Every Christmas, we sing about them. We three kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar. But the Magi — those mysterious “wise men from the east” — are more than a Christmas carol. They’re a case study in what it looks like to seek God with everything you have, and what happens when He rewards that seeking.
Pastor Josh White walked us through Matthew 2 this Christmas morning, and challenged us with two questions: Who were these men? and What did they see?
Who Were the Magi?
Most of us picture three kings on camels, but the reality is likely more fascinating. These “Magi” were probably astronomers — not astrologers — from Babylon (modern-day Iraq), about seven to eight hundred miles east of Jerusalem. Some may have been Jewish descendants who never returned from the exile. They would have been deeply familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, including Daniel’s prophecies.
Daniel chapter 9 contains a stunning 70-week prophecy that pointed to a specific timeline for the Messiah’s coming. Numbers 24:17 promised a star out of Jacob. These Magi were watchers — tracking the heavens, believing God’s Word, waiting for the sign.
And here’s what’s convicting: when they showed up in Jerusalem asking about the King of the Jews, Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled. This was a big deal. A foreign delegation from 800 miles away shows up saying, “We saw His star when it rose” — and everyone took it seriously. Herod was so threatened he slaughtered every male child in Bethlehem two years old and under. Whatever the Magi saw, it demanded a response.
What Did They See?
Pastor Josh presented Fred Larson’s “Starry Dance” theory — one of several credible astronomical theories about the Star of Bethlehem. Using planetarium software that can simulate the night sky in 3 BC, Larson identified nine data points from Matthew 2 and found that the movements of Jupiter (“the king planet”) and Venus (“the mother planet”) fit them remarkably well.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”
— Psalm 19:1-2
Whether or not Larson’s specific theory is correct, one thing is clear: God set the stars in place with such precision that, at the exact moment in history when the Messiah was born, the heavens announced it. The planets moved — and still move — like clockwork. When Genesis says God set the stars in place, He meant it. The Magi were right.
So What?
Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.
— Hebrews 11:6
That’s the application. The Magi model what genuine seeking looks like:
- They studied the Word. They knew the prophecies — Numbers 24:17, Daniel’s 70 weeks. They weren’t guessing.
- They watched the skies. They were students of creation, aware of what God had built into the heavens.
- They traveled. 800 miles. That’s like walking from Phoenix to Oklahoma City and back. They didn’t wait for the King to come to them — they went seeking Him.
- They were rewarded. They saw the Christ child, fell down and worshiped Him, and went home changed.
But here’s the part that gives me chills: if God used the planets to announce the Messiah’s birth, that means this plan was set in motion at creation. The infinite wisdom of God arranged the stars so that, at precisely the right moment in history, the heavens would declare what was happening on earth. That’s the God we’re serving.
This Christmas, the question is simple: Who are you seeking?
Pastor Josh closed with this: “If you are seeking anyone or anything other than Christ, you are going to be disappointed.” The good news of the Gospel is the most important thing we can know. God promised a Savior, He sent Him, and He raised Him from the dead. If we believe that, we too will be rewarded — not with a visit to a manager in Bethlehem, but with eternal life.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
— Galatians 4:4-5
Seek Him. He’s waiting to be found.
Scripture References
- Matthew 2:1-12 — The Magi visit Jesus
- Numbers 24:17 — The prophecy of a star out of Jacob
- Daniel 9:24-27 — The 70-week prophecy
- Psalm 19:1-2 — The heavens declare God’s glory
- Job 9:7 — God commands the sun and stars
- Genesis 49:9-10 — Judah, the lion’s cub, and the royal scepter
- Galatians 4:4-5 — God sends His Son in the fullness of time
- Hebrews 11:6 — Faith pleases God; He rewards those who seek Him
- Luke 21:25 — Signs in the sun, moon, and stars