WHICH GROUP ARE YOU IN?
Read: Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-18
The prophecies in the past had promised that a king would be born to Israel who would rescue them at a time when they were oppressed. So, because of the oppression by the Romans, the expectation of the coming of the Messiah and the desire for a king was high.
At this time, there were some men, wise men ~ or magi ~ in the east who had also read the prophecies. These were very likely astrologers from Persia who followed the movements of the stars and watched the heavens for signs of tremendous events.
After Jesus was born, these men came to Israel asking for the whereabouts of the newborn king of the Jews. They said they had seen His star in the east and had come to worship Him.
The current king of Israel in those days was Herod who was put in place by Rome. He was a jealous and treacherous man. When he heard there might be a newborn king, he set about to have Him found and destroyed.
In order to find Him, Herod asked the chief priests and teachers of the law to search the Scriptures and find out where the Christ, or Messiah, was to be born. They quoted Micah 5:2 which said that the ruler who would shepherd His people would come from Bethlehem.
That day two groups left for Bethlehem:
- The wise men who followed the star, finding Jesus and bowing in worship.
- Men sent by Herod to kill all male children in Bethlehem under 2 years old.
The first group found Jesus and worshiped Him. The second group tried to kill Him.
There is another group... those who didn't know anything was going on.