I have to admit! In meditating on the Word, I was beyond impressed!!! The Creator of the Universe, The Word of God in subverting every potential challenge from the evil one; came to Earth to live as Man! Not a king or prince, but as the step-Son of a carpenter! Yes! We could attempt to calculate/estimate what that meant financially (even in these days!), but Jesus endured far worse! Potential murder! by Herod.
The wise men, following a star, were drawn to Jesus in Bethlehem not by invitation, but by their own spiritual quest to worship the newborn king. They were seeking the “King of the Jews” after seeing his star in the East.
Elaboration:
- Not Invited, Sought Out: The wise men (also known as the Magi) were not explicitly invited by anyone to visit Jesus. They were motivated by their own observations of a star and their understanding of prophecies about a new king.
- Driven by Spiritual Urge: Their journey was driven by a desire to worship the newborn king.
- Prophecy and Star: They had been studying Jewish scriptures and interpreting the star as a sign of the Messiah’s arrival.
- Visit to Herod: While they did stop at Jerusalem and visit Herod, it was not out of invitation but rather out of respect for the local authority. They were seeking to confirm the location of the newborn king and to offer their gifts.
- Led by the Star: The star, rather than an invitation, guided them to the place where Jesus was and led them to worship him.
Why is this salient? History!
During the time of Jesus, there were several figures named Herod, most notably Herod the Great, Herod Antipas, and Herod Agrippa I. Herod the Great was the king of Judea when Jesus was born, and is portrayed in the Gospels as the one who ordered the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, was the tetrarch (ruler) of Galilee and Perea, and is known for his role in the executions of John the Baptist and Jesus. Herod Agrippa I, a grandson of Herod the Great, is mentioned in the Book of Acts and is described as a cruel ruler.
The killing of the firstborn in the Old Testament story of Exodus is a key event in the story of the Israelites’ departure from Egypt. The passage in Exodus 11:5 states that “every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the female slave who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle”. This plague, the tenth and final plague, was intended to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites.
Elaboration:
- The Final Plague: The killing of the firstborn was the final and most devastating of the ten plagues that God inflicted upon Egypt.
- Target of the Plague:The plague targeted every firstborn in Egypt, including the firstborn of Pharaoh, the firstborn of slaves, and even the firstborn of livestock.
- Sign of God’s Power:This act was meant to demonstrate God’s power and authority over the gods of Egypt and Pharaoh himself.
- Consequence for Pharaoh:The death of the firstborn was so devastating that Pharaoh finally relented and ordered the Israelites to leave Egypt.
- Passover and Remembrance:The story of the Passover commemorates the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt and their survival during the plague, with the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doorposts serving as a sign of protection.