Isn’t it amazing that the only people who honored Jesus as savior and king at His birth were the magi who were a strange group of foreign gentiles? What about God’s chosen people, the Jews? Why weren’t they bringing gifts worthy of a king to Jesus? Where was the praise and adoration? At the time in history when Jesus came onto the scene, the Jews didn’t have their own nation but were under the rule of Rome. Due to their constant rebellion in the past, God eventually gave them over into the hands of their enemies to be ruled by them. In addition, the Jewish religious leaders had made a giant mess of the Law of Moses. They changed the Law from guidelines for holy living to a set of rigid rules. The Law was supposed to turn their hearts to God, but their manipulation of the Law turned them far from God instead. They were so far away from God, they couldn’t recognize Him when He showed up and looked them in the eyes. John Chapter 1:11-13 says:
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Even though God chose the Jews to be his chosen people, He has always given the right to anyone who desired to follow Him to become His adopted children, even magi from the East. God’s acceptance of the magi was the first indication in the New Testament of God’s plan to reach out to all people of the world. He still loves and reaches out to some of the most bizarre people who have ever existed – you and me! –Wes LeFlore
