November 30 Advent thoughts

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Numbers 24:17

Matthew records the visit from the ‘magi’ or ‘wise men’ from the east. But he doesn’t quite explain just why these men, perhaps from as far away as Persia, Arabia, and even India, would have been watching for this astronomical sign. But maybe scripture gives us some hints. Numbers records the prophecies of Balaam, he of the talking donkey fame. One of these records is about a ‘star coming out of Jacob.’ Jacob referring to Israel, DOES lie to the east of these lands. And legend has it that Balaam was one of these mystics from Persia who will lay the foundation of learned men seeking wisdom. Of course, the influence Queen Esther would have had on the ruling leadership of Persia that would certainly put an interest in the Hebrew customs cannot be dismissed. But it is my opinion that it was Daniel who will have the most influence. A teenager when he went into Babylonian captivity around 605 B.C., so influential was Daniel that scripture tells us that he will become one of the most important councilors to the king. It would be no wonder that he brought with him the customs, beliefs, and prophesies of the coming Messiah with him. And those men he was a part of-those ‘magi’ or (more properly) ‘learned men’ would have taken his writings and studied them seriously. Even more so as they could look closer at the prophesies Daniel had given that had already proven true in living memory. So these same men would have had reason to include Daniel’s other prophecies in their research. That they would turn their attention to the east-to little insignificant Judea, with their well-known temple when one of Daniel’s prophesies neared the time for its fulfillment, along with Balaam’s prophesy aligning with it, as well as the courtly influence Esther had had, it is no wonder that when the ‘stars aligned’ so to speak that they would have gone in search of this, the one true King to come.

We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we travel so far
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star

-The Quest of the Magi, written by John Harry Hopkins, Jr.