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Here Day 12 Orient Kings: Digging Deeper

December 24, 2019 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Orient Kings!

The Questions

1) Who were the wise men from the east who arrived in Jerusalem? (verse 1)

2) What had they possibly studied to lead them to believe the baby was worthy of their worship? (verses 2 and 11)

3) What do we know about the dream the men had and how does it shape this passage?

Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Original Intent

1) Who were the wise men from the east who arrived in Jerusalem? (verse 1)
In reading this passage of Scripture, we discover three gifts were brought to the Child of Mary (verse 11). Many have assumed, and therefore have depicted, there were three wise men who came to visit the Christ child based on the number of gifts specifically recorded. However, the Bible does not ever say this. It is possible there were several more magi and gifts. Tradition began to adjust the narrative, and possibly by the 3rd century people began referring to the men as kings, which would have prophetically fulfilled the words of the psalmist (Psalm 72:8-11). Several centuries later, others would add specific names to the story. (Britannica.com) But in this inspired gospel, Matthew tells us very little about these men. He doesn’t provide names, nor does he give us specific places, other than they arrived in Jerusalem from the east after following “His star.” According to other Bible writers, the magi (also, wise men) were those who practiced magical arts (in Acts 8) or who were Babylonian priest-sages who studied the universe through astronomy and astrology (as seen in the Old Testament book of Daniel). Most Bible scholars believe these men traveled 800 to 900 miles to see this One who was born because they were familiar with the writings of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27) and were seekers of the one true God.

2) What had they possibly studied to lead them to believe the baby was worthy of their worship? (verses 2 and 11)
There are Bible scholars who believe the ancestors of these men had possibly been instructed by the prophet Daniel about the coming Messiah. Daniel was the chief of the magi in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. (Daniel 1:17-21 )It is very possible his influence was significant within the group of the court sages and many came to believe in the God of Daniel because of his testimony hundreds of years before Christ was born.  Even so, these wise men had a limited understanding of the prophecies about Jesus as their knowledge had led them to Jerusalem, whereas Micah’s prophecy foretold of Bethlehem. It isn’t surprising the magi ended up in the capital city looking for a king, as it made reasonable sense. Nor would it be uncommon for them to approach King Herod to inquire about the newborn king. Little did they know that Herod had no interest in another potential king or that he would stop at nothing to ensure the child’s destruction. These wise men left Herod’s presence believing he also wanted to find the king in order to pay him homage. Once they found the child, their posture and gifts indicated their belief that they had indeed found the One they were seeking: they bowed, they worshipped, and they presented extravagant and significant gifts.

3) What do we know about the dream the men had and how does it shape this passage? (verse 12)
These men had no reason to doubt King Herod’s sincerity until the disturbing dream. It was so dramatic and impressive on their hearts they chose not to return to Herod. Apparently, the scribes who appeared in Herod’s court knew the Scriptures well enough they could recite it. Unfortunately, what they knew did not translate into belief. None of them had made their way to the place where their prophesied king had been born. Herod clearly must have feared that the prophesies could be true because he ordered the murder of all the boys near the age of the promised king (Matthew 2:16-17).  Interestingly, this event was part of God’s unfolding plan as He knew in advance of Herod’s decision and how it would impact young Jesus. God even spoke of all these things through the prophets. Though Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, Matthew tells us His journey through Egypt would fulfill the prophecy of Hosea (Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:1) Had the wise men not heeded the warning regarding Herod, God would have used other means to fulfill His purposed plan for Joseph, Mary and Jesus.

Everyday Application

1) Who were the wise men from the east who arrived in Jerusalem? (verse 1)
Through the ages, God has used inconspicuous people like these wise men. His grace is not bound by certain places or families or lineage. The Spirit of God can lead people to Christ in ways we could not imagine or determine. Like these men of the east, some people may be born in dark or obscure places of the world, but by God’s prompting and leading, they are drawn to seek after Christ. As they move toward Him, our wonderful Father works behind the scenes to bring them into the presence of Jesus through the gospel message. Once there, God moves in their hearts and they recognize they have found Who they had always been looking for. So great is the love of the Father as He draws people to Himself! Be open and ready to share Jesus with anyone at any time as the Spirit leads, you may never know the impact He has designed for your obedient sharing!

2) What had they possibly studied to lead them to believe the baby was worthy of their worship? (verses 2 and 11)
Shouldn’t it have been the scribes and the Pharisees running first to Bethlehem to look for the Christ child? Yes! Instead, it was some wandering shepherds who came to the place of the newborn king after the angels announced His birth.  Now, months later, several unknown sages traveled from hundreds of miles away to worship the One they had heard and read about. This passage reveals how knowledge of Jesus must lead to seeking of Jesus. Herod had a fear of the possible truth he’d heard about this newborn Child. The scribes quoted the verses that prophesied of the coming King. But only the wise men and shepherds sought to come near to Him. It was then they knew in their hearts they were near God Himself. Those of us who have seen the reflection of Christ’s light shining like that star in the night could sing with the wise men: “I have seen the Light shining in the darkness, bursting through the shadows, delivering the dawn. I have seen the Light whose holy name is Jesus, His kingdom is forever; He reigns on Heaven’s throne!” (Music & Lyrics by Robert Sterling & Chris Machen)

