21 Days Until We Begin Reading Through The Bible
Beginning January 4, 2026, we will journey through the Scriptures—from Genesis to Revelation. To support this journey, a daily devotion will be posted on this blog site that corresponds with each day’s reading. Hopefully these devotions will offer insight, encouragement, and application as we walk through God’s Word together.
Here is the first post that I will post daily leading up to January 4:
Why the Wise Men Followed the Star
One of the most striking ironies in the Christmas narrative is that pagan scholars from the East recognized the signs of the Messiah’s arrival, while Israel’s own religious leaders did not seek Him at all. Matthew 2 records that the wise men traveled hundreds of miles to worship Christ, while the chief priests and scribes remained in Jerusalem, only a few miles from Bethlehem. The difference was not access to Scripture. It was a lack of interest and understanding on the part of the Jewish religious leaders.
The Wise Men Knew the Prophecies
The “wise men” (Greek magoi) were not kings, nor were they astrologers in the modern sense. They were scholars who were trained in astronomy, history, and sacred texts. It is possible that they were influenced by Jewish teaching preserved during the Babylonian exile. Daniel himself had been placed over the wise men of Babylon (Daniel 2:48), and Jewish prophecy would have been preserved and studied in the East for generations. These men did not randomly chase a star. They followed it because it aligned with prophecy. Numbers 24:17 speaks of a ruler rising out of Israel: “A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” This prophecy, given by Balaam was well known outside of Israel. The wise men understood that a celestial sign would accompany the arrival of a Jewish king. When they saw a unique star, they did not merely observe it scientifically; they interpreted it theologically. They understood the prophetic nature of the star. Their journey reveals something profound: unlike the Jewish religious leaders of their day, and many in the church today, the wise men believed prophecy to be trustworthy, meaningful, and worth acting upon.
The Jewish Leaders Knew the Text, but They Missed the Truth
When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” Herod was troubled, and so was all Jerusalem with him (Matthew 2:2–3). Herod summoned the chief priests and scribes and asked where the Christ was to be born. Without hesitation, they answered correctly: “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet” (Matthew 2:5, quoting Micah 5:2) They knew the prophecy. They could quote it. They could explain it. But they did not follow it. Not one priest, scribe, or Pharisee is recorded as accompanying the wise men to Bethlehem. The religious elite possessed biblical knowledge without spiritual urgency. Their theology informed their minds but never moved their feet.
Knowledge Without Obedience Is Dangerous
This contrast exposes a sobering truth: knowing Scripture is not the same as submitting to it. The wise men responded to revelation with humility and sacrifice. They traveled far, risked danger, and offered costly gifts. They did not offer gift to gain status, but to worship. When they found the child, they “fell down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11). Their theology led to doxology.
The religious leaders, however, treated prophecy as mere information and were unmoved by it. Their familiarity bred complacency. They assumed that if the Messiah came, He would come on their terms, in their institutions, and affirm their authority. Instead, Jesus came humbly. He was born in Bethlehem, laid in a manger, revealed first to outsiders.
God Reveals Himself to the Humble
This story is not merely historical; it is deeply theological. God delights in revealing Himself to those who seek Him sincerely, even if they come from unexpected places. Jesus later affirmed this truth when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).
The wise men had less Scripture but more faith. The religious leaders had more Scripture but less obedience. This tension still exists today.
This account warns us against assuming that religious proximity equals spiritual insight. A church can be full of people who know doctrine, quote verses, and defend orthodoxy, yet never truly seek Christ. Meanwhile, God continues to draw honest seekers who respond to the light they are given. The wise men followed the star because they trusted God’s promises and acted on them. The religious leaders stayed behind because prophecy had become academic rather than transformational.
The question the Christmas story leaves us with is simple but piercing: When God reveals truth, do we merely explain it, or do we follow it? Because those who follow the light are the ones who find the King.