Shalom, my dear friends and dear brothers and sisters. God bless you. We are going to continue at the study of the Gospel of Matthew and hopefully you have your Bibles available and we are going to turn now into Matthew chapter 2 and we will read together the first 12 verses of the second chapter and so please follow me as I'm reading these 12 verses we do read now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of judaea in the days of herod the king behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying where is he that was born king of the Jews for we have seen he starved in the east and are come to worship him when herod the king had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him and when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together he commanded of them where Christ Messiah should be born and they said unto him in Bethlehem of judaea for thus it is written.

By the prophet and thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least among the princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel then herod when he had privately called the wise men inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared and he sent them to Bethlehem and he said go and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him bring me word again that I may come and worship him also when they had heard the king they departed and Lord the star which they saw in the east went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was when they saw the star They rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him.

And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. So, beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters, I'm going to stop here reading from Matthew chapter 2 verses 1 to 12. And here as we are entering into the book of Matthew, into this gospel of Matthew, we are learning to see that this gospel of Matthew is a gospel that was specifically directed to the people of Israel, to the Jewish people oftentimes we will read in the gospel of Matthew many quotations that the author by the Spirit of God is quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures after all to remind us that when the Messiah was promised to come to this world he was promised that he will come to be the one that will come out of the virgin that she will conceive and bear a son and she shall call his name Emmanuel.

Emmanuel means with us. El means God. God with us or with us God. That was the promise that God had given his people Israel that the Messiah will come and he will be the one that will be God himself and he will come to be with us and that God the God of Abraham Isaac and. Jacob would come to the nation of Israel in the person of the son the son of God as we do read in Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 as we read that promise for unto us a child is born that is the humanity of the Messiah and unto us a son is given that is the divinity of the Messiah God the son would enter into this world through a virgin we know her to be Miriam and she had conceived and bore a son and call his name Yeshua, Jesus, which is Jehovah the Savior.

The word Emmanuel, God with us, simply means that God will enter into this world by taking union, a human nature with his divine nature, and he would be Emmanuel with us, God, God with us. And as we learn through the Gospel of Matthew, we will see how many a time the author, by the power of the Spirit of God, quoting the Hebrew Scriptures. In Matthew chapter 1, in verse 23, the passage that we have already covered in our study of the first chapter, In verse 23, the author by the divine inspiration quoting Isaiah chapter 7 and verse 14 when he was writing when the first chapter was written concerning the virgin that shall be with a child.

Now we enter into chapter 2. And you notice here in this second chapter, there are four times that the Spirit of God used that word, the prophet, the prophet, the prophet. And finally, at the end of Matthew chapter 2, the usage of the word, the prophets, plural. You notice that in Matthew 2 and verse 5, we read, And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written, By the prophet. Notice verse 15, we do read, And it was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. You notice verse 17, then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet.

And finally, in verse 23 of Matthew chapter 2, we read, and he came and dwelled in the city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, not only prophet singular but we have here the plural by the prophets he shall be called a Nazarene and so you notice beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters that in the first 12 verses of Matthew chapter 2 we will read of the coming of the wise men in Hebrew they are called megushim medjai the wise men who would come from the east in order to worship the new-born king of the Jews the new-born melech ha-yehudim and so we covered the first chapter that we saw the genealogy of the king of the Jews how he was born to the virgin and now we read of how the wise men from the east that were influenced by Daniel hananiah azariah and mishael already in days of all when they were in captivity by the Babylonian and these godly Hebrew men have.

