– Matthew 2:1-2
"On the eastern side of the Arabian desert...a cloister of Magi preserved the traditions of the Babylonian and Persian astrologers. As they looked into the western sky, high above the horizon, a new light triggered a memory...Daniel's calculations...a king! But not just any king. The King of the Jews. A King who would eventually rule the world...They travelled more than three months to see the new King and when they found Him, they did something extraordinary. They fell down on their faces and worshipped!" taken from A Bethlehem Christmas by Charles R. Swindoll
How did the Wise Men know what to look for in the stars, and how did they know to come to Israel? Though we are not told this in the Bible, we do know Daniel was leader of the wise men and astronomers for most of his life in Babylon. It is now more than 400 years later, and the men who had heard these things from Daniel have long since died. But they passed the information on to those who came after them.
There are many different suggestions for the natural origin of this remarkable star. Some say it was a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus; some, other planetary conjunctions; others suggest a supernova; and some think of comets or a specifically created unique star or sign.
Whatever it was, it is significant that God met them in their own medium: He guided the astronomers by a star. This was also in fulfillment of Numbers 24:17: A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel. This was widely regarded by ancient Jewish scholars as a Messianic prediction.
Foreigners, learned scholars, wise, intelligent men. Eager to find the one, true King. So sure of Daniel's ancient prophecies, confirmed by "a star in the east," that they embark on a perilous journey for many months to a distant and foreign land. And they did not go out of curiosity. Their reason for going is clear...we "have come to worship Him."
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