Daily Devotional in Matthew 2

Daily Devotion in Matthew 2

Artwork from a 1611 KJV

Daily Nugget:
Many in the world celebrate Christmas. People’s ideas of what happened at Jesus’ birth are often derived from artists’ renderings of the event or opinions, not the Bible's words.

In Matthew 2, we see four areas where people who do not read the Bible for themselves err when they compare their knowledge of Christ’s birth to the biblical account:

The wise men followed the star to find where the young child lay, not the shepherds.
“Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.” Matthew 2:7
“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.” Matthew 2:9

Jesus was a “young child” when the wise men visited Him, not a “babe” (Luke 2).
“… till it came and stood over where the young child was.” Matthew 2:9
The wise men visited Jesus in the “house,” not the manager. When they saw Jesus, he may have been under two years old! That time is derived from when the travelers met with King Herod and when the leader ordered children under two killed.
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
Herod wanted the wise men to find the child and return, telling him where Christ was. He intended to have the child killed, perhaps because the prophesied King of the Jews would take away his reign as king.

God warned the wise men not to return to Herod. They did not, and the ruler was wroth. He was so angry that he had all the boy children under the age of two murdered. If Jesus was just born, why would the king slaughter all the children under two years old? It is quite clear from these scriptures that time had passed since the wise men saw Herod and that the child may have even walked to the door when the wise men visited.
“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.” Matthew 2:16

The Bible does not say there were three wise men. It states that their gifts included three different offerings: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because these wealthy merchants traveled for long periods, they often traveled in large caravans for safety. There was more than one wise man because the scripture refers to them in the plural. There could have been three or thirty merchants. See Matthew 2:11 above.

One lesson that can be learned from Matthew 2 is not to formulate your “religion” from something someone painted or what someone else says. Read the Bible for yourself to know “thus saith the Lord,” not what man thinks.

Today’s Thought:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Words to Understand:
Enquired: sought answers; asked
Frankincense: a resinous substance often used in the making of perfume
Lamentation: grieving
Myrrh: a plant resin often used for medicine, especially for stomach problems
Privily: privately
Scribes: learned men that were secretaries to a king; often used to make copies of scripture

Today’s Reading:
Matthew 1
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 ¶ 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.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 ¶ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.