Influence upon many in the east and we see now that many from the east come to worship the new born king while Israel is a nation although we're anticipating the coming of the Messiah yet we can see that wise men from the east are coming and alerting and awakening many in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel to the reality that the king will be born the king of the Jews is going to be here on earth and they came to worship him all the way from the east so the arrival of the Magis the Magushim from the east they immediately came to the city of Jerusalem the city of Jerusalem and so we read in verses 1 and 2 now when Jesus his Hebrew name is Yeshua Jehovah the Savior when Yeshua was born in Beit Lechem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem and notice what they say in verse 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 you see beloved friend when the time has come and the Messiah was born and when he was born here into this world already you can see how God was working in the hearts of even wise men Magushim Magi from the east who from Babylon from these areas came were influenced by the godly men boys earlier men and women who were taken by the Babylonian to captivity who have stood for the God of Israel such as the Esther such as Mordecai such as Daniel a Hananiah Azariah and Mishael and many others although the Jewish people were carried away to Babylon disciplined by God and yet you can see that there was there always left an influence on others and the wise men that came from the east these were those that were influenced by all sort of things that were not really even a godly but they were magushim magis they were involved in many things that were not.

For God and yet they were influenced they heard from such as Daniel about the God of Israel and as they were influenced apparently we see them coming now because of what they have seen so they are coming when the Lord Jesus the Messiah was born in the city of Bethlehem and then there was in the days when Herod, Herod was an Edomite, King Herod was known to be the one that built Metsada, built Kessariah, built an enlarged temple mount in the city of Jerusalem, Herod was the one that is called the Great, Herod the Great, at about 40 BC, he was made king of Judah or judaea by the Romans and now the time has come for the Messiah that was born in the city of Bethlehem notice what we read and here with the king we read the wise man that came it was in his days and they asked the question 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.

I want to just mention, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, for us to understand that it was already predicted in days of old by the prophets of Israel that the Messiah will be born here into this world and how he will come, to whom he will be born, at the locality of his birth. And there was so much written concerning the birth of Christ, of the Messiah, by the Hebrew prophets in days of old. And here we can see the fulfillment of that which was spoken of in days of old by the prophets. And so, you notice, we read of them coming. They are initially coming to the city of Jerusalem.

And as they come from the east notice that the east of course it's always east from Jerusalem it's not in the far east it's not in china but it has to do with east from the city of Jerusalem east from Jerusalem is mesopotamia east from Jerusalem is where Babel Babylon was and it was to Babylon that the Jewish people were carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar when they disobeyed the Lord and God had to remove them from the land in that land that was foreign to them in Babylon the godly in Israel still spoke about the God of Israel Daniel still served the God of Israel he ministered even to the king of Nebuchadnezzar who saw various dreams and he interpreted the dreams for him concerning the God of Israel and the nation of Israel and saw these wise men these magis coming from the east they arriving to the city of Jerusalem verse 1 and notice what we that they began to question where is he where is he notice this is the first question that is mentioned in the new testament in the brita chadasha.

The first question that was mentioned in days of old what we know in the old testament is found in Genesis chapter 3 where are you God is asking Adam Adam where are you now that the Messiah has come God had worked it out in such a way that these wise men from the east will ask where is he they are looking for a person that was born king of the Jews and so as they are questioning where is he that was born the king of the Jews they added and they said we have seen his star in the east very interesting expression we have seen his star in the east this star is not an ordinary star beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters this star was the star that represent the shekinah glory the shekinah it is the same shekinah glory the manifestation of the presence of God that Israel the nation of experiencing days of old to remind you when Israel came out of the land of Egypt God led them with a pillar of fire.

By night and a pillar of cloud by day the shekinah his manifestation in the presence of his own people to lead them in the wilderness this is the shekinah according to Exodus chapter 13 the shekinah the shekinah is the one is the presence of God that rested when the temple was completed shekinah glory rested there in the holy of holies not only in the temple but even earlier in the tabernacle according to Exodus chapter 40 and I just want to read this to you in Exodus chapter 40 and verse 33 we read and he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court gate so Moses finished the work and notice what we read in verse 34 then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle that cloud is the shekinah glory the shekinah the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and so what these wise men who came from the east these magis when they came from the east is because they were following.

