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Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Out of Bethlehem, a little town of no account, will come a Ruler.
God had promised this to His people Israel, and now He has fulfilled that promise!
But what the people didn't realize was that God wasn't going to give them a King in the way they were used to; He wasn't going to choose a man in a palace who commanded an army and a lot of money. He wasn't going to give them a man who was influential and an elder at the Temple. He wasn't going to give them a prophet who spoke His words...
God Himself was going to come to be their King!
And yet, God was still going to do it His way: He came quietly as a little Baby born in a stable. He came in service to His people, and did not demand His rights as their lawful King. He came to live among us and give Himself for us.
He came as a Pauper King, and the majesty of His character and glory was made plain to a watching world.
In the little village of Bethlehem,
There lay a Child one day;
And the sky was bright with a holy light
O’er the place where Jesus lay.Alleluia! O how the angels sang
Alleluia! How it rang!
And the sky was bright with a holy light
’Twas the birthday of a King.’Twas a humble birthplace, but O how much
God gave to us that day,
From the manger bed what a path has led,
What a perfect, holy way.
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