The Lord’s Message:  Word of God Speak – Wise Men from the East

The Lord’s Message:  Word of God Speak – Wise Men from the East
Date:  January 4, 2026
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  Matthew 2:1-12

            We are in the Season of Epiphany.  The Season of Epiphany closes out the Christmas Season and prepares us for the Season of Lent.  The word “epiphany” means to be manifested or to appear openly.  The Son of God, Jesus, is manifesting God to us in human form.  As we close out the Christmas Season, today we will also close out our sermon series, Word of God Speak.  I hope that you have been amazed at how God has spoken to humanity in the past and continues to speak in the future, and to whom God speaks.  God used angels and dreams to speak to humanity.  God spoke to an elderly priest, a young, betrothed virgin, her husband-to-be, and lastly lowly shepherds.  These were all Jewish people.  This morning, we are going to see how God speaks to non-Jewish, or Gentile, people. 

            Let us pray.

            Before, we jump into the book of Matthew, I want us to go back to Luke, Luke 2:39-40.  I occasionally come into discussion with people that want to tell me that the Bible is filled with contradictions.  I have studied the Bible for 40 years.  I have not been able to find any contradictions in the Bible.  Last week, we stopped at Jesus appearing with Mary and Joseph in the temple in Jerusalem.  Simeon and Anna recognized Jesus as the Messiah.  We stopped there.  I suspect that some of you went on to read to the end of that paragraph.  If you did, you would see the statement that after fulfilling all the Law of the Lord required, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus “returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.”  This morning, we are going to be discussing Joseph, Mary and Jesus’ presence in Bethlehem.  They can not be in two places at the same time.  What gives?

            Both took place.  Not everything in the Bible is in chronological order.  You can purchase a chronological Bible if that helps you.  I just want you to have an open mind and as I go through the Message this will all become clearer. If you still have questions, you can catch me after the service, and I would be more than happy to discuss this further with you.

            In Luke, Jesus is 40 days old when He is brought to the temple.  In Matthew, Jesus is two to three years old when the Magi come to visit. 

            Who were the Magi?  From careful reading of the scripture and many commentaries, I have concluded that the Magi were Persian astrologers.  If you remember back in Daniel, who were King Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men?  Daniel 2:2, astrologers.  The Medes and Persians conquered the Babylonian empire in 539 BC.  Just as the Babylonians had carted off the wise people of the conquered nations, so the Medes and Persians followed this same principle.  In Daniel 5:31-6:1. My conclusion is that the Magi were Persian astrologers. 

            What was the star?  We do not know.  It could have been two planets such as Jupiter and Saturn appearing close together.  It could have been a supernova.  It could have been a comet.  The conclusion is that none of these truly fit the Biblical narrative.  God can use nature to convey His message, but God  is also able to perform a supernatural occurrence.  Such as in Exodus when the people are being led out of Egypt by God, Exodus 13:21-22.  How the star came to be is not important.  What is important is that God knew in what way to convey His message to these Persian astrologers.  God is not limited in the materials that He can use to speak.  God can use the natural or the supernatural to speak to people.  The star was a supernatural manifestation from God, an Epiphany. 

            I find it quite interesting that the Magi are the only ones who know about the star and what it means.  The shepherds did not know, the angel had to tell them.  Mary and Joseph did not know, they simply went to Bethlehem.  King Herod did not know until the Magi asked him, Matthew 2:2.  Then the religious scholars had to search the records, Matthew 2:4-6. 

            Contrary to the beautiful nativities that we have, the wise men did not arrive at Jesus’ birth.  They arrived two or three years later.  Look at Matthew 2:11, “on coming to the house.” 

            Another interesting point is that an ordinary star is seen from far, far, away, but cannot pinpoint a specific structure like a small house.  I mean the house was not in the middle of nowhere.  It was in the village of Bethlehem located 6 miles from Jerusalem.  A village of about 200 people with a number of houses.  Again, this star must have been an atmospheric manifestation of God that beamed light directly onto the house in which Jesus was living.  God speaking from heaven through supernatural means.  Why not?  The Psalmist says in Psalm 19:1. 

            Let us take an examination of the gifts.  In Matthew 2:11b, they presented gifts to Jesus of gold, incense (frankincense) and myrrh.  Everything a young boy would need.  God knows what He is doing.  God knows that after the wise men leave, the family is going to flee to Egypt.  These gifts will provide the means of survival for them.  Gold can be used for payment for various items anywhere.  Incense or frankincense was used by the priests of Egypt to offer up prayers to the gods.  Myrrh was used for embalming. 

            All of these gifts offered to Jesus represent the life that Jesus was going to live.  Gold represented Jesus as king. Not an earthly king, but a heavenly king.  In John 18:36-37, Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this earth.  Jesus is our king.  Frankincense for a priest.  In the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 4:14, Jesus is the great high priest.  Myrrh tells that Jesus is going to give His life for us.  Jesus is our savior.  In Luke 2:11, the angel told the shepherds that Jesus was born to be the savior of the world.  These gifts speak to us by God for the purpose of which Jesus came to be one of us, Emmanuel.  Jesus is our King.  Jesus is our High Priest.  Jesus is our Savior. 

            These wise men listened to God speaking to them in a language that they could understand.  God knows what Herod is going to do, have Jesus killed.  Even after the wise men left Bethlehem, they were still listening to God. God appeared to them in a dream. Before it was a supernatural event, now it is God appearing in a dream.  God does not use just one way to get our attention to listen to Him.  God can use many ways.  We need to be open to how God is working.  These wise men were.   Look at Matthew 2:12. “They returned to their country by another route.” 

These wise men are the first non-Jewish or Gentiles to see Jesus the Christ, because God spoke to them.   Jesus was not sent just to save the Jewish people, but the world, John 3:16-17. 

            In Matthew 2:13, Joseph lays down for a sleep.  Again, God speaks to Joseph by sending an angel in his dream.  The angel warns Joseph to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt, because Herod wants to kill Jesus.  Joseph follows God’s warning.  Jesus is taken to Egypt and stays there for a few years.  King Herod dies in 4 AD. 

Here is where Luke and Matthew come back into agreement.  In Matthew 2:19-23, once again Joseph is warned by God’s angel to go back to Nazareth.     No contradiction between the two authors.  Just a different chronological order. 

God was working long before Jesus was born.  God is continuing to work in the world.  We need to be open to seeing God work and follow His directions for our lives. 

Let us continue to listen to God and do what He says.  Amen.