His star Notice, they say here in this chapter of ours, in Matthew chapter 2 and verse 2, they say, where is he that is born the king of the Jews? For we have seen, notice, his star, it is a star that belongs to him, the king of the Jews. And that is the manifestation of the presence of God that rested upon that King of the Jews that was born, the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. Where is He? When God asked the first question from Adam, where are you, the question was asked because Adam sinned and turned against God, violated God's word. When their first question in this new covenant was asked, where is he, it is because the king of the Jews that was born here into this world, Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, There was the sinless one who came to redeem sinners back to God.

And so we read, where is he that is born king of the Jews? Notice that what we read here, that the king was born a king. This is exactly what the prophets of old have said, that when a Messiah will come he will be a king a king that will be born into this world and is going to ultimately rule as king of Kings and Lord of lords it was the prophet Zechariah that wrote concerning the coming of the Messiah in Zechariah chapter 9 and verse 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold thy king cometh unto thee! He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a cold the fall of of an ass when a Messiah Yeshua Jesus was born he was born already a king but the purpose that he came at his first coming was not yet to rule as king but first of all to provide salvation by offering himself as a ransom for many so the wise men coming from the east in verses 1 and 2 and they're asking where is he that is born the king of the Jews for we have seen his shechina shechina glory his star in the east.

And I come to worship him and so beloved brothers and sisters this star representing the presence of the Lord that rested the presence of God that rested upon this child that was born here into this world whose name is Yeshua Jesus as we have read it already in chapter one concerning the birth of Jesus the birth of Yeshua and so as we move along here you will notice that the magis the wise men of the east saw a star that was moving unusual star it's not the ordinary star that we have in heaven this star is moving from east to west and later on he will continue to move from north to south he will it's a star that is moving because it is his star it is the star that speaks directly concerning the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he is the one that the star represents the shekinah the shekinah glory the manifestation of the presence of God this is so beautiful for us.

To see as we study this passage in the gospel of Matthew now as we continue on in verse three you notice that herod the king and again i would like to remind you this was herod the great this herod the great was an edomite he ruled from about 36 bc to about 4 a.d and he was a bright a brilliant man though wicked he was the son of a high-ranking official and he is the one the construction that he was able to build was fascinating Caesarea there by the ocean it was done by him under his direction Metzada there by the Dead Sea and the building there on the Mount Metzada was done by him the mountain or the hill of the Herodias was done by him all this fascinating building that he has done even the enlargement of the temple mount was done by Herod the Great and so in verse 3 the one that was considered to be the king that was appointed by the Romans although he was an Edomite and had no right to be a king.

But the Romans who controlled in those days were under in the rule of the Romans empire they have set him to become a king of Judea we read in verse 3 that Herod the king when he had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him why was he troubled? Although he was made the king of Judah by the Romans, yet he was troubled because he did not want to be replaced. And here the wise men from Babylon are coming and they say, where is he that was born the king of the Jews? And obviously herod was troubled and not only him because apparently all Jerusalem was troubled because after all when you see a large envoy of people who come from the east coming all the way to the city of Jerusalem you can just imagine everyone is asking who are these where are they coming from and then they are seeking they're looking for the king of the Jews for melech ha-yehudin and so herod was troubled all Jerusalem was troubled according to verse 3 and so what does herod do according to the next verses beloved brothers and sisters in verses 4 5 and 6 the chief priests of Israel and the scribes were called by herod to give him some information and so in verse 4 herod gathered all Israel spiritual leaders and he asking them about the king that was born specifically as it was predicted by the prophets of Israel he was asking them concerning the one the Messiah the Mashiach that was going to be born and so we read in verse 4 and when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes.

Of the people together he demanded of them notice what he asked from them where Christ should be born notice that it's very interesting because the wise man came and said where is he that was born king of the Jews and yet herod asking where Christ where Messiah was to be born why because all in Israel knew when the Messiah will come he will be the king of the Jews he will be the king of Israel as prophet Zechariah wrote that when the king will come at his first coming behold not thy king cometh Zechariah 9 and verse 9 unto thee he is just he is having salvation he is lowly and he is riding upon an earth and upon a cold the fall of an ass but then verse 10 Zechariah continued to mention in days of old prior to the coming of the Messiah that in verse 10 God says I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem and the battle ball shall be cut off and he this is the king of the Jews.

