Bible Study on Matthew 2, verses 16 to 23, He shall be called a Nazarene

 

Matthew 2:16 ¶  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 17  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18  In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

 

Herod, realizing the wise men had ignored his instructions to come back and tell him where the king of the Jews as an infant lay, causes the death of children two years old and younger in Bethlehem and its surrounds. The Holy Spirit tells us that this is one prophetic meaning of;

 

Jeremiah 31:15  Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

 

…which in the Old Testament context is about God gathering a dispersed Israel back to His land but used by God for this. Be careful though if you try to do what the Holy Spirit does with His own work when you try to pull a verse out of context to mean something it was not originally intended to mean. YOU didn’t write it.

 

Another important point is that some atheist, agnostic, and Christian skeptics will make much about Josephus, the ancient Jewish turncoat to the Romans and writer of history of the Jews and Jewish wars, including Herod’s reign, does not mention this atrocity in his own list of Herod’s atrocities. However, Josephus fabricates, omits, contradicts, and invents so many things that his omission of any event means little.[1] I’ve quoted him but he is good only as a starting point and not as a final authority. He is a starting point but not a final authority, the Bible is.

 

Matthew 2:19 ¶  But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20  Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 21  And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22  But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

 

God appears in the form of an angel, which I’ve described previously is an appearance of someone or some thing that is somewhere else but appears to someone chosen by God to see it.

 

Verse 23 is an odd verse. According to older commentators Isaiah 11:1, which says;

 

Isaiah 11:1 ¶  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

 

Isaiah 11:1 has Branch coming from a Hebrew word transliterated into English as Netzer, which can also be a cryptic reference to Nazareth as the town’s root word come from Netzer. This is a bit of an obscure interpretation, though, as it is not clearly evident from the text. The prophets that spoke of this did not write books of the Bible that the Holy Spirit chose to include in the canon of Scripture. There are other books and verses which mention sayings that are found only in the reference such as the book of Jasher in Joshua 10:13 and 2Samuel 1:18.

---

          [1] http://www.torahtimes.org/writings/josephus-unreliable/article.html from https://www.layittoheart.com/josephus.html (accessed 12.10.22)

Bible Study on Genesis 29, verses 15 to 35, the deceiver is deceived

 

Genesis 29:15 ¶  And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? 16  And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17  Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 18  And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19  And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20  And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. 21  And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22  And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23  And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24  And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 25  And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26  And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27  Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 28  And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29  And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30  And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Laban calls Jacob his brother, which clearly in this context means a close relation, as Jacob is his nephew. Brother can easily be used to refer to someone who is a comrade or a fellow believer in Christ. It can also refer to the brotherhood of mankind as in Genesis 9:5.

Jacob, the trickster, is now going to be tricked. Laban is a very clever man. He allows Jacob to work seven years under the promise of Jacob receiving Rachel as his bride. Instead, he gives Jacob Leah, her older sister. Notice that the wedding ceremony is a feast at the end of which the father just gives his daughter to the husband-to-be. Not very romantic from the point of view of today’s woman.

Laban’s excuse is that the custom of the country is for the older to be married before the younger but it seems more likely that Laban probably worried that his oldest, not so beautiful and well favoured, would not find a husband. As Leah is tender eyed, which carries with it the implication of weakness or deficiency in Early Modern English and in the Hebrew text (Genesis 33:13 for children being tender), perhaps she was a bit cross-eyed, who can say. Jacob was drawn to the prettier daughter. This type of carnal attitude seems more worthy of Esau and marriages based on this do not have a good foundation. But, let’s give Laban the benefit of the doubt and agree it was the custom not to marry the younger before the elder. He still tricked Jacob, the clever deceiver. You have to wonder if he did not know whom he was consummating a marriage with that perhaps this feast included a liberal supply of wine as one could reasonably assume that her veil would be taken off when the marriage was completed.

It appears from a literal reading of the text that Jacob gave Leah a week of being the only wife and then received Rachel, for whom he worked an additional seven years to pay off her father. Notice the difference here between Jacob and Isaac. In the Ancient Near East a bride did not just marry a husband but joined another family, leaving the family of her birth. Rebekah was brought to Isaac. Here, Jacob is in bondage to his brides’ father. Also, while we might wonder about the dowry given by the bride’s family there was also the ancient “bridewealth” given by the groom’s family. Here, Jacob’s servitude for fourteen years serves that function and he will leave with wealth after another six years.

