Matthew 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
It would be marvelous, wouldn’t it, if God would give you exact direction for tomorrow, next week, next month, and for the next several years in some amazing way? What if He sent an angel, gave you a dream, or maybe sent a star that guided you to the right place at the right time?
Matthew 2 is a miraculous story of God’s giving His Son to the world and to those who sought Him. In one case people sought to worship Him, and in another case they sought to destroy Him. The wise men saw the young child and worshipped Him. King Herod, on the other hand, sought the young child to destroy Him. So, you have a story of how God sent the Christ child and how He sent direction to those who were awaiting Him.
In Matthew 2, God used a star, angels, and dreams to provide guidance. But frequently, there is reference in this story to what the prophet scriptures said. In other words, God also gave guidance through His words. One thing you learn through the people like King Herod and the wise men and how they responded to the Lord Jesus is that God gives grace to those who follow the light they have.
Take the wise men. The wise men came from the east to Jerusalem. Now, where you come from is not nearly as important as where you choose to go. They went to Jerusalem. Herod and the religious leaders were already there, but neither had the curiosity or interest to find this Christ child. It does seem as if Herod knew that the child the wise men sought was also the Messiah because he asked the chief priests and scribes “where Christ should be born.”
So, you have King Herod who lived very close to Bethlehem, but who had no interest in finding the Lord Jesus except to destroy Him. The religious leaders who should have known better did not seem to care about this marvelous event. In contrast, the wise men came from afar to Jerusalem seeking the Christ child.
Notice the star, the angel, the dream, and the Word of God that is given. The reason we know about the star, the angelic announcements, and the dreams is because of the Word of God. All that we know about this story is because of what God has given us in His eternal Word.
The Bible says we have “a more sure word of prophecy.” There is coming a day when all faith will become sight. The ancient prophets prophesied that Jesus would come, and He did. Yet many did not know Christ when they saw Him because they did not accept the word they had been given. Likewise, the prophets indicate that He will come again, and surely He will.
Jesus is the light of the world. This same Jesus wants to give you guidance, just as God the Father gave guidance to these wise men, and would have given it to Herod and the religious leaders had they listened.
While you may not receive a dream, an angelic visitation, or a star to guide your way, you have a light. You have God’s Word, and God will give grace to those who follow the light they have right now.