"We have seen His star in the east and are come to worship
Him."--_Matt. 2:2._
[Illustration]
THE shepherds were not the only people who came to see the blessed Lord
JESUS when He was a little Infant. Far away in the East, God showed a
bright, beautiful star to some wise men, and taught their hearts that
it was the sign that the great King was born.
They set out on their journey to Judea, to see and honor Him; and when
they came, they asked, "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."
This made Herod afraid, for he thought this must be a king who would
take his kingdom from him. He made the learned men among the Jews look
out in the prophecies where Christ should be born.
They found it was to be at Bethlehem, and he told the wise men so, and
desired them to let him know when they found the King, that he might
come and worship Him too; but he did not really mean to worship Him,
but to kill Him.
However, God Himself showed these wise men where to find our blessed
Lord, for the same star that they had seen in the East came out again,
and went before them, and came and stood over where the young Child
was. And though they saw a little Baby, and a poor mother holding Him
in her arms, they knew He was the Lord and King; and they worshipped
Him, and offered Him the gifts they had brought.
There was gold, and there was frankincense, which means the
sweet-smelling, costly powder that was burnt in the Temple; and myrrh,
which is a precious gum which comes out of trees, and is used to
preserve and keep things good.
[Illustration: THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN.--Matt. 2:10, 11.]