THE MAGI AND THE STAR OF BEITHLECHEM

 THE MAGI AND THE 

STAR OF BEIT-LECHEM

THE MAGI FROM THE EAST 

Who were the magi from the east? Were these “wise men” Zoroastrians, Medes, Persians, and were they Arabs at all (biblically, all “desert dwellers” opposed to Israel were Arabs or Arab-like)? Or, perhaps they were Jews, descendants of those Jews exiled in Babylon in 605 BC, 597 BC and 586 BC who did not return to Y’srael with the 40,000 Jews who made aliya back to the land with Zerubabel, Ezra, Nechemyah and others returning to rebuild the Temple. Or, were they Arab Iraqis, descendants of the Babylonians who had been influenced by the Jews while in captivity who had taught them the biblical prophesies and the secret of astronomical calculations?

THE MAGI WERE NOT COURT ASTROLOGERS

The Magi were esteemed students of prophecy and astronomy observing the seasons and stars and interpreting their signs -the purpose for which stars were created (Genesis 1). These wise-men considered the kokavim or “stars” that appeared to them in the east, to be what is called in Hebrew an ot, or a “sign.” There is no reason to take the word “star” in Greek to mean anything else. The star was a sign of a new king. They saw the star in the east and they came to the city, David’s Yerushalyim where mashiach was to rule that the star referenced. They were expecting a king on the throne, not a babe in a manger, and in some other locale. The heavens were and are as musical notes, a grand cantata, signposts of God YHWH’s design. Can we read His music today? Not so good!

MESSIANIC JEWS TWO-THOUSAND YEARS AGO 

Messianic (or, Christian) Jews knowing the Holy Scriptures were reading the heavens and were awaiting His coming. Miriam was hailed by Gavriel six times as “blessed,” and was told that she would be remembered and called “blessed” by generations in the future. Anna was a messianic believer from the tribe of Asher praying night and day in the Temple; she saw Yeshua as a new born babe and knew He was her messiah!  Sh’meon believed the messianic prophesy of the nevi, Isaiah, saw the few day’s old babe, and knew that baby was his messiah. He took Him, held Him, and holding the eight-day old baby king high in his arms declared he was now ready to depart this world; he had seen His salvation. In name, Yeshuameans salvation; in person, Yeshua was the Lamb!

Not just selective Jews were messianic, but many Arabs also were awaiting the Jewish messiah. The magi from the east were believers perhaps descendants of the Medeswhom the prophet Daniel referenced as magoi (Daniel 1:20; 2:2; 4:7; 5:7), who were also on quest for truth. The magi of the NT era studied the biblical/Jewish prophecies and calculated their fulfillment according to astrological equations. These men were not rogues or charlatans, but disciples of the Word of God who set out for the holy city, with gifts of gold for a king, incense for the king’s death, and myrrh for the king’s resurrection. Because of the three gifts tradition has deduced there were three, though they came according to the Jewish prophecy of Isaiah in numbers, 

arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but YHWH will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from a far, and your daughters will be carried in the arms. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you. A multitude of camels will cover you, then your camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of YHWH (Isaiah 60:1-5).

Tertullian (AD 225) is responsible for the tradition that the magi were kings though as this prophecy of Isaiah suggests (and other prophecies, Ps. 68:29, 31; 72:10-11; Isa 49:7) kings would come.  Tertullian and the tradition are correct. It was in the 6^th century AD that names were given to these magi: Melkon which later evolved to Melchior; Balthasar; and Gaspar. 

THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 

The Prophet Isaiah predicted hat Israel was to “rise from darkness for your light has come.” Israel was indeed in darkness. They had experienced the oppression of Babylon, of Persia, of Antiochus and the Syrians, and now the oppression of Rome. Israel was under spiritual darkness as the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and chief priests did not know the Lord. They were blind guides of those sitting in darkness. Isaiah also prophesied that the kavod or glory of YHWH was to rise upon Israel. Think of how those studying prophecy may have interpreted that prophecy. Yeshua, that babe born in Beit L’chem raised in Nazaret was that glory of YHWH. The prophecy of Isaiah reiterated the presence of darkness that would cover the earth, deep darkness would cover the peoples, even beyond the Holy Land. But, included in that prophecy was the promise that nations would come to Israel’s light and that kings from beyond the borders of Israel would come to the brightness of the rising star! The messianic hope extended beyond the Holy Land, to all the families of the earth, to all the peoples. This bright light would attract Israeli sons and daughters from far away, and they would come home to see this illumination; Israel would rejoice, their hearts thrilled, nations would bring their wealth, and a multitude of camels from Midian, Ephah and Sheba would cover the land, and gold and frankincense would be gifts along with good news and praises of YHWH.

WHO WERE THESE [ARAB/PERSIAN] BELIEVERS

Median was a son of Avraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:1-6). Thus, Median was a half-brother to Isaac. Ephah was the son of Midian and also a descendant of Avraham and Keturah (1 Chronicles 1:33; Genesis 25:4), a nephew to Isaac. Sheba was also a son of Avraham mentioned in relation with Dedan (Genesis 25:3) as Cushites. The peoples of Sheba or Sabeans were traders of gold and spices. In fact their Queen of Sheba had once traveled in likeness from the east having heard of the grand Temple of God and its builder, Shlomo in Jerusalem. She had brought incense, spices, gold, and precious stone (1 Kings 10:1-2, 10). Her pilgrimage foreshadowed the future and prophetic pilgrimage of Arab believers to a greater Temple of God, the Lord God Himself, Yeshua at His birth. 

The prophet, Yirmeyahu noted frankincense “coming from Sheba” (Jeremiah 6:20); the prophet Ezekiel spoke of the merchants of Sheba bringing gold and spices (Ezekiel 27:22). Hebrews Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yacov had sons, half-brothers, nieces and nephews who were Arab kinfolk. The magi were distance cousins of the Jewish people, estranged Arab relatives.