Jacob has worked for Laban up to this point and acquired two wives with their handmaids and his living in the process.

Genesis 29:31 ¶  And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32  And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33  And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 34  And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35  And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

See comments on chapter 25:29-34 for an explanation of how hate can be used as to hold in low esteem or to hold in contempt or just to love less. God gives His blessing on Leah by making it possible for her to conceive as she is held in lower esteem by Jacob than Rachel. But Rachel was barren in that she could not conceive. In gratitude Leah named her first born, Reuben, which means, “Behold, a son,” according to Strong, while the context would imply God seeing Leah’s misery, her affliction. In fact, there are those other than Strong’s who define this Hebrew name as, “who sees the son,” or, “the vision of the son.” Another Jewish source has it as, in opposition to Strong’s view, is, “He has seen my affliction (misery.)” Look at the context and think for yourself what Reuben’s name means. Strong’s, while depended upon by most Bibles today is not the absolute source of definition for Bible words and names. The Bible itself is. I would presume that the Holy Spirit knows what He wants a word to mean in context.

Leah and Jacob’s second son is named Simeon. In the context meaning, “he has heard,” also confirmed by Jewish sources. Levi, the third son, would then mean, “joined to,” and Judah, from whom the line of Christ comes, would mean, “praise.” We might think of these four births as saying, “God has seen my misery. He has heard me. Now, my husband and I will be united and I will praise God.”

Bible Study on Matthew 2, verses 9 to 15, Out of Egypt have I called my son

 

Matthew 2:9 ¶  When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12  And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

 

This star is moving. This is not the astronomical event we think of today when we hear the word, a star. Here is that special thing, not too unlike what we already know, but specially prepared by God for a unique purpose. So, stop looking for this star in the heavens today. You’ll be frustrated or repeat something that simply isn’t in keeping with the text and you will be ridiculed as will faith in Christ.

 

By the time the magicians have arrived, the wise men find a young child, not an infant. Judging by what Herod does next Jesus could have been two or under, anywhere in that range. These heathen magicians worship Christ, the subject of prophecy of which they were aware.

 

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh represent, according to the ancient Christian commentator, Origen, in his Contra Celsum, stand for different things about Christ. Christ’s future kingship for gold.

 

2Samuel 12:30  And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

 

Again, according to Origen, frankincense was representative, as incense, of Christ’s divinity. As an example of its use;

 

Leviticus 2:1  And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

 

Again according to Origen, the myrrh, as an embalming oil signified Christ’s death.

 

John 19:39  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

 

Matthew 2:13 ¶  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14  When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

 

It is interesting how Egypt became not only a place of nurture and safety for the ancient Hebrews but will also be a place now, under Roman authority, for safety for the Messiah as a child.

 

Remember in the last chapter that the angel of the Lord appeared to and spoke to Joseph.

 

Matthew 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

 

Verse 15 is a reference to Old Testament passages that refer to Israel as a people. So, the initial context of those verses was Israel and the prophetic context looked forward to the Messiah.

 

Exodus 4:22  And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

 

Hosea 11:1 ¶  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Bible Study on Genesis 29, verses 1 to 14, Jacob at the well

 

Genesis 29:1 ¶  Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2  And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth. 3  And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place. 4  And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5  And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6  And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 7  And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 8  And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.

Genesis 29:9 ¶  And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them. 10  And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11  And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12  And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father. 13  And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14  And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

Jacob went back in the direction from whence Abraham had come. So, he finds a well with three flocks of sheep waiting to be watered by a well that had a great stone covering it. What tremendous preaching material you can get from passages like this. Think of the Resurrection of Christ leaving a tomb covered by a great stone, giving living water to those sheep thirsting for it. There are so many possibilities with this. Three flocks might represent Noah’s three sons whose descendants overspread the whole earth waiting for this life-giving water. Such good preaching material and I’m sure you can think of more.

