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| THE 3 WISE MEN |
| 3 Wise Men
We see them represented in most Christmas Nativity Scenes. Who were those men who traveled thousands of miles to Bethlehem to find the newborn Jesus? How did they know about the Savior’s birth and where to find Him? The Magi or the Three Wise Men are thought by some to have been men of high position from Partha, a town near the site of the ancient Babylon. 1. Traditionally, there were three although the Bible doesn’t tell us how many. 2. They might have been Jews who knew the predictions of Old Testament scripture. They would have been descended from the Jews who stayed in Babylon centuries earlier, after the exile. (Sometime between 742 and 687 BC, the prophet Micah prophesied about the Savior being born in Bethlehem. Micah 5.) 3. They could have been eastern astronomers who studied ancient manuscripts. They would have had copies of Old Testament scripture in their land because of the Jewish exile. Moses wrote about a star, referring to the Messiah, around 1450 BC. Numbers 24:17 4. They may have been Gentiles of high position, who had received a special revelation from God directing them to the promised Savior of all men. 5. Some scholars say that they were each from a different land, representing the entire world bowing before Jesus. Whoever they were, they traveled a long distance and when they found Him, they celebrated, presenting Him with gifts. The Three Gifts • Incense: Representing the prayers of the world. In Psalm 141:2 David asks that his prayer be set before God like incense. Revelation 5:8 speaks of golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints. • Myrrh: A spice used in embalming, signifying Jesus’ sacrifice and death. • Gold: A gift fit for a King These gifts are a small reflection of the day when all the wealth of the nations will be joyfully set before the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 60:5, 60:11, 61:6 & 66:20, Zephaniah 3:10 and Haggai 2:7,8 prophetically speak of this event. |
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