We have just posted today's Advent Study. Follow the link below to access this in our blog. I pray it is a blessing. These daily Advent studies are provided for your personal devotionals or for your daily family Advent devotionals during the evening meal. They are an excellent way to introduce daily Bible readings and discussions at the evening meal. Once begun during the Advent season the tradition can become a lifelong practice of your family. They seek to challenge both you and your children beyond the simplicity and often erroneous information provided in so called Advent calendars and children’s Christmas books. May you find it a blessing and may they be a starting point for your family in daily readings, discussions and meditations on the holy, eternal, inerrant written Word of God.
(T = True; F = False) According to the Bible... 51_____ There were no prophecies, however, concerning the exact location of Jesus’ residence which is why the Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) needed the star to guide them.
52_____ The chief priests and scribes consulted the Holy Scriptures which isolated Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace.
53_____ After receiving their instructions from the priests and scribes, the Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) came to visit the baby Jesus in the manger.
54_____ There were three Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) who came riding camels and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
55_____ The gifts of the Wisemen (Wise Men; Sorcerers)– gold, frankincense and myrrh, were of prophetic significance concerning the Messiah and the death He would experience.
Answer Key 51 T – Micah 5:2; Luke 2:11, 12; Matthew 2:9 (There were no prophecies, however, concerning the exact location of Jesus’ residence which is why the Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) needed the star to guide them.) This is true. Although the city of the birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem, was clearly foretold, neither the time nor the location of Jesus’ birth nor where He would reside after His birth, was indicated in prophecies. Without the miraculous nature of the star shining directly down upon Jesus’ house the Magi would have had to make a door to door search.
52 T - Matthew 2:4-6 (The chief priests and scribes consulted the Holy Scriptures which isolated Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace.) It was the Holy Scriptures, not the star, that first isolated the city of Bethlehem as the home of Jesus, only later was the star moved to the south to guide them.
53 F - Matthew 2:11 (After receiving their instructions from the priests and scribes, the Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) came to visit the baby Jesus in the manger.) By the time the Magi arrived Jesus was a child, living in a home, with his parents, Joseph and Mary. The Greek word for child, here, being PADION. It is different from TENKNION which refers to a little child, rather it can be used to signify either a young or a more advanced child, as it is used here in Matthew 2:11. The arrival of the Magi took place well after Jesus birth. The new family were now living in a house. The Greek is very clear on this. The word OIKIA is used which means a dwelling or house. The Magi were never at the manger at the time of Christ’s birth. The Word of God clearly states in Matthew 2:11, “After coming into the house (OIKIA) they saw the Child (PADION)...” Thus the scene depicting the arrival of the Magi is that of a young child, living in a house, with his parents.
54 F – Matthew 2:1 (There were three Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) who came riding camels and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.) The picture of three Magi, on camels, following a star, each carrying a different gift of gold, frankincense or myrrh is a fabrication of the Christmas greeting card industry. The number of Magi is not known. Who carried what, the quantity and mode of transportation are all unknown. What is known is that they were Magi (plural form), thus there was more than one and that they bore three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh. What are the chances though that dignitaries such as they would travel across the desert with fabulous wealth, by themselves with no armed guard and no retinue? What are the chances that three men, entering a city, would be ushered in to the presence of the king? More than likely they came up over the horizon as a large regal procession. The tower guard, seeing this, called for the captain of the guard who in turn immediately informed the commander of the garrison. Soon word made it’s way to the highest level of the court and the king prepared himself to meet these impressive visitors. What actually happened is unknown to us, but again, it is doubtful that it was three lone men traveling across the desert on camels. And they most certainly were not following a star. (see question 41)
55 F – (The gifts of the Magi (Wise Men; Sorcerers) – gold, frankincense and myrrh, were of prophetic significance concerning the Messiah and the death He would experience.) Although much has been made by writers and preachers about the prophetic significance and symbolism of the gifts of the Magi, the Holy Scriptures are completely silent on this area. There are both precedence and opportunity for these gifts to have prophetic significance, should the Holy Spirit had wished them to do so. He is nevertheless silent. All through the Holy Scriptures the Holy Spirit interjects the reality of fulfilled prophecy and the birth of the Messiah is no different. (Matthew 1:22; 2:15, 17,23; Luke 1:20 to name a few). Yet, despite this precedent of meticulously sighting fulfilled prophecy concerning the birth of Christ, the Word of God is silent as pertaining to the Magi’s gifts. They played no role in the prophetic revelation of God the Holy Spirit, neither in the past, fulfilling prophecy, nor in the future, prophetically pointing to events in Jesus’ life. It should be remember from question number nine, that the Magi were MAGOS, pagan eastern sorcerers. They should not be elevated above this level. As a result we should not look to them as having some special spiritual understanding of Christ. Their actions should be simply taken as stated, Matthew 2:11 “And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
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