Matthew's account shows that Mary, Joseph, and their baby returned to Bethlehem. It seems they settled into life there, moved into a house, and possibly decided to raise their family in that place. But we are not yet through with God's confirmation of His Son. Something very unusual happened next.

An elaborate caravan of magi from the East converged upon Jerusalem, searching for the newly born King of the Jews. I think it was a big deal because Matthew 2:3 says that all of Jerusalem was disturbed by this. Our Christmas carol tells us there were three wise men. Maybe that is because only three gifts are mentioned, but the text doesn't limit them to three. There could have been many more—maybe dozens of magi—possibly traveling in an elaborate caravan with servants and accouterments. The sight of them was astounding because their arrival caused a sensation in the lively city of Jerusalem.
We do not know a lot about them. We do not know their names, although legends have supplied these names: Melcher, Caspar, and Balthazar. We are not told they were kings, that they rode camels, or that they arrived on Epiphany, January 6th. We do not know their ethnicity.

The word "magi" comes from the same root as our word "magic." Magi are mentioned in history in the ancient courts of Persia, Babylon, and Chaldea—modern-day Iraq and Iran. Some people think they were Kurds. What we know for sure is that they came to Jerusalem from the East. They were highly educated and understood the natural order; they were scientists who studied the stars and were known for their great wisdom. Thus, they were called wise men.

It seems that Daniel, in the Old Testament, was taken into the court of the magi in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. When you read the book of Daniel, you see how Daniel remained in a position of influence over different kings and empires for over 70 years. This all happened around 530 BC. I find it interesting that it was Daniel who gave the prophecy that specified the timing of the Messiah's coming to His people.
Here, we see the wise men coming from the courts of the East, the same direction as the courts where Daniel served. I don't think it’s too big of a stretch to imagine that these wise men came from the very court where Daniel had served. During his long tenure as a wise man, Daniel may have left behind some instructions about the coming Messiah and the timing of His arrival. Numbers 24:17 tells us to look for "a star out of Jacob, a scepter that will rise out of Israel.”

We don’t know this for certain and cannot prove it, but the connection seems likely.

Several years ago, I received a DVD called The Star of Bethlehem by Frederick Larson, an attorney and former professor at Texas A&M. His presentation discusses what he discovered about the celestial activity over Judea during the years between 4 and 2 BC. You may be aware that there are computer programs that allow you to see how the stars appeared in the sky over any location on any given night. Professor Larson examined the stars over Jerusalem and Bethlehem across an 18-month period in 3 and 2 BC. Typically, the heavens were quiet over that area, but during those months, there was an extraordinary explosion of activity.
Jupiter, known as the King’s planet, and Regulus, the King’s star, experienced a triple conjunction, all occurring within the constellation of Leo. Leo is the constellation associated with the tribe of Judah—the lion—the tribe of Jesus. At one point, Jupiter and Venus came so close together that they appeared as one massive star, likely the brightest star anyone had ever seen.

The DVD takes 45 minutes to explain all of this in detail, so I cannot summarize it in just a few sentences, but it is truly fascinating. While I cannot prove whether Larson is right or wrong, his presentation certainly offers a lot to think about.

If I were the Heavenly Father and wanted to announce the birth of my long-awaited Son, I might orchestrate fabulous fireworks in the sky—or better yet, how about some extraordinary stars? Whatever happened in the sky during that time was significant enough to inspire the wise men to make an 800-mile trek to Jerusalem so they could find the King of the Jews and worship Him.
King Herod was paranoid. Secular history tells us that he killed his favorite wife when she seemed to pose a threat to his throne, as well as several of his sons. He would not tolerate any competition or threat to his rule. Herod was deeply disturbed by the appearance of the wise men and their quest.

Herod was only partially Jewish—his mother was Arab. The Jews did not see him as truly Jewish, though Rome had given him the title “King of the Jews” in 37 BC. He knew that if a true descendant of King David could make a legitimate claim to the throne, he and his family would lose everything. Because of this, he summoned the Jewish scholars to identify where the Messiah would be born according to scripture. The scholars seemed to know immediately—Bethlehem. Herod also asked the wise men when exactly the star had appeared. He later used their answer to calculate the age of the child, enabling him to order the slaughter of all male children of that approximate age.

Matthew 2:9-10 says, “When 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. 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.”
Imagine this scene. It is night because the wise men have to wait for the stars to appear to guide them. The family may have been settled in for the night, fast asleep, when outside their small home, an elaborate caravan of camels arrives. Richly dressed men and possibly many servants carrying treasures are crowded around the house. Joseph cracks open the door, and after a brief exchange of words, the visitors are shown inside.

When the wise men see the child, they bow down and worship Him. The word “worship” here means to fall to the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an act of profound reverence. They prostrate themselves before the child in adoration and submission. These men, so renowned, highly educated, and of great influence, bow in complete humility before the baby. They may have stayed in this position for some time, as the original Greek in Matthew 2:11 suggests. The word “then” carries the meaning that only after worshiping Him did they open their treasure chests and present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
While the text mentions three gifts, there are actually four gifts present in this moment. When the wise men brought their treasures to the child, they first gave Him the gift of their hearts through extravagant worship.

The wise men brought gifts fit for a king—not tacky or cheap tokens, but lavish offerings. In the beloved Christmas carol, We Three Kings, John Hopkins Jr. reflects on the meaning behind these gifts, and he may have been right. The gold symbolizes Jesus’ royalty, the frankincense represents His deity, and the myrrh speaks of His humanity and, ultimately, His death. Myrrh was traditionally used for embalming, which points to the purpose of His life—His death—already in view, even as a baby.