This is the king of Zion And he shall speak shalom, peace, unto the heathen. And his dominion is going to rule. He's the king. His dominion shall be from sea even to sea and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth. He is going to rule over all the world. That king that would come initially riding on a donkey in order to provide salvation. He will suffer and die, but he will ultimately come and rule and reign from sea to sea and from shore to shore. And so Herod is calling the scribes and the chief priests, the spiritual leaders of Israel. And according to Matthew chapter 2, he's asking them in verse 4, where Messiah should be born.

Where Christ, the Mashiach, should be born. And so they are responding to him. And notice how it's so interesting because they knew on a basis of the prophets' message in days of all that spoke by the word of the Lord concerning the coming Redeemer, the coming King of the Jews. That's how he will be coming and that's where he will be born. And so they're quoting, beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters, they are quoting what Micah, the prophets of Israel, wrote in chapter 5. It says here and they said unto him in beth lechem of judaea for thus it is written noted by the prophet this is the first time in the second chapter that the word prophet is mentioned here in this chapter beloved friends and you notice as we mentioned throughout the gospel of Matthew a quotation from the Hebrew prophet will be presented again and again much more than everywhere why because Matthew wrote this gospel for the benefit of the Jewish people to see that the promises of God to the nation of Israel will be fulfilled in the coming of the Messiah both in his first coming as well as his second coming the first coming he will come to die to be buried and to rise again for our justification and he will come again to rule as the king of the Jews the king of Kings and Lord of lords so we already have seen the first quotation in the gospel of Matthew in chapter 1 and verse 23 where author Matthew was writing concerning the coming of the.

Messiah that he would come by the prophet as the Lord promised by the prophet saying behold the virgin shall be with a child and shall bring forth a son and shall call his name Immanuel so now the second time in the gospel of Matthew in chapter 2 and verse 6 they are quoting Micah chapter 5 and verse 2 in actuality Micah 5 in the Hebrew text it is actually verse 1 so what is the quotation beautiful to see and they said unto him in Bethlehem the Messiah the king of the Jews that will be born he will be born in the city of Bethlehem as it is written notice in the land of Judea and he says here in verse as we read here in verse 5 he will be born in Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet and here's the quotation and thou Bethlehem verse 6 in the land of Judah are not the least among the princes of Judah out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel now notice it says.

Here in verse 6 quoting Micah chapter 5 verse 2 in the English text, verse 1 in the Hebrew text where it says but thou bet lechem Ephrata though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come unto me that is to be a ruler in Israel. Now you notice beloved brothers and sisters Matthew stop here with a part of the verse of Micah chapter 2 the remaining part of the verse says whose going forth have been of old, from of old, from everlasting that means that the king of the Jews that will be born in the city of Bethlehem is the one that already existed in in eternity past he will come to rule over Israel in his humanity and yet who's going forth have been from of old from everlasting he is the eternal son this is so precious to understand this my dear friend the person of our Lord Jesus the Messiah who according to Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23 quoting Isaiah 7 14 he is the Emmanuel God with us.

And in Matthew chapter 2 and verse 6 quoting Micah chapter 5 and verse 2 we learn that his going forth is from everlasting that teaches us both of the humanity of the king of the Jews the Messiah Yeshua Jesus but it also tells us that he's much more than just another man he is the one who's going forth have been from evolved from everlasting the eternal one the eternal son enter into this world became a man took union humanity with his divine nature in order to become the king of the Jews so they continue purpose after all of the coming of the wise men from Babylon we have come to worship him we read in verse 2 the purpose that they came to worship and notice they said we came to worship him we have seen his star and we have come all the way from the east so Herod troubled Jerusalem troubled because after all beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters this is the first time in human history.

