13. The Angels – Luke 2:8-14

Just imagine the whole sky exploding with a bright light! The poor shepherds don’t know what’s going on! They’ve never seen anything like it. First, one angel appears and talks directly to them telling them about a baby being born in Bethlehem. Then a multitude of angels glorifying and praising God! What a spectacle for the announcement of the newborn King!

14. The Star – Matthew 2:1-2

I’m imagining this star suddenly appears the same time the angels appeared to the shepherds. These men who studied the stars see it as a special phenomenon and had been wise to study the meaning of the star. It would announce the birth of a special King of the Jews. They were determined to go see this baby King in person and pay him homage.

15. The First Wise Man – Matthew 2:1-2

We don’t know for sure how many wise men were in this caravan to see the baby King, but since there were three gifts, we assume three wise men. The first wise man brought gold, a fitting gift for a King.

16. The Second Wise Man – Matthew 2:1-2

The second wise man brought frankincense for the baby King. Frankincense in those days was used as a aromatic resin in worship of deity. A mixture of pure frankincense was burned on the altar when coming to God. (Exodus 30:34.35)

17. The Third Wise Man – Matthew 2:1-2

The third wise man brought myrrh, another aromatic resin which can be used as an anointing oil in setting apart a man or instrument for service. It is also used to embalm a body preparing it for burial. Does it sound like a premonition?

18. The Palace of Herod – Matthew 2:7-8

Where else would you look for a newborn King than in a palace? But, that was the wrong place to look. This got the jealousy riled up in Herod. Where is this baby claiming to be a new King? This competition must be destroyed! But, he mustn’t let these foreigners know of his true intentions. He deceptively said he would like to worship this newborn King also.

19. The Prophecy Scroll – Matthew 2:4-6

Herod was completely cooperative in finding a way to locate this baby. He called all his priests and scribes together since they said he was to be the King of the Jews and set them to researching their records as to where and when this King would appear. They found the answer in the scroll of Micah: “Bethlehem in the land of Judah…out of you shall come a leader to be the Shepherd of my people Israel.”

Politics played a part in where Jesus would be born, and now politics will continue to play a part in locating the baby. What’s going to become of this tiny baby? Little did the wise men know the hornets’ nest they stirred up that day and the extreme sorrow that will come on many households because of one innocent little question by three unsuspecting students of the stars.