The second group of people that God chose to announce the birth of His son were the wise men!
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2
The wise men were high ranking officials who were skilled in astrology, astronomy, and even divination. They were the scientists of their day. They came from the East which might have been Persia or somewhere in the orient.
Why did God choose the wise men? These individuals were highly educated and intelligent people. God reached them in their realm of expertise and showed them the way. While the wise men came from the class of nobility, wealth, and education, they needed to find their savior just as the shepherds needed to know about Him. God is not a respecter of man.
These individuals basically risked their lives by going before King Herod and seeking for the King of the Jews. Israel was under the rulership of the Roman empire, and Judea and its surrounding was under the domain of King Herod. He could have become offended and angry that he was not recognized as the King of the Jews. Herod could have ordered the wise men to be killed immediately for their lack of honor in addition to their knowledge of this baby king!
When you read the account of the wise men, you find that they did not find baby Jesus right away. By the time, the found Him, the scripture calls Him a child (See Matthew 2:9-10)! Some historians and scholars believe it could have taken them 1-2 years before they found Jesus, but they did not give up!
If you are an analytical and/or intellectual person, it may take you time to trust and believe in Jesus and His word. You may be looking for tangible signs and confirmation because you are not one to just simply believe. That’s ok. The wise men did not give up and kept following the star, and God did not give up on showing them the way despite the obstacles. God used His creation (the galaxies) along with their skill set to draw them to Him even though they were not from a Jewish decent.
God works with those who have simple faith as in the case of shepherds, and He also works with people like the wise men who are analytical and scientific minded . No one is beyond His reach and that is something to celebrate!
