The Wise Men: Seers of Vision
If you are familiar with the Christmas story, then you are familiar with the story of the wise men, or the magi, as they are also referred. You have probably heard of how they saw a star that led them to baby Jesus. In fact, the story of Jesus is not complete without the story of the wise men. But beyond the brief role they played in the early days of Jesus’ life on earth, is there more to know about them? “YES!” For these wise men show us what it truly means to be seers of vision.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came from Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2
I like to imagine that the magi were going about their normal activities, doing whatever it is wise men do. When suddenly they saw the star. To an untrained eye, it was probably a star like any other, surrounded by many other stars. But to the wise men, it was more than that. They were able to see beyond the constellations, beyond the “normalness” of starry nights and through the eyes of vision,they were able to see the ‘Who‘ of the star. Where many saw a normal star, they saw the birth of a child. And not just any child, but one who was born king of the Jews.
Your Turn:
Do you see through eyes of vision? When God brings people your way, are you able to see beyond ‘what’ they are (i.e. gender, title, status etc) to ‘who’ they are?
When you view yourself, are you able to see beyond your past and present circumstances and actually SEE who you are? Are you able to SEE yourself and others as God sees them? Or are you just looking at the stars with normality while denying the world of the star you are?
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has writren:
” ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least aming the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ “
Matthew 2:3-6
The vision the magi saw disturbed not only the king, but the entire city of Jerusalem.
Q. What troubled them?
A. Their understanding of the star
On his own accord, the king understood the star to be Christ. This understanding was confirmed by the teachers of the law and the chief priests.
Your Turn
Often times, the people most troubled by ‘who’ you are, are those who understand ‘who’ you are. They may perceive you as a threat to their position or authority, as was the case with King Herod.
Or perhaps, you have been a King Herod to someone else. Maybe you were uncomfortable with other peoples stars shining brightly.
Whether you were on the receiving end or the perpetrator of the ‘discomfort’ know this:
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11
God will not change His vision for your life because others are disturbed by it. Neither will he change the vision He has for (fill in the blank), because of your insecurity.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Matthew 2:9-10
Out of their understanding, joy flowed. When others were disturbed, they were filled with joy, for the Christ had come!
Your Turn
Did you rejoice when God showed you the vision for your life?
Do you rejoice when you see God’s vision unfolding in the lives of others?
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
Matthew 2:11
They understood the star to be the Christ. They follow the star to the location…and they find a baby in His mother’s arms. And rather than cooing at His cuteness, these grown men bow down and worship Him! And as if that is not ‘strange’ enough, they go on and give Him gifts:
Gold- He is King
Incense – He is Priest
Myrrh – for the death He is to suffer
Where the untrained eye would see a baby, they saw the King,Priest and Saviour that lay before them. And because of that they withheld nothing, not even their worship, from Him.
Your Turn
Everything great starts small.
The great vision God has for you has to go through certain stages before you can see it come to fruition.
Will you resent it at its conception and birthing stage, when there is no visible glory around it?
And when you see someone at their birthing stage, will you still give them honour or will you dismiss them?
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:12
Why were they warned about going back to Herod?
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 make careful search 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
Because of their understanding of the vision, they protected it. They relied on the Word of the Vision giver and not on the word of the king.
Your Turn
Not everyone who claims to be for you, is actually for you. Beyond the power and status of the individuals “offering to help” you, listen to God. Trust Him to protect the vision He has placed in your heart.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
See, understand, give to and protect the vision. That is the way of wisdom.