3) What do we know about the dream the men had and how does it shape this passage? (verse 12)
The wise men had gone to great lengths and traveled many miles to find Jesus. They had probably sacrificed a great deal of their lives to get to Him. Yet, upon meeting Him, they were not proud, rather they were humbled. Instead of running back to Herod with the news that they were the wise ones who had discovered the newborn King, they bowed to Jesus. They offered Christ amazing gifts, then they quietly departed the area and never returned to Herod, and likely never saw Jesus again either. These wise men had witnessed God in ways they had not expected and it changed the course of their lives. When we come face to face with Jesus, it humbles us. It also changes the trajectory of our lives.
JC Ryle said of these men, “The conduct of the wise men is a striking example of faith. They believed in Christ when they had never seen Him. They believed in Him when the Scribes and Pharisees were unbelieving. They believed in Him when they saw Him a little infant on Mary’s knee. And they worshiped Him as a king.” We would be wise to do the same!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Posted in: Believe, Birth, Christ, Digging Deeper, Dream, Gift, God, Gospel, Jesus, Obedience, Worship Tagged: Advent, baby, Christmas, Here, His Star, Orient Kings, worthy

Here Day 5 Joseph

December 13, 2019 by Marietta Taylor 1 Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 7:10-17
Matthew 1:19-24
Luke 1:67-79
Isaiah 9:3-7
2 Samuel 7:12-16

Here, Day 5

I know that pacing this floor will not solve this problem. But perhaps it will help me sort out my thoughts. My name is Joseph, and I am a descendant of the house of David. My betrothed, Mary, told me this story. She is pregnant. We have not been physically together, so the baby isn’t mine. She says the one she carries belongs to God, that God put the baby there. But how can that be?

I love her. I don’t want to shame her. So I’ve decided to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:19). There will be enough scandal when it is discovered she is with child, I can avoid it now by doing this. I want to believe her, but it just doesn’t sound believable.

Would God do such a thing?

Even as I ask that question, I recount the story of father Abraham. His wife Sarai was barren, but then Yahweh opened up her womb and gave her a son in her old age. Even Sarai thought it to be unbelievable, and impossible, when she overheard the angel of the Lord tell Abraham it would happen. (Genesis 18:9-14) As I’ve heard when the scroll was read, the Lord says, “Is anything impossible for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:13)

Is anything impossible for Him?

I consider other stories of God showing His people what He could do. He promised to free His people, my people. (Exodus 6:1-9) Through Moses, He brought the ten plagues to Egypt so Pharaoh would let our people go. (Exodus 7:14-11:10) Then He parted the Red Sea to allow our people to escape and the Egyptian army to be swallowed up by that same sea. (Exodus 14:15-31) I also have to consider the taking of Jericho. Nothing in the Neviʾim shows that Joshua questioned Adoni when he received the battle plan for Jericho. The marching and shouting worked, though it had to seem impossible to take a fortified city that way. Yet, it was possible. And Jericho was taken. Because of Yahweh.

And what of King David, my own ancestor? A shepherd boy who felled the great giant Goliath with two stones and a sling. (1 Samuel 17) The same shepherd who was anointed king of Israel. So laughably unlikely. Yet, it happened. And I am a descendant of this great and beloved king. I still recall being reminded of the promise given to David by the Lord through the prophet Nathan, “Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)  As a young boy, I often wondered what that meant. They told me the promised Messiah would come from the line of David. But how and when? No one knows. But if Yahweh promised, surely it will be done. At least that is what our people have always believed.  But do I?

I must, because of my visitor last night. I can scarcely believe it even happened. I thought it was a dream, but was it only that?  I heard Zechariah the priest also saw an angel a few months ago. Mary said an angel came to her to deliver the news of what would happen to her. Last night the same angel of the Lord came to me. Three angel visitations? Perhaps this truly is the hand of God at work.

The angel said to me, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  (Matthew 1:20-21)
The Holy Spirit!
How will this baby save people from their sins? So much I do not understand! How can this be?!

All this brings to mind a promise spoken in Isaiah, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.”  (Isaiah 7:14) Could my Mary be that virgin? Impossible!
Yet, is anything impossible for the Lord?

It is too much for me to perceive! So for now, though my head is full of doubt, I will trust. Yahweh has shown Himself capable of many things we, I, cannot understand.
Just because we don’t understand doesn’t mean He’s not able.

It does not mean He won’t do what we can’t even imagine. So, I will marry Mary instead of divorcing her. I will name this baby boy, given to us from the Holy Spirit, Jesus, as God has instructed. I will do all the Lord commands me about Him.

I may not understand, but I will trust. Why?
Because this very God has proven Himself trustworthy.
He is worthy!

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Here Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Here!