Can you see Jacob in this scene as a type of the angel of the Lord rolling the stone away from Christ’s tomb? (Matthew 28:2)

Matthew 2, verses 1 to 8, part 2, Herod is concerned about what he heard

 

Back to Matthew would this be the only reference these eastern, pagan astrologers and magicians would have? The Parthian empire, also called the Arsacid empire, ruled the area of Persia and present day Iran from the mid-200s BC to the mid-200s AD. The Parthians would have practiced a hodge-podge of polytheistic faiths and would have been well-versed in prophecy and historical events. When I attended the University of Georgia Hal Lindsey presented his Late, Great Planet Earth tour discussing his interpretation of end-times prophecy and, believe me, a lot of heathens attended out of curiosity if not morbid fascination and uncertainty.

 

Astrologers and historians have been trying to pinpoint which star the wise men would have followed, first seen in the east, but leading them. This was not a typical star that we know of today. The star led them to Christ is one they saw in the east. This star was unique and they knew that it was unusual in the heavens representing this prophecy.

 

First, there is an error of disregarding what the Bible says about a phenomenon and trying to make things up as you go along. Then there is the reading modern words and definitions back into the Bible. As an example,  the “great fish” of Jonah, the “whale” of Matthew 12:40 was a specially prepared fish, as whale was not used for the order of Cetacea until after this Bible was translated. It is foolish to try to find a species of whale that can swallow a man to justify your faith when this fish was unique specially prepared by God.

 

Jonah 1:17  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

 

So, this star should be understood in the context of the translators in English and the original authors and translators of manuscripts in the original languages. A star in 1611 or AD100 could refer to the morning and evening star, the brightest object, Venus, a planet, or even a comet or a star like we only speak of today, similar in aspects to our sun, and we will see that this star moves. This star is there to reveal something in prophecy to these wise men, something they had been foretold of.

 

To repeat something important here, these pagan wise men want to worship Him, this King of the Jews. This is politically terrifying to Herod, a puppet of Roman domination. This underscores the political fear the Jewish authorities and the Gentile had of Jesus being declared a king by the mob. This prophecy, fulfilled in the future but mocked by Pontius Pilate in his act of having a sign placed on the cross, will be a constant thread in the gospels.

 

Luke 23:38  And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 

3  When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

 

This stirred up all of Jerusalem and the contingent with these traveling wise men could have been very great and there would be no way to keep the city from hearing of these things. Perhaps this event was included in the memories of Simeon and the prophetess Anna in Luke, chapter 2.

 

The chief priests and the scribes make known to Herod the prophecy concerning this in the Old Testament.

 

Micah 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

 

In verses 7 & 8 we see Herod lie and tell the wise men to inform him of the whereabouts of the child, so that he may worship him when we know he wants this infant king of the Jews dead. Christ is a threat to established authority here as He will be later.

 

John 11:48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

 

Bible Study on Genesis 28, verses 16 to 22, this is the gate of heaven

 

Genesis 28:16 ¶  And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. 17  And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18  And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19  And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20  And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21  So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22  And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Jacob awoke from his dream frightened. He considered that the location of his dream was the doorway to Heaven, the abode of God, itself. He then prepared a commemoration of what happened with the stone he had prepared for his pillow and poured oil over it. We will see stones set up for memorials later as well as oil poured on things and people to signify their sanctification, being set apart for God, as well.

Leviticus 8:12  And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

Joshua 4:3  And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. 4  Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 5  And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 6  That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

A town named Bethel will form about this but first it will be called Luz

Genesis 35:6  So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.

Jacob makes a curious vow, which would not be acceptable for a Christian knowing what we know now and having what we have. He says that if God protects him and gives him food and clothing and brings him back to his father’s house in peace then the God of his fathers will be his God. He calls the stone he set for a pillar and a memorial God’s house and promises to render to God the tenth, the tithe of his increase, to God.

One of the things that confuses the preacher who tries to put the Christian back under the Old Testament is the Old Testament personage’s proclivity to make deals with God. God promises them something if they respond a certain way and they promise to serve God if He provides certain things for them. A preacher reflects this when he talks about doing business with God.  The Old Testament saint was promised a physical, temporal blessing of bounty and success on this earth if he obeyed. The Christian is not promised wealth, land, or worldly things. He or she will have an amazing relationship with God but also tribulation and suffering with a hope and promise of eternal life when this life is over.

