The Wise Men's Gifts

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. (MATTHEW 2:10) 

Yesterday, we saw that Jesus’s star brought the wise men to see Him. It’s interesting to compare the reactions of the wise men and King Herod, the ruler of Judea. 

The news about a newborn king disturbed King Herod and everyone in Jerusalem. King Herod called together all the religious leaders and asked where the newborn king was supposed to be born. In Bethlehem, they said. 

King Herod probably saw this as a challenge to his throne. He told the wise men that he wanted to worship the newborn king too. He asked them to bring him information about the baby. He didn’t plan to worship the new king, though. Instead, King Herod hoped to kill the baby so it would never grow up to be king. 

The wise men, however, had a different response to Jesus. When they saw that the star had stopped, showing them where the baby lay, they “were filled with joy” (Matthew 2:10). They went into the house and saw Mary with the baby Jesus. “They bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures. They gave Him gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). 

King Herod feared the rise of another king. The wise men were full of joy, and they worshiped Jesus. They gave their best and most expensive gifts. Fear—or joy? What’s your response to Jesus? 

Prayer: 

Father, use me today to bring people the good news of Your gospel. 

This is an excerpt from The Wonder of Christmas by Shanna Noel - a devotional book now available on DaySpring.com. Learn more about this book, or shop other books & devotionals from DaySpring.