God Speaks to the Magi again: Matthew 2:9-12

The Magi finally come to the house (not stable) where they find Mary and the child. We no longer have a baby; they do say Jesus/Immanuel was likely about 2 years old when the Magi visit Him. Nowadays it takes but a blink to hear news, gather together the necessary for the journey, set out an arrive; we can be across the world within 2 days. Not so for the days of the Magi. They must have seen the star but had to prepare the caravan, perhaps they sent messages back and forth to each other discussing their discovery and interpretation of the heavens, then they finally set out to travel the distance. This may have been as much as 1,700 kilometers (just over 1,000 miles) walked by foot. Yes, they may have had horses or camels but likely had such a large entourage they walked slow enough for everyone to keep up. It likely took months for their travel. How exhausting. Yet they persisted.

Perseverance in the journey

They persevered, even when the star disappeared, and they were rewarded by seeing the star again as they neared the home of the child they had come to worship. Their hearts were prepared as they joined round the campfire each night. Can’t you imagine them recounting the stories of the star and the prophecies that they had read, telling each other how they arrived at just this place at just this time? Exclaiming over how blessed they were as those alive at the time the king was born?  The trip must have been an expensive undertaking as well. Yet, they had set aside the gifts for the king and not spent them or bartered as they went. God’s provision was over them. God guided them in the preparations for the journey, but also in the worship they brought. They no longer had the star, and they may not have had a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, but just as surely these men were led to the promised child by God.

Heed the will of God

God spoke to them through His word and the heavens and He continued to do so. They had some kind of indication in a dream not to return to Herod as they had been ‘instructed’ (verse 12). I wonder if it was just one of them or many that had the same dream. Whatever or whoever it was, they heeded the will of the Lord and went on their alternate way. God’s name Jehovah Jireh in Genesis 22:14 indicates that God makes us ready for any and all service he may require. As His servants, He provides us with the heart to serve and worship Him.

God readies us for service

This is His provision, and He continues from Genesis to today and onward to provide us all that is necessary for the service He calls us to. He gave the Magi the insight into the Word and the heavenly realms, forethought to plan for the journey, the means to provide worshipful gifts and He implanted the joy of worship in their hearts, the direction to return by another road. Today God continues to provide us insight into His Word, forethought for our service to Him, means to carry out our calling, the worship of sacrificing ourselves to Him, He instills joy and peace in our hearts and gives us direction on our way. We are not very different from the Magi in these things. Yet we are so very different in that we have been given the Spirit to live within us. Immanuel was born in their time, but Immanuel is borne in our hearts.