That God took human nature with his divine nature it never happened before and it will never happen again that's why it's such a unique fact that would cause all to be trouble the city of Jerusalem and the population in Israel because it never happened before and let me just remind you in the pre-incarnation of Christ of the Messiah there were many times in the history of Israel whether it is with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and and the history of Israel when God appears as a man like when he came to Abraham the three men that came to Abraham one of them was the Lord with whom Abraham spoke according to Genesis chapter 18 and the men that wrestled with Yaakov and changed his name from Jacob to Israel in Genesis chapter 32 he he wrestled with him and he called his name you know Pnuel the location I've seen God face to face that was a pre-incarnate appearing of the of the Messiah before his incarnation before he took union.

Humanity with his divine nature which only happened once and will never be repeated because he is now God and man in one and he came to this world in order to die as a man for the sin of this world to pay for our sin and sins and provide salvation to whoever believe on him that's why we read here in Matthew chapter 2 quoting Micah chapter 5 in Bethlehem of judea for thus it is written by the prophet verse 5 verse 6 said and thou Bethlehem in the land of judea are not the least among the princes of Judah for out of thee Bethlehem out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel and then we can read the remaining part of Micah chapter 5 and verse 2 in the English where it said who is going forth have been from of all from everlasting in Hebrew the everlasting is he always existed the eternal son and now he took union humanity through the virgin birth Miriam and he became a man God and man in one a mystery of mysteries.

In John chapter one we read in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God John 1 1 John 1 14 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glorious of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth this is amazing this is the mystery of mysteries and that's why Jerusalem and herod and the land of Israel everyone was troubled because where is he that born a king the anticipated Messiah that would come to this world to be born as a king and ultimately after the finishing of the work of redemption he will rule and reign at his second coming as king of Kings and Lord of lords this is fascinating my dear friends dear brothers and sisters in fact when apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in first Timothy chapter 3 he said to him in verse 16 and without doubt or without controversy.

Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in flesh, justified in spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Paul emphasized the fact how God was manifested in flesh. That's what we read here in Matthew chapter 2. Where is he that was born, the king of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east. We have come to worship him. Well, here is the answer. As the chief priest and the scribe responded to Herod, they said to him, As the prophet said. And thou Betlehem in the land of Judah. Are not the least among the princes of Judah.

For out of thee. Judah. Betlehem. Shall come a governor. Ruler that shall rule my people Israel. You see the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah. Will ultimately rule the nation of Israel. As the king of the Jews. Although Israel, the nation, at his first coming, did not receive Yeshua, Jesus, as the Messiah, Lord, and Savior. And so we read, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends, in the next verse, very interesting, because immediately in verses 7 and 8, King Herod, in a crafty way, he was really not intending to acknowledge that king of the Jews that was born. And so what does he do? In a crafty way, my dear friend and dear brothers and sisters, now he inquired of the wise men about the time when they saw that star.

And so we read in verse 7, And Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, he is inquired of them, diligently, what time the star appeared. So what does he do? He privately called these wise men that came from the east. And while he didn't want to reveal his intention to do something about this newborn king and to do away with him, he first of all came to this wise man and he wanted to know the timing so he can figure out about the age of the one that is born king, king of the you so he asked them concerning the time he gathered them privately the wise men the magi he has in and he's inquired of them diligently diligently tell you that he really want to know detail when when what was the time that you have seen that star when did he appear again i would like just to remind us my dear friend according to Numbers chapter 24 there was a promise of God through that false prophet who was called to curse Israel bilam you remember God even used him not to curse Israel but to bless Israel and to provide the promise of the coming one of the star that will come the Messiah the king of the Jews that will come and in Numbers.

