THE STAR IN THE EAST.
IN these days God spoke to men by strange signs, and wise ones were all
the time on the watch for them. They had read in their old books of a
star that was to shine with a bright light, and each night they would
raise their eyes to the sky, in hopes that they might see this sign that
would bring hope and joy to the whole race of Jews. But years and years
had gone by, and the Jews had no land of their own, and were as slaves
to the Ce-sar of Rome. And He-rod, their king, was most harsh to them,
for he had skill in the use of a sword, but not in the use of kind
words, or good deeds.
[Illustration: THE GUID-ING STAR.]
One night as a wise man lay on the roof of his house, with his gaze
fixed on the great broad sky, he gave a start and cry of joy, for there
shone a new star of such size that all the rest of the stars grew dim
and small. And it was as if the sun had burst through a dark cloud, and
brought the dawn some hours too soon, for the whole East was full of
light from the long rays of this new star.
And the star seemed to move, and its rays to point all one way. And the
wise men who saw it knew that the light had come for which they had
looked and prayed so long, and they set out at once with the star to
guide them, and they took rich gifts with them. Each night it shone in
the sky, and led them on and on till they came to Je-ru-sa-lem. And they
said to those they met there, Where is he that is born to be King of the
Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to kneel down
at his feet.
When He-rod heard of these things, and that they spoke of Je-sus as
King, he was in great fear lest he should lose his throne. So he sent
for his chief priests and scribes that they might tell him where Christ
should be born. And they read from their old books that it had been
fore-told that he should be born in Beth-le-hem.
Then He-rod sent for the wise men, and told them to go to Beth-le-hem,
and search for the young child. And when ye find him, said he, bring me
back word that I too may fall down at his feet and give him praise.
But this he did not mean to do, for his plan was to put the child to
death just as soon as he could find out where it was.
[Illustration: THE SHEP-HERDS OF BETH-LE-HEM.]
When the king had ceased to speak, the wise men from the east left
Je-ru-sa-lem, and went on their way to Beth-le-hem. And the star led
them on and on, and was like the face of a friend. And a small, still
voice seemed to say to them:--Come!--Come!--Come! And it drew them so
that they would have gone to the ends of the earth. When troops are on
the march, and through their ranks goes the cry of Halt! then each foot
must stand still, and not a man moves from his place.
And when the wise men came to Beth-le-hem, lo, the star that had led
them stood still in the sky, right o'er the place where the young child
was. And when they went in-to the house they saw the young child, with
Ma-ry, his mo-ther, and they fell on their knees and bowed down to him
as if he had been a king. And they brought him gifts of great worth, and
gold and myrrh and rich gums and spice that can be found on-ly in those
lands in the far East.
And God spoke to them in a dream, and told them not to go back to
He-rod, so they went home not by the same road they had come.
When He-rod found that the wise men had not done as he bade them, he was
in a great rage, and sent men to Beth-le-hem, and slew all the chil-dren
there who were two years old or less, for then he was sure that Je-sus
would be slain.
[Illustration: THE WISE MEN BRING-ING PRES-ENTS TO JE-SUS.]
But ere He-rod's men came, God spoke to Jo-seph in a dream, and said,
Rise, and take thy wife and thy son, and flee in-to E-gypt, and stay
there till I bring thee word; for He-rod will seek the young child to
kill him.
So Jo-seph did as the Lord told him, and took his wife and child out of
Beth-le-hem by night, and went to dwell in the Land of E-gypt.
[Illustration: THE FLIGHT IN-TO E-GYPT.]
But when He-rod was dead, God spoke to Jo-seph in a dream, and told him
to take his wife and son and go back to the land of Is-ra-el, for the
man was dead who sought to kill the young child. And Jo-seph did as the
an-gel told him, and he and his wife and child came and dwelt in
Naz-a-reth.