Mat 2:1-6

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people,
he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea;
for this is what has been written by the prophet:

‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

The Lord reveals many details in the birth narrative of Jesus.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
He was born in the days of Herod the king…during his reign.

During this time, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem.

They knew a King had been born.
How?
I believed the Lord revealed it to them.
They followed a star.
Not a star in a traditional sense of the word…we will see more later.

They knew a King had been born.
But, they did not know exactly where.
They inquired.

As we can imagine, this caused a response with Herod, the current king.

He sought of the chief priests and scribes of the Jews to know where.

They quoted prophecy from Micah 5.

Though a small, insignificant place, Bethlehem would bring forth a ruler, a ruler that would shepherd the people of the Lord - Israel.

Without knowing, the magi had created a political crisis that would precipitate the fulfillment of even more prophecy.
Some very difficult.
All known of God.

Jesus’ coming the first time was difficult in many ways…not just the happy, celebratory event that we have today.

…to be continued…