Wise Men • Devotion 4

Daniel's Influence?
John Stone

“And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 (NASB)

When we read the story of the birth of Christ and the part played by the wise men, or magi as they are sometimes called, it can be easy to overlook how they came to be in the Christmas story. We can easily read through it and just accept that they saw a star and then showed up to worship Jesus. However, like an incredible work of art, the beauty is in the details.

Over 500 years before Christ, Nebuchadnezzar’s army captured Jerusalem and carried off treasure and captives to Babylon. Among these captives was Daniel, one of the best and brightest of the sons of Israel. We may remember him as the one in the lion’s den, but God showed immense favor on Daniel and gave him knowledge and wisdom above everyone else. He was promoted by King Nebuchadnezzar to rule Babylon and be the head of all the wise men (Daniel 1-2). Daniel’s great faith in God and courage are clearly demonstrated time and again. It is not too much of a stretch to imagine him sharing that faith with those around him; pointing out the hand of the Creator in all the studies of his fellow wise men. Those who believed, he disciplined and instructed them in the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10). His faith was passed on. Twenty-one generations later, imagine the excitement that began to build when the prophecies Daniel had taught the wise men of Babylon began to be fulfilled. Then the wonder and overwhelming joy came when the star that marked the coming of the Messiah showed up in the sky to the west! Everything the world had been waiting for was being fulfilled before their eyes. No wonder when they saw Jesus Christ they fell on their faces and worshiped Him. They knew Him. They had been taught to search for Him until they found Him. Their faith, which had been passed down from generation to generation, had been realized (Romans 1:17).

Who invited you to know Jesus Christ as your Savior? Also, who invited that person? It is a worthy endeavor to try to trace our spiritual lineage. Sometimes it is anonymous, sometimes known, but through all the twists and turns the thread of faith in your life has been guided by the hand of God. Have you ever considered the beautiful tapestry God is creating; the interwoven demonstration of grace and mercy that you are a part of? Throughout history, the threads of people’s lives are running around and through each other creating an intricate pattern that only the sovereign Lord of the universe could imagine. Hebrews refers to Him as the author and perfecter of faith, the architect of salvation. It is His design we are woven into and He will see it through until the last thread is tied off.

In the same way that He orchestrated the visit of the wise men, God is carrying out His plan in your life and my life. Like them we need to be faithful to share our knowledge of Jesus Christ; to teach and disciple others to know the Lord and be ready for His coming (Luke 21:28). One day we will get to see the completed tapestry the Lord is weaving and praise Him for His wisdom in the way He brought lives together as faith was woven through history. We will spend eternity tracing the threads but His glory will only grow brighter (Ephesians 1:5-6; 2:7). We should be thankful every day that the Lord brought someone into our life that shared the Gospel and invited us to know Jesus Christ. Now the real question is, “Who will you invite?”