MAGI FIND JESUS IN NAZARETH
Matt 2:9-12 And when they heard the king they departed, and lo, the star which they saw 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 were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him, and when they opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
The wise men, as they are departing from Herod, see the star they had, “saw in the east.” And “when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” The wise men are rejoicing, “with exceeding great joy,” since they had not seen the star since it had originally been seen by them in Babylon. They had journeyed to Jerusalem in faith and when they arrived in Jerusalem they had to ask ,”Where Is He that is born King of the Jews? They did not follow the star from Babylon to Jerusalem which probably took them well over six months since the distance was 1700 miles, since the star only reappeared after they departed from Herod.
The wise men are now able to follow the star which now, “went before them.” And the star leads them to the house where, “the young child was.”Matthew tells us “the young child.”(a pais) is no longer a “baby”(a brephos) nor is He lying in a manger. Mary and Joseph had brought Jesus home from Jerusalem to Nazareth. The Magi now presented “unto Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Jesus was no longer poor. He was wealthy. One can only imagine the value of the gifts that the Magi had travelled over 1700 miles to deliver to Jesus.
In verse twelve we are told that the Magi were warned by God, “in a dream, not to return to Herod,” hence they left Nazareth, and returned to Babylon without returning to Jerusalem or Herod. But why did our Heavenly Father’s Perfect Plan require the Magi to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem, to present Jesus with “gifts”? Matthew provides us with the answer to that question in his next few verses.
JOSEPH, MARY AND JESUS FLEE TO EGYPT
Matt 2:13-15 And when they were departed, behold the angel of the lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt and be thou there until I bring thee word. For Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him. When he arose, he took the young child and His mother by night and departed into Egypt. And was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt have I called My Son.”
No sooner have the Magi departed, than an Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt. We now understand why God had the Magi bring, “gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh”. Herod “will seek the young child to destroy Him”. Joseph is directed to take Mary and our Lord and “flee into Egypt”. Joseph and family were to remain in Egypt until, “the angel of the Lord bring thee word.” That trip had to be financed. Mary and Joseph, were poor. The Magi provided the financial wherewith all for the journey to and residence in Egypt.
Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb at Christ-mass time. Although tradition has Him being birthed on December 25th, He entered into Mary’s womb at that time. This IS the cause for great celebration. Life begins at conception, not nine months later. Selah!