, and observing the motions of the heavenly bodies in the Persian and eastern culture of those days. The Magi could foretell miraculous births by reading the stars. The term Magi is a plural form of MAGOI in Greek.

‘The Magi among the Persians are philosophers and priests. They are magicians and use unlawful arts for their livelihood and popularity. Arabia is called the land of the east (Genesis 25:6), and the Arabians are called men of the east (Judges 6:3)’ (Matthew Henry).

Wycliffe refers them as kings. ‘A priestly caste among the Persians and Medes, which occupied itself principally with the secrets of nature, astrology, and medicine.’ (Wycliffe).