Posted in: God, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Promises, Shepherd, Trust Tagged: Advent, baby, He is Worthy, Here, Joseph, My People, Yaweh

Sketched III, Day 8 Modern Day Hannah

February 28, 2018 by Sara Colquhoun Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 1
Mark 11:22-25
Hebrews 11:11-12

Today could be the day.

Sketched III, Day 8

The day I’ve been waiting for.
The day we’ve been waiting for.
With every month that passes by a new wave of excitement, nervousness, and hope plague me. The biggest desire in my life has yet to be fulfilled.
But still, today could be the day.

My drive home from work seems to be taking longer than normal, and I let myself reflect on how I got to this moment, today.

Growing up I pretended to be the mommy to all my little friends in the nursery.
I hung on every word my mom said, as to make sure I gained as much knowledge from her as possible.
I babysat as often as I could, because in my mind, you could never have enough kid experience.
I took care of my body, and was hardly ever sick.

Which makes it so hard for me to believe even after all this time, it still hasn’t happened. I’m a woman and this is the one thing we as women are supposed to be able to do.
Yet, I’m unable.

As I’m jolted back to the present, the tears start to fall in the quietness of my car,
as this is the only place I allow myself to truly feel.

I feel sorry for myself—is this desire selfish?
I feel sorry for my sweet husband as we’ve talked about having children since our dating days.
I feel sorry for my parents who long to be grandparents.
I get angry sometimes with God, unable to understand why we have to go through this hardship and why He’s allowed negative test after negative test.

I’ve heard it all.
“Maybe you’re not meant to be a mom and God has another plan for you.”
“It will happen one day, just you wait and see.”
“Stop thinking so much about trying; just relax.”

While those words are meant for comfort,
they provide only a tiny Band-Aid over an already gaping wound.
A wound laced with shame and sadness.

I want to put on a brave face and act like the pregnancy announcement posts on social media don’t bother me, but they do. I’ve spent the last few years coming up with excuse after excuse as to why I can’t make the baby showers and birthday parties I’ve been invited too, and I’m so tired of the lies.

Maybe having a baby isn’t in my story.
Maybe my husband should’ve stayed with his first wife.
At least she bore him children.

Knowing that my mood has suddenly taken a turn for the worse, I make a pit stop.
I pull into the church parking lot where I’ve been a member for most of my adult life.
These walls have heard my cries of triumphant joy as I wed my husband,
as well as the mournful sobs at the inability to conceive.

With a heavy heart, and a foggy mind, I sit down on the front pew in the sanctuary.

I expect the prayer to come easy, but it’s not.

In a desperate attempt to unpack my thoughts, I start to mutter, choosing to simply abandon all I know of myself onto all I know of the Almighty. The words stumble at first, awkward, but as I sink my shaking heart into solid truth of who God is, the words no longer matter, who might be watching no longer matters, I need the Father God. I’m entering His throne room by the sheer gracious goodness of God; He’s inviting me here in the middle of all my brokenness.

‘God, You know.
You know where I am at right here in this moment. You know the immense depth of my affliction and in a desperate moment of feeling completely forgotten and alone, please,
don’t forget me. I know You never abandon the work of Your hands. I know my every longing, every ache, every joy, is known completely by You. You hem me in on all sides. There is no darkness with You. Lord, this desire of my heart to be a mom, I know You placed it inside of me. I know You are good, even if this desire isn’t fulfilled in the way I dream. Whatever happens, Lord, I want to honor You as King. Lord, if you give me a son, I will give him back to You all the days of his life. Peace, Lord, give me peace.’’

I look up through my tears and see my Pastor standing quietly off to the side, with a hand raised in my direction, and I can tell that he is praying for me.
Our eyes meet, and I see his lips whisper, “Peace, go in peace.”

I feel that still small voice speak to my heart:
You’re not forgotten, beloved.
Peace.
Be Still.
Know that I am God.

I wipe my tears and walk back to my car,
longing to linger in this moment of sweet worship.

My husband’s waiting for me when I get home, anxious for the next three minutes as we wait for one more test result.

I place the test on the bathroom counter, set a timer, and walk to the living room where we begin to pray that no matter what happens, God is still good.

With a deep breath in and then out, I feel as though my eyes deceive me.
Positive.

I’m pregnant.
We’re pregnant.
I’m going to have a baby.
We’re going to have a baby.

Oh, Abba, thank you.

Peace.
Be Still.
I Am God.

—
This is a modern take on one woman’s real-life journey who lived centuries ago. Hannah ached for a baby, but she knew Yahweh alone held her sufficiency. She struggled with longing, she was bold in her request of the Lord, but her “ask” grew out a relationship, a knowing that the Lord God was indeed good. And she chose Him, even over her heart. No matter our struggle or our aches, let’s follow the brave example of Hannah and choose the Lord, waiting for His peace.

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched III Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Sketched III!

Posted in: Birth, Bold, Broken, Faith, Help, Hope, Legacy, Pain, Prayer, Purpose, Relationship, Trust, Worship Tagged: baby, faith, forgotten, life, loss, marriage, miscarriage, prayer, trust

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14