Day 4 Christmas Countdown Devotional: the wise men and Herod–exalt Jesus or exalt yourself

While it is unlikely that the wise men visited Jesus at the manger scene, their appearance is typically associated with his birth. The text only tells us that they came from the East. Many Bible students connect these magi with Daniel, the prophet, who resided in Babylon some 400 years earlier. This would mean their journey to see Jesus could have been over 900 miles. Though they certainly could have traveled more quickly than the Old Testament leader Ezra and his entourage, it is noteworthy that it took him about four months to move from “the east” to Jerusalem. Here’s the point: as seekers of the King, they made a significant effort to find Jesus.

Contrast their effort with that of King Herod:

• The wise men traveled 900 miles to see Jesus; Herod was less than six miles from Bethlehem.
• The wise men knew of his birth; Herod was totally unaware.
• The wise men sought to worship Jesus; Herod sought to kill him.

The wise men and Herod had different motivations. While they sought to exalt Jesus, Herod sought to exalt only himself. Herod’s focus led him to extreme efforts of self-promotion and made him dangerous to all who attempted to cross him. Before the term had even been developed, he was the ultimate narcissist.

Each of us can have Herod like tendencies. We can be insecure, defensive, and deceptive when it comes to protecting our kingdom. But our kingdoms are small and petty; nothing like the kingdom of Jesus that includes both heaven and earth. This Christmas seek the one, true living king. Just like in Herod’s time, he’s nearer than you think.

PHIL MOSER is the author of the Biblical Strategies series and the developer of 4M Training: a 13-week small group study for men. All of his resources can be found on amazon or at biblicalstrategies.com.

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