7/1/10 Matthew 1-2
The king and the King
(Mt 2:8)8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
Herod the Great was the king of Israel and Judea when the birth of Jesus Christ took place. Time had been marching on and Herod was occupied by various things but one thing that he apparently took great pleasure in was huge building projects. Many of the ruins of these project remain today in the land of Israel. Certainly, one of his prized projects was the building of the temple. The temple was to be the place where God manifested his presence, so you would assume that Herod and his officials would have been seek the Lord and looking for the Messiah, but actually Herod was interested using the building of God’s temple in order to make Herod’s name great.
While all this activity was taking place under Herod’s reign, in the midst of it all God sent his son to be born of a virgin in the city of Bethlehem, just a few miles away from the Herod’s throne and the Temple building project. Some wise men or magi, not kings, came from the east because they had seen an unusual star and had made the connection that it was linked to the coming King and Messiah of the Jews. They come to Jerusalem and begin to inquire where this King is and no one in Jerusalem had an immediate answer. It took a meeting between the chief priests and scribes to recall the prophecy of Micah 5:2 that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.
The wise men then headed a few miles to the south following the star they had originally seen to the village of Bethlehem, to the very house where the child Jesus was. By the time the magi arrive Jesus is no longer an infant but a toddler. They worshipped him and gave him their gifts. Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod they departed another way to their homelands. Herod the Great being consumed with his empire and projects never gets to see Jesus the true King.
What about you? Are you so preoccupied with living, doing, and accomplishing that you have neglected rightful worship of the Eternal King? Are you seeking the Lord daily or is life just the daily grind? Do you study the scriptures to known and recognized the plan, purposes, and promises of God? What gifts are you willing to give to Jesus? Jesus said that He is going to return (Mt 24:44) are you looking for His return or will you miss His second coming like Herod missed His first coming? Jesus as Herod did not have a second chance to see Jesus, when Jesus returns a second time there will be no second chances. Today is the day to come to Him in faith and worship Him (2 Cor 6:1-2).
Prayer: Father you are to be praised and glorified in all the earth. There is no one like you. You promises are faithful and true. Your timing is perfect. You Son Jesus is the Savior of all mankind. Oh, how many there are that have not recognized him as the true King, Lord, and Savior. I ask you Father that you would open the eyes of those who are blinded by the god of this age, Satan, from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the exact image of you. I pray for the people who are consumed with living that they have neglected the rightful worship of Jesus. Father may your Spirit once again blow upon our nation’s political and religious leaders, leading us to confession and repentance in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.