After the Manger

1. After the Manger “The God of power, as he did rideIn his majestic robes of glorieResolv’d to light; and so one dayHe did descend, undressing all the way.” - George Herbert Pastor Rex Deckard

2. Matthew 2 • 1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

3. 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Who are these men, and where did they come from?

4. Other translations call them • Magi • Wise men • Astrologers • Wizards • Scholars

5. The Christmas Carol • “We three Kings of Orient are…..”

6. Some observations • We don’t know if there were three, or how many there were.

7. It is generally accepted that “the Magi were a priestly caste from Persia once a mighty country where modern Iran and Iraq are now located.In the second century, a church father named Tertullian suggested that these men were kings because the Old Testament had predicted that kings would come to worship the Christ. Tertullian also concluded that there were three kings based on the number of gifts mentioned, gold, frankincense and myrrh.

8. In the sixth century, someone decided that their names were Melchior, Baltazar and Gaspar. And the term Magi is the base from which our modern words “magician” and “magistrate” are derived.

9. Some observations • They did not come at the Manger. They came much later.

10. Some observations • They came from modern day Iraq and Iran (Persia and Babylon), traditional enemies of Israel.

11. Some observations • They travelled the distance of Iowa to New York. It would have taken many months.

12. Some observations • The star must have been shining for some time. They might have begun the journey when Jesus was born.

13. 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. • When the wise men arrived, this was old news. Jesus had been born for some time, and they didn’t know it.

14. Herod was troubled, because he was threatened. • Jerusalem was also troubled, instead of happy. They didn’t want anyone to rock their boat. It’s one thing to talk about Messiah, quite another if He actually shows up!

15. One commentator said of Herod • He was of a stern and cruel disposition. "He was brutish and a stranger to all humanity." He was fond of splendour, and lavished great sums in rebuilding and adorning the cities of his empire.

16. Roman Emperor, Augustus said, “It was safer to be Herod’s pig than his son”.

17. He rebuilt the city of Caesarea on the coast, and also the city of Samaria. He restored the ruined temple of Jerusalem, a work which was begun B.C. 20, but was not finished till after Herod's death, probably not till about A.D. 50 (John 2:20). After a troubled reign of thirty-seven years, he died at Jericho amid great agonies both of body and mind, B.C. 4, in the year in which Jesus was born.

19. The terrible acts of bloodshed which Herod perpetrated in his own family were accompanied by others among his subjects equally terrible, from the number who fell victims to them.

20. On his deathbed, he ordered the nobles whom he had called to him in his last moment to be executed immediately after his decease, that so at least his death might be attended by mourning.

21. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. • He knew where to turn when it came to the things of God, but he did so with the wrong motive.

22. 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. • Every detail of Jesus’ birth had been prophecied. They should have been expecting His arrival! There was no excuse.

23. 7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. The assumption was that the star appeared at the time that Jesus was born. The wise men must have been shocked at the apathy and ignorance they found when the arrived in Jerusalem! No one even knew that the most important event in history had taken place a few miles away!

24. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

25. 9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

26. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

27. 11And 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.

28. Gifts A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver. - Thomas A Kempis The only gift is a portion of thyself. - R.W. Emerson

29. Gold • Frankincense • Myrrh

30. Gold Represents His deity, His Kingship and His purity

31. Frankincense Frankincense was an ingredient used by the priests in temple worship to blend with the smell of the sacrifices.

32. Myrrh Represents a spice for embalming. Used to prepare the dead. Jesus came to die, from the moment of His birth.

33. 12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

34. They left a different way than they came!

35. 13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth 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.

36. 14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

37. 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

38. 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18In 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.

39. 19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

40. 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

41. 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.