Where Is The King?
– Matthew Two –
Wise men will always seek Jesus. Matthew chapter two gives us a
look at the wise men that came seeking Jesus and the wicked act of a godless
king that broke the hearts of many families. The wise men sought a king but
they found a child who had been born in a stable. But remember this child was
Emmanuel – “God with us.”
Matthew tells us of the visit of the wise men (two or more men)
that came some time after the birth of Jesus. Luke records the account of how
the shepherds heard the good news concerning the Savior on the night of His
birth. There are many similarities between Jesus and Old Testament events. A
couple of examples are, (1) The Jews went to Egypt
to preserve life and then returned; Jesus did the same, and (2) Pharaoh was
killing babies when Moses was born but he was spared. Herod killed the babies
when Jesus was born; but He was spared. God's Messiah was born and now
salvation is a reality!
The
wise men visit the king – Matthew 2:1-12: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of
Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying,
Where is he that is born King of Jews? For we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him.” (Matthew
2:1-2) People are
not wise because of what they know, but because of what they seek. These wise
men were exactly what we should be – earnest, sincere seekers of Christ. God
pity the king, president or beggar who does not know Christ and where he was
born.
From this beautiful section of Scripture we observe: (1) The
Seekers – “…there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.”
(Matthew 2:1) (2) The Sought – “…Where is he that is born King of the Jews?”
(Matthew 2:2) (3) The Sign – “…We have seen his star in the east, and are come
to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2) (4) The Search – “…Go and search diligently for
the young child." (Matthew 2:8), and (5) The Success – “When they saw the
star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the
house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and
worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto
him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and Myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11) Wise men will
always seek Jesus.
The
Christ is taken into Egypt –
Matthew 2:13-15: The wise men “being warned of God in a dream that they
should not return to Herod departed into their own country another way.”
(Matthew 2:12) Instead of seeking the Christ for worship, Herod sought the
child to destroy Him. It would be of interest to know what became of these wise
men. Did they come to a saving knowledge of the Christ? What did they tell
others of Jesus when they returned to their own country?
After the wise left an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a
dream. He was told to get up and quickly take the child and his mother to Egypt.
He was to stay there until God told him to return.
The reason for this was because Herod was
looking for the child and wanted to kill him. Joseph is a great example of
obedience. Remember, God said go to Egypt.
Now watch Joseph, “When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by
night, and departed into Egypt.”
(Matthew 2:14) Wise parent’s contin-ually seek the
safety of their children. God al-ways has a place of safety for His people.
Observe, (1) The Warning – “…the angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and
flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek
the young child to destroy him." (Matthew 2:13),
(2) The Willing – “When he arose, he took the young
child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:"
(Matthew 2:14) and, (3) The Waiting
– “And was there until the death of Herod.” (Matthew 2:15)
The
murder of the infants in Bethlehem –
Matthew 2:16-18: The wicked act of King Herod in killing all these
babies must have broken the hearts of many families. From this sad section of
scripture we observe: (1) “The Wicked – “Then Herod, when he saw that he was
mocked of the wise men, was exceeding worth, and sent forth, and slew all the
children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years
old and under.” (Matthew 2:16), and (2) The Writing – “Then was fulfilled that
which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice
heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her
children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” (Matthew 2:17-18)
The only hopeful thing concerning the slaughter of these innocent
children is that while their physical lives were taken at the command of a
cruel and heartless king they are forever in the care of a loving, kind and
merciful God. (Matthew 18:1-5) This is also true of the millions of babies that
are murdered each year by abortion.
The
Christ returned out of Egypt – Matthew 2:19-23: Joseph
did just as God said. He stayed in Egypt
until he had a word from God. After the death
of King Herod Joseph was told to take the child and his mother back to Israel.
Joseph could move about to any part of Israel
because the people that wanted to kill Jesus were now dead. When God gave the
command Joseph got up and left for Israel
with his family. He exactly conformed in every circumstance to the orders given
to him by God.
When Joseph knew that Herod's son Archelaus was now ruler of Judea
he was afraid to go there. He, like his father, was a very cruel and wicked
man. In order to help Joseph with his fears God told him to go into Galilee.
It would be the natural thing, then, to go to live in the town of Nazareth.
Both Joseph and Mary had lived there before. (Luke 1:26, Luke 2:4) Christ was
not born in Nazareth, yet because
he lived at Nazareth, and was
educated there. The Jews frequently call him “Jesus, the Nazarene.”
It was not a mere coincidence for them to settle at Nazareth.
God had a hand in this matter. Matthew says that it was in fulfillment of
prophecy. Jesus was to be called a Nazarene.
There is not any prophecy in the Old Testament where these exact words are
found. The term is derived from the formation of the name “Nazareth”
which seems to signify “a sprout or branch.” In the Old Testament Jesus is
refereed to as a sprout or branch. (Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8,
Zechariah 6:12)
Jesus died, innocent children died, many suffered so salvation
could be ours. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to
save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) To be saved you must hear
(Romans 10:17), believe (Hebrews
11:6), repent (Luke 13:3), confess (Acts 8:37),
and be baptized. (Acts 22:16) Be
wise and seek Jesus.