Mary encounters God—New Life comes through Brokenness.

Joseph sacrifices his reputation to follow Jesus.

The Shepherds—the lowly ones—are the first ones to receive the message that a Savior has been born in Bethlehem.

Herod loses his sanity because his identity is wrapped up in his power

They came from the East.

They discover the baby born in Bethlehem by following a star.

The Babylonians were the astronomers of their time.

They believed that major terrestrial events were predicted by celestial events.

In the First Century, there were an estimated 87 comets visible to the naked eye. The Romans believed that when a comet appeared something major was about to happen.

Crucial context concerning the Wise Men:

The Babylonians were studied in the area of astronomy.

During the Babylonian exile, the Hebrew boys Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would have educated the Babylonians in the Old Testament on the expectation of a coming King who would bring peace and joy.

Messianic passages:

A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.

-Numbers 24:17 (NIV)

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

-Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)

The Wise Men knew the general vicinity in which this new King would be born:

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

-Micah 5:2 (NIV)

We consider that the star that was seen at its rising was a new star, and not like any of the normal celestial bodies, either those in the fixed sphere or those in the lower spheres... Why would it be a great surprise that a star should have appeared at the birth of the One who was going to introduce new ideas to the human race and to reveal His teaching not only to the Jews but also to the Greeks, and to many barbarian nations in addition? ...However, the star which appeared at Jesus’ birth had been prophesied by Balaam, recorded by Moses, when he said, “A star shall appear out of Jacob, and a man shall rise up out of Israel.”

-Origen, Contra Celsum, 1.58–59

First: Comets have what is known as a heliacal rising: the first visible rising of the comet after being invisible because of proximity to the Sun.

Second: The Star of Bethlehem is said to have risen in the Zodiacal Constellations.

Scholars and Early Church Fathers believe that what the star did in connection with its heliacal rising is recorded in Revelation:

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who ‘will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.’

-Revelation 12:1-5

Early Church tradition held that Jesus’ birth is told in celestial terms as it is happening in the terrestrial.

She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

-Revelation 12:2 (NIV)

Christ Comet or Bethlehem Star: a predawn comet appearing within Virgo during her rising

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.

-Revelation 12:3-5

Terrestrial activity: Herod tries to assassinate the Christ Child.

Celestial Activity: As Virgo rises, Hydra ascends beside her in the eastern sky, appearing at her feet as a dragon poised to devour the child.

The Dragon: Sweeps a third of the stars and flings them to the earth.

The Great Meteor Storm of 6 B.C.

The comet appeared to drop out of Virgo’s womb and move downward quickly—like a baby being born.

She gave birth to a son, a male child, who ‘will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.’ And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.

-Revelation 12:5 (NIV)

How do the Magi behave when they arrive in Jerusalem?

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’

-Matthew 2:1–2 (NIV)

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’

-Matthew 2:7–8 (NIV)

Herod asks “When did you see the star at its rising?” to determine the age of the child.

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

-Matthew 2:9–10 (NIV)

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

-Matthew 2:9–10 (NIV)

The comet at this point has a long tail which, from the Magi’s perspective at the time, projected upwards into the sky from a coma that was stationed over the visible horizon behind the house where Jesus was. The description suggests that the comet that night was probably at least 30 degrees long but no more than 45 degrees long. According to Matthew the comet was clearly of such brightness and size that it seemed from the Magi’s perspective to be standing right over the house. For the comet to do that, it must have been angled at between approximately 70 and 110 degrees from the horizon.

-Colin R. Nicholl: The Great Christ Comet

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him...

-Matthew 2:11a (NIV)

…Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

-Matthew 2:11b (NIV)

‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you… All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

-Excerpts from Isaiah 60:1, 4, 6 (NIV)

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

-Matthew 2:11b (NIV)

The Magi's Three Gifts

1. Gold because He was a King.

2. Frankincense because He was God.

3. Myrrh because he was a man.

But the greatest, indescribable gift was the gift given by Jesus to all of us.

But the angel said to them, ‘ Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’

-Luke 2:10–11 (NIV)

Three Applications From The Account of the Wise Men

1. Those far from Him can come to Him. God’s heart is for everyone.

Illustration: Don Richardson, “Eternity In Their Hearts.”

2. Wise men still seek Him. God wants to be found.

We too have our "gods." Our hope and security can reside in things that can never deliver.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

-Psalm 19:1–2 (NIV)

God is constantly revealing Himself but without a humble and seeking heart you will never discover Him.

3. Learned men still reject Him! You crown Him or kill Him.

To sit on the throne of Heaven, you have to give Jesus the throne of your life! You will either bow humbly at the cradle and live or stand arrogantly at the cross and die.

If you have not yet discovered Jesus, it is not a lack of evidence but the suppression of it because you are terrified of its implications—that you would have to relinquish full authority and follow the commands of someone else.

Make no mistake, that is the only road to life.

Make a Decision