The Sunday School

1. "Now, when Jesús was bom in ISethlchem of Judsea in thé days of Herod tlio king, behold, thcro carne wise men from the cast to Jerusalem. " He was foreordained before the foundation of the world (I Pet. i, 20), and whcu the fullness of time" was come God sent fortli His Son, made of a woman, made unfler the law, to redeem them tliat wero under the law (Gal. iv, 4, 5). Not only is He the Kon of God, but, as In chapter i, 1, the Son of David, tiie son of Abraham, and therefore the onc in whom all the promises to David and Abraham will be fulfilled. In Him Bhall all Scripturc be fulfllled, for it all j concerns Him (Luko xxiv, 27, 44). His birth in Bethlehem was but. nn event in a life without beginning or end (John xvii, 5; Rcv. xxii, 1-5). 2. "Saying, Where is He t-hat, is born King of the Jews, for we have seen His star in the cast and are come to worship Him?" ïhey had no doubt as to whom they wanted to see, nor as to wliat tliey wantcd to do. Tlicy carne to seo the nowborn King of the Jews and to worship Him. It was long sinco the Jews had a king, and they were now subject to the Romans, of whom Herod was the representativo. But in their heaven given book it was written that the throne of David should be establlshed forever and the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob fulfilled (Isa. ix, (i, 7; Mie. vii, 19, 20). 3. "When Herod, the king, had heard fchoso thiogs, bewas troublcd, and all Jerusalem with him. " If ho had known the promises of God eoncerning the overthrow of Israel's enemics and the future glory of Israel, he inight well have been troublcd. Seo as a sample Mie. v, 15; vii, l(i, 17. But, not knowing the Scriptures, uil ho saw in the words of the wise men was probably the possibility of a deliverer for Israel who Would redeem them from the power of Rome. The redemption of Israel will yet come, and thesignsof itsapproaoh are not few (Luke xxi, 25-28). 4. "And when ho liad gathered all the chief priests and acribes of the peoplc together, lic demanded o!' them where Christ should be born." Ho would thus see if the leaders of the people were expecting a king, and if there was anything in thts extraordinary visit and question of these men from the east. Ghrist is the Greek for the Hebrew word Messiah, and the English of eacli is the anointed. See the uso of the word in I Kam. ii, 10, 35; Ps. ii, 2, G; Dan. ix, 25, 20. Hear also the chief priests mockingly cali Him "Christ the King of Israel" (Mark xv, 31, 32). 5. "And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judsea., for thus it is written by the prophet. " Herod weuld now see that there must be somethlng in it, for the prophets of Israel had foretold what the wise men from the east indicated had now come to pass. That thero wore those in Israel who were patiently waiting for thia great event is elear from the record eoncerning Simeón and Anna (Luke ii, 25, 2(5, ÍS8). There were those who looked for redemption in Israel and expected a Itedecmer about that time. 0. ' ' And thou, Bcthlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda, for out of thee shall come a Governor, that siiall rule my people Israel." This is quoted from Mie. v, 2. The rest of the verse is most interesting anda proof of tlie divinity of this child, "His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. " He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to Moses, Joshua, Gideon and Solomon. Jesus, the ÍSon of Mary, is the Lord God of the holy prophets. He soes the end from the begiuning, and 700 years before the event foretold His birtii in Bethleheni. 7. "Then Herod, when ho had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared." The devil, whose great weapon is dcath, was working in Herod to destroy this child King. This is evident from verse 10, for the age of the ehildren slaiu is associated with the Inquiry which he made of the wise men. What blossed little martyrs thoso innocent babes were! They dled for Him, and He will not forget it in that day. "They shall come again from tho land of tiie enemy" (Jer. xxxi, 10). Death, the cnemy, took their bodies for a time, but they shall rise again. 8. "And ho 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 ulso." Tho devil is a. liar and a murderer (John viii, 44), but all his plots against God and His Christ shall come to naught. He seems successful for tho present, but the end is not yet. 9. "When they had heard the king, they departcd, and, lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them till it carne and stood over where tho youug child was" - evideutly guided them to the very house. Possibly au angel of God guiding them all the way, for onlinary stars, while they guide the mariner across the trackless sea, do not stand over a, particular house in a town, as if saying, "This is the place. " Angels aro called stars in Rev. i, 20; ix, 1. 10. "When they saw the star, they rejoieed witli excecding great joy. " It would Roem that they lost sight of it for a time. Was it because they stopped to inquireof Herod, or in order that they might inquii'e of Herod? It is not written, but this we kuow, that God Himself is all suffleient for His people inall things. He does sometimes guide thus through people, but when He begins to do a super natu ral thing, as in this case, it is not likely that He would have us turn aside to man. 11. "And when they wero come unto the house they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they feil down aud worshlped them, and when ëhey had opened their treasures they presen ted unto Him gifts - gold and frankincenso aud myrrh. " Thus God provided beforehand for a journey of which as yet Joseph and Mary knew nothing. Ho will próvido for all the needs of His people in His owu wouderful way evou if He has to use au angel or birds or even fishes. These men, how many we are not told, believcd that this child would yet be the king of the Jews, and as such they worshiped Him. 12. "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed lnto their own country another way. " Notice in the rest of this chapter the ether lnstances of direct j anc from God eoncerning this child, and if ycu are a child ol God byfalth in Christ Jesus fear not to believe tiiat you are : ed as He is loved and will be equally cared i for (John xv, 9; xvii, 23).