The song's interpretation of the gifts’ symbolism seems fitting, but the gold likely served a practical purpose as well. It arrived at just the right time, as the holy family was about to undertake an unexpected journey. Surely, they needed funds for their travels.

Matthew 2:12 says, “The magi were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and so they took another route home.” Since Bethlehem and Jerusalem are so close, the family likely had only a day or two before Herod realized the magi were not returning, unleashing his fury.

Once again, in God's perfect timing—never a minute late—Joseph was warned in a dream (Matthew 2:13) to flee to Egypt because Herod intended to kill the child. Look at Matthew 2:14, which says, “That very night, Joseph arose and took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt.” This demonstrates Joseph's immediate obedience. Despite the inconvenience, he got up right then and hurried his family out of danger.

Egypt, about 312 miles away, was the most logical place to flee. Geographically, Bethlehem is on the southern side of Jerusalem, closer to Egypt’s border. Fleeing to Egypt placed them outside Herod's jurisdiction. Furthermore, this fulfilled the prophecy given about 700 years before Christ's birth, as recorded in Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
They likely traveled to the city of Alexandria, which had a large Jewish community, but the Bible does not specify. Through these events, we see God’s providence in protecting His Son and Joseph’s unwavering obedience in following God’s guidance.

They were safe from Herod’s fury, but the baby boys aged two and under in the Bethlehem area were not. This tragedy suggests the visit of the wise men could have occurred up to two years after Jesus’ birth. Herod’s soldiers carried out the slaughter, tragically fulfilling the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children because they are no more.” (Rachel, Jacob’s wife, was buried outside Bethlehem.)
While we often think of Stephen as the first martyr for Jesus Christ, in some ways, those baby boys were the first martyrs. Simeon’s words in the temple were chillingly accurate when he said Jesus would be “a sign that is opposed.”

Later, Joseph received two more dreams with divine instructions. The first called the family back to Israel after Herod’s death, and the second directed them not to return to Bethlehem but to Galilee, specifically Nazareth.

It’s remarkable to note how God guided Joseph three times through dreams. However, Joseph had to act on each warning. Dreams as a means of divine instruction are not common, but in these instances, they aligned with Scripture and revealed God’s providence. This reminds us that when discerning such messages, they must always harmonize with God’s Word and be confirmed through prayer and other means.
God protected the holy family, but Joseph had to do his part by listening to the warnings and obeying God. This is an important lesson for us to see. God could have sovereignly placed an invisible shield of protection around Jesus so that Herod could not harm Him. He could have intervened with a miraculous act of that nature. But far more often, as seen in this case, God invites us to participate with Him. He calls us to cooperate, to do our part by obeying Him. He gives us the gift of taking an active role and joining Him in His plans.

Another meaningful takeaway for us is that God didn’t reveal the entire plan to Joseph all at once. He gave Joseph just one step at a time, only what he needed to know in that moment. Later, when more direction was required, God provided the next piece of the plan. This teaches us that we must keep listening, seeking, and depending on Him for guidance one step at a time.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the timeless lessons from this devotional. Help us to listen for Your voice, serve with unwavering hearts, seek Christ in humility, worship fearlessly, and obey Your call with courage. Teach us to trust Your plan even when we don’t understand, and guide us to reflect Your light in all we do. We honor You, Lord, and commit our lives to Your glory. Amen.
The story of Jesus’ birth is filled with profound lessons for us today. Each character in the story offers insights that can shape the way we live and respond to God.

Simeon: Stay Sensitive to God's Voice
Simeon heard and heeded the voice of God. He was led by the Spirit and recognized the Messiah when he saw Him. From Simeon, we learn the importance of staying attuned to God’s voice, listening closely, and following His guidance.

Anna: Devotion Over Bitterness
Anna could have become bitter after years of hardship, but instead, she devoted her life to serving God. Her unwavering faith and service inspire us to make the most of every opportunity to serve the Lord. Like Anna, we can turn life’s challenges into devotion and find joy in making our lives a living offering to God.

Herod: Jesus Reveals the Heart
Herod’s response to Jesus was one of opposition and fear, revealing his self-centered heart. His life reminds us that not everyone will accept Jesus. His coming often brings division, exposing the true state of our hearts. We can choose to seek Christ in humility rather than allow fear or pride to lead us into opposition.

The Wise Men: Fear God, Not Man
The wise men teach us to prioritize God’s will over the approval or threats of man. They feared God more than Herod and traveled far, lavishing Jesus with extravagant worship and gifts. They sought Him without knowing exactly where they were going but trusted that He was worthy of their adoration. Through their faith, we see the beauty of bold worship and fearless giving.

Joseph: Obedience to the Spirit
Joseph's life is a remarkable example of sensitivity to God’s leading and immediate obedience. He didn’t hesitate when directed to protect his family or change plans. His readiness to obey inspires us to act promptly when God calls us, even when it’s inconvenient or unclear.

Mary: Trusting God with the Unanswered
Mary’s trust shines in her willingness to leave the things she didn’t understand in God’s hands. She pondered and treasured them in her heart, trusting God to unfold His plan. Mary reminds us to take our questions and fears to God and rely on Him for validation and understanding.

How Will You Respond?
The story of Jesus’ birth confirms that He is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. But the question today is, how will you respond? Will you stay attuned to His voice like Simeon? Will you offer your life in devotion like Anna or worship extravagantly like the wise men? Will you trust Him with what you don’t understand, like Mary, or obey Him immediately, like Joseph?

Each of us faces this challenge. The baby is born, the Messiah has come—what will your response be?