WHEN AND WHY DID THE KINGS COME?
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-14
Main Theme: This is sad to say, but in almost all Church Christmas plays, there is a display of the kings coming to the birth of Jesus. If there is one thing that we as Christians must not do is to misrepresent the Word of God. Therefore, we will look at the timing of the coming of the wise men, and the reason why they came.
- When did the wise men come to bring their gifts to the newborn King?
To begin with, it was not the night that Jesus was born. Contrary to what is seen in almost all Christmas plays, which show the wise men come with their gifts, simply isn’t true, when speaking of the timing of their coming. Scripture, which is the word of Truth, proves it did not happen the night of Jesus’ birth. To determine when the wise men came we need to look at four things Scripture tells us concerning both the wise men and their meeting with Jesus. Herod’s meeting with them, where the new family was at the time of their visit, and the possible age of Jesus at the time. To determine this we need to see an action Herod took as a result of the wise men’s not returning to him. Once we know these things, we can know the time of the wise men’s visit. To begin with, let us look at the visit the wise men had with Herod. These men were from the east (Matthew 2:1). These men must have known of the prophecy concerning Jesus, because they called him “King of the Jews”(Matthew 2:2)When they saw the star in the east, we know that they might have also been astrologers. King Herod, meanwhile, is troubled because of his position being threatened by what was told to him.He had the wise men come to him, and asking where Jesus should be born, they told him in Bethlehem of Judaea, quoting Scripture showing that they were familiar with the Messaniac prophecy. (Matthew 2:5-6). Once the wise men left Herod, the star that they had followed led them to where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were (Matthew 2:9-11). One of the best ways we know that the wise men were not at the birth of Christ is by the place they found Him. Not in a manger, where he was laid, but in a HOUSE, which shows that some time had passed since Jesus’ birth. Here they presented him with their gifts, and being warned by God (Matthew 2:12), which reveals that they knew how to know the warning was from God, traveled another way back home. How old was Jesus at this point. The best guess, and guessing is the best we can do with the evidence given, by the next cruel act of Herod, being placed into his heart by Satan, who tried killing Jesus every chance he could, is found in Matthew 2:16-18, killing all the children age two and below. Therefore, we know Jesus must have been close to two years of age.
- Why did the wise men come, what was the purpose?
Their purpose was to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:2). They knew him to be the King of the Jews, and for this reason they came. However, God had a divine purpose in their coming. Look carefully at what happens just prior to Herod’s killing the children. Joseph has a dream, and is told to go to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14). Joseph then leaves quickly, and goes to Egypt, which he does at night, to avoid anyone seeing them. Have you ever had to move? If so, I am sure that you know it to be a tiresome and also an expensive task, and I have no doubt it was for Joseph and his young family. Yes, he was a carpenter, but I am sure that the trip alone to Bethlehem took most of the money he and Mary had. Therefore, how did the trip get financed. Let’s go back to the gifts of the wise men. Do you ever hear of them keeping them and presenting them to Jesus later in his life? Of course no one has. Therefore, this preacher believes that these gifts, all three expensive, were used to finance the trip, and used to help them get settled whenever they arrived in Egypt. God’s ways again are much higher than ours, and His thoughts so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-11). Only God would have known of Herod’s plot, and only God could have provided for the expenses of moving, and this preacher believes that God placed it into the hearts and minds of these wise men to come for this necessary purpose.
- You may not agree with what has been said here, but it is Scripturally accurate. The part about the financing of the trip to Egypt is something that only God could have done, and even though we are told no more, I feel God gave us enough information to know what happened. He also gave us enough to see the timing of the coming of the wise men. I pray that these short few words have cleared any misunderstanding that you may have had when reading the sermon God gave me on my site, “The Very First Christmas.” I pray that you never forget that Jesus is not only the reason for the season, but that He is the season, and can be year-round, if only you give your life to Him. He is ready to welcome you into His family, and I promise you, that not only is it the GIFT of a lifetime, but one that will NEVER STOP GIVING. May God bless you with His presence this Christmas season, and may you invite Him to be with you forever so that Christmas can last every day for you.