Chapter 24 we read about that star that bilam who initially wanted to curse Israel but couldn't curse Israel he said concerning the star that will come we read in verse 15 of Numbers chapter 24 and he took up his parable, and said, Bilaam, the son of Beor, has said, and a man whose eyes are open, has said, he has said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance, but having his eyes open although he came initially out of greed to curse the people of Israel and yet God have allowed him not to curse Israel but to give a parable that speak about the coming Messiah the coming king the coming star and so he said in verse 17 of Numbers chapter 24 I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter he is a king and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab.

And destroy all the children of shit and a dome shall be possession Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies and Israel shall do valiantly out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city beloved friend already as Israel were on the journey from Egypt, from Sinai to the promised land of Canaan God even allowed that Bilam the false prophet who sought to curse Israel to gain something from cursing the nation of Israel God have did not allow him to curse but change his words to a blessing and a promise of the coming star out of Jacob the scepter shall rise out of Israel and ultimately as we read here Israel will be the one that will bring forth that star the Messiah who will have dominion from sea to sea and from shore to shore and here we read that the herod is seeking to find out when did they see that star and so the wise men are responding to him as giving him.

The information when did they see the star in the east where they came from Babylon and then in verse 7 herod now that he find out some information concerning the timing which we will see later on when he will seek to kill the king of the Jews and he will know more or less the age of that king of the Jews by that time since the timing that he received from the wise men who came from the east what did he do verse eight he sent them to Bethlehem and he said to them go and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him bring me word again that i may come and worship him also well he was not intending to come to worship the king of the Jews the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah that was born but he wanted that these wise men from the east that were following the star initially from east to west from we might say Babylon to Jerusalem and now they will follow the star that.

Will be moving from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and as they would follow the star they will find the king of the Jews that was born but you notice how interesting because here in this chapter herod called him a young child in Hebrew nar not a babe that is in a manger according to the gospel of Luke chapter 2 but now a young child because why? Because he was seeking for the timing in which these wise men who came from the east saw the star and they were saying that he was already born so the time that they have seen the star until the time they have arrived to the city of Jerusalem sometime have passed by and you remember where we read in the gospel of Luke in chapter 2 we read in verse 8 Luke chapter 2 in verse 8 we do read beloved friend where he does say and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and lo an angel of the Lord came unto them upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around about them and they were so afraid and the angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring to you good tithing of great joy which shall be for all people for unto you is born not as this day in the city of David a Savior which is the Messiah Christ the Lord they received the news.

Of the birth of the Messiah this day a Savior is born in the city of David and he is the Messiah the Lord then he says this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes laying in a manger so my dear friend in Luke chapter 2 and verse 12 we read of the person of the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua the Messiah as a baby that was born on that day when the angel revealed this to the shepherd so when he was born the angels went rejoicing when the glory of God was there as the baby was born multitude of angels and heavenly hosts were praising God and saying glory to God in the highest that was at the birth of the Messiah on that day but now time passes by and that baby became a young child and that's why while in Luke 2 and verse 12 Yeshua Jesus is called a babe here in Matthew chapter 2 and verse 8 when Herod sending them to Bethlehem and said go and search diligently.

For the not for the baby but for the young child in Hebrew we will see that some nearly two years have passed by because when Yeshua was born he was of course a baby but he was in a manger in Bethlehem but now when we arrive to chapter 2 the Lord Jesus the Messiah is no longer in a manger and he was no longer a baby was a young child and he was in a house so we read in verses 9 10 11 and 12 of our portion for this time beloved friend how the wise men find the king of the Jews and they fall down to worship him as they already express themselves when they have arrived to Jerusalem when they ask 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 so we do read in verse 9 when they heard with the king they departed and Lord the star not as the.

