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Were the Magi Occultists? |
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birth of Jesus — and the star which heralded his
birth — was the activity of God himself. This was nothing to do with
horoscopes. At significant stages of Jesus’s life, certain
phenomena featured — the dove at his baptism, the light at his
transfiguration, the darkness and earthquake at his death, the cloud at
his ascension. These occurrences attested Jesus to those who had minds
to understand. Similarly then, at his birth, there was a
star. The star stood for regal power and splendour.
Consequently, when a special star came to the attention of the Magi,
they decided to investigate further.
1. Their sensitivity to revelation Traditionally it seems that the Magi (who were a kind of priestly tribe) were to the Persians what the Levites were to Israel. They were respected instructors of the Persian kings. Their enquiring minds predisposed them to recognise the star when it appeared and then to follow it. 2. Their persistence in the search On reaching Jerusalem, the Magi caused great disruption with their enquiry as to where the new king had been born. Herod’s advisers looked up the prophecies, and announced Bethlehem as the location (Micah 5:2). But none of them made the journey to Bethlehem. It was left to these Gentile enquirers to go and pay homage to Israel’s king. 3. Their reverence for the infant Worship, not power, was their aim. Simon Magus (Acts 8:9-11) was in a lower order altogether. Through his exploits he wanted to be ‘great’, and that is the approach of occultism. Not so the Magi of Matthew 2. They were wise with the wisdom that seeks God, and were obedient to him. [From Wellspring 'Link' magazine] |
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