“Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, 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.’ When Herod heard this, he was troubled and all of Jerusalem with him…When they [Magi] had 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…Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” (Matthew 2: 2-3, 9, 12)
The gospel of Matthew is the only book in the Bible that mentions wise men visiting the newborn Jesus. The Bible does not tell us much about these men except that they were magi (short for magicians or astrologers), from a foreign country (possibly Persia), and that they were not Jewish. Yet they were the only ones paying attention to the prophesied signs of heaven.
As educated men, they possessed extensive knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. They knew what to look for and had been watching and waiting for many years. So, when they saw the bright star in the sky, they knew the time had come.
They loaded up their camels and headed to Israel. It is unknown how long it took for the magi to reach Bethlehem. But when they arrived, Matthew 2:10-11 says they “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” and bowed down to worship the “young Child.” They then presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the promised Messiah.
The Presence of Jesus Changes You
Notice in verse twelve that, when it was time to go, the magi did not go back the same way they had arrived. In a practical sense, they could not, or else King Herod might kill them. But in a spiritual sense, perhaps they did not want to anyway. They had just spent an evening with Jesus and His family, worshipping, fellowshiping, and intimately experiencing the glory of God first-hand.
Following Christ still has the same effect on believers today.
Anyone who has personally experienced God’s love can tell you that being in His presence completely changes you. There is nothing else like it. When you are with the Lord, there is freedom, peace, and joy that you never knew existed. It is what finally makes you realize that the way you were doing things was way off-course, and that it is better to surrender to God, knowing that His way is better. John 3:16 beautifully sums up this promise of salvation.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” NKJV
When we allow God’s love to penetrate our hearts, we experience an intimate connection with Him; We begin to understand what it means to be a new creation in Christ. The old you is gone. You are now a new and better version of yourself, all because you came into the Lord’s presence. At that moment, you realize that you cannot go home the same way you came. Everything is different now.
The same must have been true for the magi. Perhaps they knew Jesus in an academic, political, or even religious sense because of the prophecy. But all that surely went by the wayside when they stood in His presence.
The Magi Experience
Experiencing God’s love is truly unique.
It envelopes you, surrounding and penetrating you. His grace is consuming, and you hunger for more of His touch. As your faith grows, your relationship with Him deepens and becomes more intimate. You begin feeling Him in your heart just at the mention of His name. It stirs, excites, and gives you peace all at once. In His presence, there is peace, hope, and love.
Whatever the magi were expecting when they arrived at the manger must have changed the instant they stood in the physical presence of God. How unfortunate that we cannot share that experience and stand in the same room with Him today (at least, not yet). But we can still be in His presence just by calling out to Him, surrendering our hearts and pride, and accepting His gift of grace.
This Christmas, whatever you think you know about Jesus or the Christmas story, consider the lesson of the magi. Come and experience Jesus first-hand and see how wonderful He truly is. Come and feel His amazing love for you, a love so strong He willingly endured death on a cross to free and save you from sin and the eternal pit of Hell. Let Him put His mighty arms around you. Feel His strength, comfort, and protection over you, and receive healing in your circumstances.
If you do not know Him, or if it has been a while, now is a great time to encounter the Messiah. When you do, you will completely understand what it meant for the magi to go home a different way. Because you won’t either.
I think it’s appropriate that we have Christmas right before the new year. Like those seeking to see the Savior we prepare to celebrate Him each year. It should be a time of renewing our hope, joy, and faith. Then we can begin the New Year taking a new path then the year before, just as the Maji took a different path. Having the Lord in our life leads us down new and unexpected paths.
I couldn’t agree more, Katharine. I like your thought about how going a different way also means beginning a new year on a different, more positive path. Thank you for that blessing.
Thanks, Kimi. Merry Christmas!
Wonderful post, Merry Christmas Gina!