God’s ministry of reconciliation required the creation of maintenance of a people and a place as the seat of God’s work. But, with Christ the seat of God’s work is not in a specific location apart from the heart of every Christian. There are no sacred spaces in New Testament Christianity save for that heart in which abides the Spirit of God.

This inability to see the difference between the relationship these people had with God and our relationship with God creates a totally upside down doctrinal attitude. Paul said;

1Corinthians 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

As God was drawing these men and women to Him in His ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself they needed and wanted proof, some kind of sign, prodigy, or sort of figurative contractual agreement that underscored and confirmed His word and His promises. The gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the confirmation of what God has promised us. We need no other and we do err greatly if we downplay the importance of the indwelling of the Spirit of God as the seal of our salvation, the deposit on that promise, and what secures the believer in Christ.

Ephesians 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

When you receive Christ as your Saviour the Holy Spirit indwells you in a way that it indwells no person who has not trusted Him. The proof that you have the Spirit inside you is what comes out of you which should give most so-called Christians pause to wonder if they are truly believers in Christ or just caught up in some kind of counterfeit Christian culture.

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Ephesians 5:8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

 It is also of note in this passage to see that the skeptic who says that the ancient Jew was unaware of any concept of Heaven as put forward in the Bible is wrong. Jacob clearly had an understanding that there was a Heaven and that it was not a place on this earth.

Bible Study on Matthew 2, verses 1 to 8, part 1, we have seen his star in the east

 

Matthew 2:1 ¶  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3  When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7  Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8  And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

 

Notice the text says wise men, not the three wise men of Christian mythology. The wise men of the east are linked to magicians, sorcerers, astrologers, and the Chaldeans of Babylon.

 

Genesis 41:8  And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

 

Exodus 7:11  Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

 

Daniel 2:1 ¶  And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2  Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

 

This brings up an important point that even the wise men of the heathen will acknowledge Jesus. They too were looking for the Messiah to appear.

 

James 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

 

Philippians 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

One interesting side note is that famous authorities of Christian history like Augustine of Hippo and John Wycliffe, called the Morning Star of the Reformation, regarded the pagan writings of Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle as inspired by God when their writings confirmed Bible truths. The capacity of pagan wise men to see something that God has revealed goes along with the saying that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

 

Verse 2 refers to the King of the Jews. This title is used again.

 

Matthew 27:11  And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

 

Matthew 27:29  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

 

Matthew 27:37  And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 

But this kingship was a reference to His spiritual authority and to Christ’s future reign for a thousand years as you can see He resisted being declared a political king during His time in human flesh.

 

John 6:15  When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

 

Everything in God’s plan of reconciling mankind to Himself had a time and a place. And much to their dismay over the next 2,000 years the Jews rejected His kingship for that of a human ruler.

 

John 19:15  But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

 

Matthew 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

 

But He will return to assume His rightful place as King over all the earth.

 

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Here, the reference to the King of the Jews was a threat to Herod.

 

Verse 2 refers to his star in the east. Notice the immediate context of the heathen prophet, Balaam’s speech, in Numbers 24:17-19 and the prophetic relevance of it.

 

Numbers 24:17  I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. 18  And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. 19  Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

 

Balaam starts with a Star, upper case “s” [then] lays out a prophecy of King David to come.

 

2Samuel 8:2  And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

 

What means all the children of Sheth in Numbers 24:17? Sheth is the exact same word in Hebrew for Seth, Adam and Eve’s son. Perhaps this was a variant spelling that the King James translators found in the rabbinical writings where this Sheth was referred to as everything from a local king of Moab to a city in Moab to be destroyed. However, this could be a prophecy also of Christ, whatever else it means. Note the Star with the uppercase ‘S’.  Notice a common theme of the following verses.

 

Genesis 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

 

Psalm 45:6 ¶  Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

 

Luke 1:78  Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

 

2Peter 1:19 ¶  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

 

Revelation 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

 

It is possible that prophetically all the children of Sheth represents the children of Seth, all the children of mankind who will oppose Christ at the end. Of course, this requires some conjecture and supposition although it does seem likely to be a veiled reference to the Messiah whether Balaam understood it or not. So, the verses above seem to be clear prophecies of Christ to come in both of His advents.