Very same star who was once in the east and he led them to Jerusalem now the star which they saw in The Eve went before them until it came and stood over where the young child, not the babe, but the young child was. So that's Shekhinah, the Shekhinah glory, the manifestation of the presence of God residing, we might say, on the person of this babe that was born, became a young child. Moving from the east to the west from the north to the south from one place to another his star his shechina his manifestation of the presence of God so we do read beloved brothers and sisters this star went before them that star led them this is not an ordinary star this is his star the Messiah star, the king of the Jews star now stood over where the child was in other words, moving from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and there exactly where the house where the Messiah was there with his parents Miriam and Yosef with his mother and his stepfather there the star stood we read in verse 10 when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy you notice how they are following the shekinah glory led by the Spirit of God God moved their hearts to move from the east to Jerusalem from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and all the way to where the child the young child was and they were so much joyful when they came finally to the location when they found the king of the Jews.

So we read in verse 11, when they were come into the house, again notice, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, that now they enter into the house. Luke chapter 2, the Lord Jesus the Messiah was a baby in a manger, in Luke 2 and verse 12. Here in Matthew 2 and verse 8 and 9 and 10 and 11, he is not a baby, he is a young child, he is not in a manger, he is in a house. And by virtue of the fact that Herod asked them about the time when they saw the star, he wanted to know how much time passed by from the time that he was born to the time that is now as he is sending them to the city of Bethlehem and anticipating to receive some information from the wise men.

So he, claiming, Herod, that he wants to come to worship him. But in actuality, he has no intention to worship the king that will replace him and set him aside. And so we read, when they came, notice that verse 11, When these wise men, when they were come into the house, they saw the young child, not as with Miriam, his mother. And here we have the reality that they were moved by the Spirit of God. Though Gentiles, though from other nations, though initially they were not believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God of Israel, but you can see that God was working in the hearts of these Gentiles.

These so-called wise men. They were really wise because they came to worship the king. And you would see it, beloved friend, in the Gospel of Matthew, that the Gospel of Matthew presents the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, As the king of the Jews and everyone that trusted in him is wise. The fools do not trust in him. In fact, you would notice that you would have the wise man who came from the east in chapter 2. Later on, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah is going to have a sermon that he will give, sermon on the mount and there he will say the wise man built his house upon the rock and the foolish man built his house upon the sand and then even later on we will read of the wise virgin five wise and five are foolish the wise maidens took lamps and they had oil in the lamps the foolish maidens took only a lamp but didn't have any oil in the lamp they were not really born of the Lord they were not born of the Spirit of God so the theme of Matthew is that you are either wise or you are foolish wise persons find him and we can see the wise men they found him and what do they do according to this verse 11 they found the young child they found him in the house and they fell down and they worship him they worship him verse 11 and when they had come.

Into the house they saw the young child with Miriam his mother and notice they fell down and they worship him that's the one that he was seeking for according to verse 2 of our chapter where is he that is born king of the Jews the star led them from east to west from west to south all the way from the east from Babylon to Jerusalem from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and in Bethlehem the star stood above the house where the young child was when the king of the Jews was and as a young child they came before him they fell down and they worshipped him and when they had opened their treasure they presented unto him not as gifts according to verse 11 gold, frankincense and myrrh this is also very precious because in the gift that they have presented to this young child the king of the Jews we can see and we can learn spiritual lesson concerning to who he is and what he was going to accomplish let me just remind you that oftentimes because we read of these three.

Gifts a gold and frankincense and myrrh oftentimes people assume that there were only three men because of the three gifts but nowhere we read that only three wise men came there must have been a caravan of of many who were wise who were magis who came from the east oh yes we read of three gifts that are mentioned here but there were much more than just three individuals in fact the way that Herod and all the city of Jerusalem were troubled according to verse 3 Herod the king that heard that he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him they must have seen many more than just three wise men who came from the east with all their treasures and their servants and their horses and their chariots and they came a multitude to find the king of the Jews that was born and so we read that they opened their treasures and they presented the treasures unto him And so, beloved brothers and sisters, these treasures really present before us many spiritual lessons concerning the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

The gold, and then the frankincense, and the myrrh represent before us all who He is and all that which He will accomplish. The gold represented the fact that he is a divine person. To remind us that in the tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat were all covered with gold. And that was the presence of God that represented, the gold represented the deity of God. God is holy and righteous. And the gold represent his deity. But then the frankincense represent his humanity. And just to remind you that in his humanity, he lived a life that was honoring to God. He was the one that in him there was no sin.

