Magic on the Magi?

The Wisemen as Witnesses

By Will Witherington

Posted: Saturday, December 24th, 2011

 

 

For years I have wanted to write down some of the devotional thoughts I have during the Christmas season.  My thoughts usually revolve around two ideas: First that the Incarnation was an "invasion" - heaven was invading earth; Second, there were witnesses that had various points of view regarding the Incarnation.  These short devotionals each day will look at the witnesses to this invasion – God, the angels, Mary/Joseph, the shepherds, the animals/stars, the wise men, me.

 

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magic: (noun) the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.

 

Surely we would never say that God practices “magic.” Taking the above definition of the word might make one reconsider. There was nothing “apparent” about the star that was visible over Bethlehem - it was really there! There were not “mysterious or supernatural” that led the wise men to the baby Jesus. They were led there by the sovereign plan & will of God Himself.

 

However, it is completely “mysterious and supernatural” that the wise men were “influenced” to come to Judea during the period of Jesus’ birth. Why were these wise kings a part of the heavenly invasion of Earth?

 

The simple answer: God’s promise to Abraham.

 

Really? Yes!

 

God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. From the loins of Abraham every nation on Earth would be blessed. Jesus is called the “bright and morning star” and He is the “desire of nations.” As it says in Revelation 21:23-26:

"And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and it’s lamp is the Lamb. By it’s light will the nations walk, and the kings of the Earth will bring it the glory and the honor of the nations."

 

There was no magic or trickery involved in the wise men’s “mysterious” journey. They said, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the sky when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). They were following the star in the sky to see the “light of the world.” These men from a far-off kingdom were being drawn to worship the One who will rule one Kingdom forever.

 

How serious was this prophecy? Serious enough that when King Herod heard this news he had every male ages two years & under in the region killed trying to eradicate the King of Kings!

 

But this is impossible - “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20).