THEY PRESENTED GIFTS TO HIM
"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 exceeding great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2:9-11.
I. WHO THEY WERE:
"…wise men from the east."
Probably philosophers, versed in astrology, who had studied the Old Testament prophets and knew Israel was looking for the coming of the Messiah.
II. WHAT THEY SAW:
"…we have seen His star in the East."
In the Bible, any heavenly luminary is called a star. God asked Job: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?…When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4,7).
Here God refers to the angelic host as "morning stars and the sons of God." Could it be that the "Star of Bethlehem" was a guiding angel of light and not a meteor, asteroid or some convergence of the planets?
III. WHERE THEY TRAVELED:
"…came to Jerusalem."
They went to Jerusalem because it was the capitol city of Israel. The journey took from twelve to fifteen days.
IV. WHAT THEY ASKED AND THE ANSWER THEY GOT:
"…Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ’In Bethlehem of Judea..." Matthew 2:3-6.
V. THE STAR REAPPEARS:
"…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 exceeding great joy."
It seems the star they had seen "in the East" was not visible to them from the time they had begun their journey until they were on the road to Bethlehem. We can assume this because they stopped in Jerusalem to inquire as to where they might find the Christ Child.
Had the star been visible to them at all times during their journey there would have been no need to make inquiry of anyone concerning where to find Him.
It is also significant the "the star STOOD over where the young Child was."
VI. HOW THEY WORSHIPED
"they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh."
Gold for the King; frankincense for the Priest; myrrh for the Messiah.