In him there was no sin. He was the sinless one. He knew no sin. He did no sin. In Him there is no sin, the sinless one, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. This is the King of the Jews, the man, Mashiach, Christ Jesus, that was born into this world. He was not only God, the Son. As we have read earlier in Matthew, in verses 5 and 6, quoting Micah 5 and verse 2, that His going forth is from eternity, from everlasting. He was divine, but he also became a man. He is the Emmanuel, God with us, as Matthew 1.23 quoted Isaiah 7 and verse 14. So the gold, beloved brothers and sisters, represent the divine nature of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, and the frankincense represent his humanity.

And it represents the fact that he pleased God in everything that he has done. That frankincense, this is the aroma that rose up to God and pleased God in the life of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, in his humanity. It is so fascinating to read these verses, beloved brothers and sisters, concerning the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. When all gone astray, there was one that lived here a perfect life, pleasing God from the day that he was born till the day that he died. In Leviticus chapter 2, we read in verse 1, And when any will offer a meal offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil upon it and put frankincense.

Their own and he shall bring it to Aaron and his sons the priests and he shall take thereof his handful of the flour thereof and of the oil thereof with all the fragrances thereof and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar to be an offering made by fire for notice that a sweet savor unto the Lord this offering of the meal offering represent the life of the Lord Jesus here the Messiah here on earth the meal offering had no blood in it and it speaks of the life of the perfect life of Yeshua Jesus the Messiah so they gave him gold representing his divine nature they gave him the gift of frequencies represent his human nature his human nature his his perfection and the joy and the glory that he gave to God he always pleased God from the day that he was born until the day that he died and ultimately they also gave to myrrh in Hebrew the what is bitter and it speaks about the atoning suffering and death that the Messiah Yeshua Jesus.

Will experience for the fact that he came to this world in order to provide salvation and in order that he will provide salvation for sinners here in this world he must die a substitutionary death he must suffer and die and so in the gifts that the Magi gave to the young child that was in the house who was the king of the Jews represents before us his person and his work Yeshua Jesus is God the Son gold Yeshua Jesus is a man, a perfect man Frankenstein and Yeshua Jesus the Messiah had to suffer for the sin of this world represented by the myrrh bitter and how he had experienced suffering and death here in this world and the Lord have laid upon him the iniquities of us all my dear friend and so when we see this and here is the last verse for us at this time in verse 12 being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod they departed into their own.

Country another way and why would God would speak to them in a dream that they will not return to herod who told them earlier you go find where he is and then come again and tell me that i may come and worship him also verse eight he did not herod did not intend to worship the newborn king of the Jews. He intended to kill him. And these Magi, these wise men, were warned by God not to return to Herod and to go back to their homeland some other way. And so, my dear friends and dear brothers and sisters, what we learn from these passages, it's the coming of the wise men from the ease to worship the King of the Jews and the question, of course, to us all, do you and I worship the King of the Jews, the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, recognizing Him who is the eternal Son, God the Son, seen in the gift of gold.

He is the perfect man who lived honorably before God, who pleased him on every hand, seen in the frankincense. And he is the one that has suffered and died for your sins and mine, for the sin of this world, seen here in the gift of the myrrh. Are you a wise man? Are you a wise woman? Are you a wise person? Have you come to know the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, your Lord and Savior? How important is to turn to Him, accept Him, because the only way to receive forgiveness of sins is by accepting the Messiah, Yeshua Jesus, the King of the Jews, who came from heaven in love for us all, providing Himself as the Redeemer, the Savior.

May God open the hearts of many today to accept Him as the Messiah, Lord, and Savior. God bless you, my dear friend. Until the next time, we say Shalom, Shalom.