Life of Christ Lesson 6b: Three Responses to Jesus (Wise Men, Herod, Chief Priests)

This second half of Lesson 6 is on "Three Responses to Jesus" at the time He was about 2 years of age. Those responses were from the Wise Men, Herod the Great, and Israel's chief priests. The Wise Men, who were not even Jewish, traveled a very long distance (likely from the area of ancient Southern Babylonia), carrying gifts fit for a King in order to adore the young Christ Child. Herod, the wicked, murderous, usurper Idumean "king" of Israel, was heavily agitated when he heard the news of the Christ's arrival. Israel's chief priests, who should have been very excited to learn about the star out of Jacob that led the elite Gentile Magi to seek out the Christ, were so utterly apathetic they didn't even travel a few miles to Bethlehem to check it out! Did you know that 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah (60:3, 6, 9) predicted the arrival of Gentiles on camels coming to the light of the Lord, bearing gifts of gold and frankincense? Learn in this study why there is no mention of myrrh in that prophecy! Find out how Balaam, the "prophet for profit," is part of the narrative regarding the Wise Men. Find out how the extraordinary Daniel was also involved in the story of the Magi from the East! Listen to this message, and you will have much additional information to share with your family this Christmas about the early life of Christ (of course, you don't have to wait for Christmas, but you may have to rearrange your Nativity sets - the Wise Men weren't there at His birth).