| God revealed to certain wise men that a great Jewish king had been born. We do not know how they came to know this but it is natural enough that they headed for Jerusalem. Where else would they go to find a Jewish king? In this way, God showed that the nations were ready to come to the light of Israel’s Messiah (Isa. 60:1–7). At the same time, the effect of their enquiry was to give official notice to Israel that the King he had promised to them had been born. This should have been a time of great joy for the whole nation.
Israel ’s scholars had to go to the Scripture to locate the place of Messiah’s birth (Micah 5:1–7). Reading this text gave them opportunity to respond to this great thing God was doing among them. A king had arisen who would ‘feed his flock in the strength of the Lord’. The time for the renewal of their nation had come. Their Messiah had been born.
Again, how these wise men recognized a star as standing over the place where the child was is a mystery. But their joy was exceedingly great (cf. the joy at the resurrection – 28:8). In contrast, Herod’s malice and fear was also exceedingly great and the nation was diverted from its calling of receiving its Messiah.
Joseph had begun living by the word of God rather than the fear of man and was now guided by an angel in order to provide protection for this Son of God.
The identity and history of this Jesus had been anticipated in the prophecies given to Israel, including the tragedy of Herod’s jealous rage. While the nation as a whole did not pay attention to them, some were led on in faith to anticipate the greater things that God would do.
| 
