The wise men, or magi, were from the east. The Bible does not specify their exact location, but they were likely from Persia or southern Arabia, which is east of Israel. Their names and countries of origin were not recorded in the Bible.
These wise men weren’t Jewish; they didn’t celebrate the Jewish feasts. They didn’t know the scriptures like the Jewish people did. They may have been priests but not priests of the Tabernacle, where God’s presence dwelled among his chosen people. They were likely priest-astrologers who could interpret the stars and may have also been sorcerers. Today, we probably wouldn’t call them Wisemen from the East; we might call them Pagans from the East.
They came as pagans but left hearing and obeying the voice of God. How crazy is that? God didn’t send priests with gifts to go find Jesus, he sent pagans. The Wisemen set off to follow a star and ended up completely changed because they stood in the presence of Jesus. Sometimes, hearing about Jesus isn’t enough for those who don’t believe. Sometimes, those who don’t believe in Jesus need to see Jesus before they can believe in Him. When we show others how God has changed our lives, they start to see him. When we have peace that doesn’t make sense in a chaotic situation, people start to see Jesus. Asking “Can I pray for you” helps people to see Jesus. Serving others and showing hospitality helps people see Jesus.
Continue to pray that God would allow your unsaved family and friends to experience Jesus in a life-changing way, just like he did for the Wisemen. Pray that God would allow you to live in a way that shows Jesus off well. Pray that God would give you wisdom and discernment to present him to those around you in a way they will receive.
This Christmas season, pray for those who don’t know Jesus yet. Christmas is when people are generally more open to talking about Jesus, answering their questions, and having conversations that eventually lead to Jesus. Let the Wisemen encourage you if you have family and friends who have not yet accepted Jesus. God used these three pagans from the East to recognize, worship, and protect Jesus. These Wisemen were pagans, yet they prepared gifts for Jesus.
Matthew 2:7-12
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.