Faith of a Magi
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, [a]wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “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.” Matthew 2:1-2
We have heard the Christmas story our whole lives and the wise men from the East are an intricate part of it. But have you really thought about their journey? Their sacrifice? Their faith?
I haven't, until recently.
Many scholars think the magi were from Babylon. The magi were high ranking officials in the court there and likely heard the stories of Daniel. They also are rumored to be descendants of Shem, Abraham's son. Yet, the stories alone didn't prompt such an arduous journey to worship a child born of lowly stature, one not of a reigning dignitary, and in a small town that was considered one of the smallest villages in the area.
The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem is not an easy one. It is over 700 miles and, on a camel, a very long and uncomfortable one. It required a lot of preparation for food, water, and other necessities that they would need. The cost; financially, physically, and emotionally, was substantial.
So why did they do it?
They went to worship.
Read that again. They made the journey because to them, the cost was not important. They chose to go and worship the King of the Jews in person to present Him with costly gifts that represented who He was to them.
Let's look at those for a moment. God represents His divine nature, His glory, His purity and sacredness. Frankincense represents worship and prayer, as well as the divinity of Jesus. It also represents the connection between mankind and God, which is what Jesus is. Myrrh is a holy anointing oil and used for the embalming process. It signifies the savior dying for the sins of mankind.
The faith it took for these men to travel this far, over rugged terrain and spend time away from friends, family, and their place in the court is strong. It provides for us a shining example of true worship and self-denial needed to be the Christian we should be.
Read their story again (it's only 12 verses) and use it to guide your heart in worship to the One who came for us!
~C
We have heard the Christmas story our whole lives and the wise men from the East are an intricate part of it. But have you really thought about their journey? Their sacrifice? Their faith?
I haven't, until recently.
Many scholars think the magi were from Babylon. The magi were high ranking officials in the court there and likely heard the stories of Daniel. They also are rumored to be descendants of Shem, Abraham's son. Yet, the stories alone didn't prompt such an arduous journey to worship a child born of lowly stature, one not of a reigning dignitary, and in a small town that was considered one of the smallest villages in the area.
The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem is not an easy one. It is over 700 miles and, on a camel, a very long and uncomfortable one. It required a lot of preparation for food, water, and other necessities that they would need. The cost; financially, physically, and emotionally, was substantial.
So why did they do it?
They went to worship.
Read that again. They made the journey because to them, the cost was not important. They chose to go and worship the King of the Jews in person to present Him with costly gifts that represented who He was to them.
Let's look at those for a moment. God represents His divine nature, His glory, His purity and sacredness. Frankincense represents worship and prayer, as well as the divinity of Jesus. It also represents the connection between mankind and God, which is what Jesus is. Myrrh is a holy anointing oil and used for the embalming process. It signifies the savior dying for the sins of mankind.
The faith it took for these men to travel this far, over rugged terrain and spend time away from friends, family, and their place in the court is strong. It provides for us a shining example of true worship and self-denial needed to be the Christian we should be.
Read their story again (it's only 12 verses) and use it to guide your heart in worship to the One who came for us!
~C
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