Epiphany – Do You Seek the Wise Men?

Prayer – Lord, Wise Men…and Women…still seek You.

Wise Men and Women Still Seek Him
Camel at the Judean desert in Israel.

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 the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' " ... And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." When they 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. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:1-6, 8-11 NKJV 

Meditate. Rejoice with great joy.

 

The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Twelve Drummers Drumming refers to the doctrine of the Apostle's Creed and the twelve points included therein (belief in God the Father almighty, belief in Jesus Christ his only Son - our Lord, that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, that He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was crucified, died and was buried, then he descended into hell, that he rose again the third day, that he ascended into heaven, that he is seated at the right hand of the Father, that he is to come to judge the living and the dead, belief in the Holy Ghost, belief in the holy catholic Church and the communion of saints, belief in the remission of sins, and belief in the resurrection of the flesh and life eternal.)

 

Christmas isn’t over, although I think I’m a day off on counting these twelve days of Christmas. Today is Epiphany—the Three Kings Day. Check your calendar. How do you celebrate Kings Day? The Twelve Days of Christmas song introduces the mystery of the Apostle’s Creed which was written in 341 AD, more than three hundred years after Christ was crucified. This creed covers the points of Christian beliefs about the triune God. This is not just the beliefs of the Catholic church, but the Christian church worldwide. Some churches still recite this creed regularly, quarterly, or at least annually.

 

Those Wise Men traveled a long way for a long time. Notice in the Matthew 2 scripture that Jesus was a child and lived in a house when the Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem. He was no longer a baby in a manager. Later verses in that chapter of Matthew indicate the Wise Men had first seen the star two years earlier which indicated that Jesus was born two year earlier. It was due to that time period that Herod ordered boys two years of age and younger killed to eliminate any challenge to his throne.

 

It is likely that there were more than three Wise Men when they traveled in an entourage from some eastern country. The treasures they brought tell us that they were rich as they presented Jesus gifts of gold…for Jesus’ kingship and deity, of frankincense…denoting Jesus’ purity as a priest, and of myrrh…foreshadowed Jesus’ death and signifying Him as an anointed prophet. These treasures were likely used to finance Jesus’ family as they traveled and lived in Egypt. God had a plan and took care of His Son.

 

Are you celebrating this last day of Christmas? What king are you seeking? Are you looking for the Wise Men or King Jesus now? What gift will you give to Jesus today? Your life? Your heart?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. Psalm 74:12 NKJV

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted. 

                           New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Harper Collins Publisher. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

New Living Translation (NLT) copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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