I see Him, but not here and now. I perceive Him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. Numbers 24:17.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
If you recall the history of creation from the first chapter of Genesis (which in Hebrew is called “Beresheet (בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית),” which simply means “in the beginning”) on the fourth day I created the sun, the moon, and the stars to shed light on the earth for signs, for appointed times, and for days and years. Genesis 1:14-15. So you should not be surprised that to herald the appointed time of the birth of the Messiah, I had arranged the heavenly host so that a great star shone in the sky to guide the Magi from the East to come to pay homage to the new born King, Messiah, and Lord. Matthew 2:2, 10. They came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11. I had given you glimpses of this through My prophet Isaiah and in the beautiful book of Psalms. Isaiah 60:6; Psalm 72:7-11.
My prophet Isaiah wrote, “All those from Sheba will come; they will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.” Isaiah 60:6.
The light of the great star in the dark night guiding the way to My Son led the Magi to the Light of the World who had come to dwell in your land. Psalm 85:9. The world was in darkness, the darkness of sin and death, for the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23, and disobedience results in the curse, Deuteronomy 18:15-68, but Christ would light the world and open your way back to My Heart. Isaiah 9:2; Romans 5:11, 2 Corinthians 5:19.
Through My prophets I referred many times to the light I would send to shine into your darkness. Let Me bring a few of them to your mind in this context. Read the following in the context of My Son becoming man to free you from the kingdom of darkness and transfer you into My marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9:
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:1-3.
And again referring to light speaking of My Son and My everlasting covenant that would establish with you in His Blood. Luke 22:20, Isaiah heard My words to My Son when he wrote:
I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison. Isaiah 42:6-7.
And when Isaiah spoke of the child given you that would be Mighty God and have the government resting on His shoulder he introduced his prophecy with this passage:
But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light will dawn. Isaiah 9:2.
This applies to My Son living in Galilee. Isaiah 9:1. Jesus was known as a Galilean since He grew up in Nazareth even though He was born in Bethlehem. Until the time He began His public ministry in Israel, He lived in Nazareth, where He was reared. I am Light, Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 60:19, there is no darkness in Me, 1 John 1:5; James 1:17, and in My Light you see Light. Psalm 36:9.
My servant and prophet David also prophesied of the future reign of the Messiah and the worship of the Magi from the East:
In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more. He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to Him, the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him. Psalm 72:7-11.
These prophecies came to pass when Jesus was born. Magi from the east, who saw the star at its rising, came to Jerusalem and asked King Herod, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2.
Now, when these Magi arrived, King Herod was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. He wanted to keep his authority and he did not want to lose any control over the people. When he had called together all the chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. Quoting the prophecy from Micah, the priests and teachers of the law told him that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem in Judea. Those who understood the signs of the times knew about the coming Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them on to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” Matthew 2:8.
After they had heard the king, the Magi went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. They were overjoyed. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, incense, and of myrrh. And having been warned by Me in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
When Herod realized the Magi had not returned to him, he was furious and fearful. He was fearful of the new born King, jealous for his position of authority. He therefore ordered the massacre of all the boys two years old and under in Bethlehem, but it was not time for the Messiah to be cut off before He fulfilled His mission on earth. I sent a message to Joseph by My angel to escape with Mary and My Son to Egypt because Herod was searching for the child to kill him. I often give you warnings to avoid danger or early death, you should heed these.
Joseph knew Me well enough to heed the warning and he immediately got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until He received My message to return after the death of Herod. Matthew 2:14-15.
I sent My Son to Egypt for refuge, just as I had once sent My people Israel at the time of Joseph and the great famine. As Egypt was a refuge for the descendants of Abraham at that time, so was it for My Son in His time of danger. But then, after Herod had died, as My prophet Hosea foretold, out of Egypt I called My Son, Hosea 11:1. So just as I had called you the descendants of Abraham out of Egypt to return to the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses so too I called My Son back to return to My people in the Promised Land. People who had forgotten My promises and were living in darkness.
But let me backtrack a little to show why it is so important to listen to My warnings and act upon them immediately. When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Matthew 2:16. This certainly was not My will, but, as I told you, it is mankind who rules the earth and I cannot interfere when you permit things unless someone authorizes Me to intervene. Isaiah 59:15-16. If you authorize Me to act through prayer and by receiving Me as your Lord, I am able to do mighty things through you, as I did through Moses.
Herod’s anger did not carry out My will, but I had foretold the events that ensued long before. I see and know all things that are coming to pass. What came to pass was as I had shown My prophet Jeremiah long ago:
A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:17-18.
If you recall, Rachel died close to Bethlehem as Benjamin was born. She named him, “Ben-oni,” which means “son of my sorrow,” but Jacob renamed him “Benjamin,” which means “son of my right hand.” The Son at My right hand was not to be a son of My sorrow at that time, I gave Him a way of escape to Egypt.
Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor. When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for now you have another son.” It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem. Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the Tower (Migdal) of the Flock (Eder). Genesis 35:16-21.
Migdal Eder, the tower of the flock, at Bethlehem is where My Son was born in the manger there. The Lamb that would die for the flock, for Christ, your Passover, has been sacrificed.
And just before his prophecy of the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem, Micah released My Word into the earth of just the spot it would occur. Yes, Migdal Eder.
And the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever. As for you, tower of the flock (Migdal Eder), Hill of the daughter of Zion to you it will come even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Micah 4:7-8.
Some time later, when Herod died, I sent My message to Joseph in Egypt to return to Israel. He got up immediately, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, so I warned Joseph in a dream not to settle there, so he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and took Mary and Jesus back to Nazareth. This fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Do you recall that My servant, Moses spoke to you of the One to come that would be an intercessor like him? Exodus 18:15-19; John 5:46; Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37. Moses spoke of Jesus long before He took flesh, but that should not surprise you, because Jesus told the Jewish leaders that Moses wrote about Him.
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to Him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” The LORD said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put My Words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I command Him. If anyone does not listen to My Words that the prophet speaks in My Name, I myself will call him to account. Deuteronomy 18:15-19.
He was speaking of the Messiah, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, but whom I declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit. Romans 1:1-4.
In the past I spoke to you in partial and various ways through the Prophets but now I speak directly to you through My Son, Hebrews 1:1, the Word made flesh, who I made the heir of all things and through whom I created the universe. Hebrews 1:1-4. And once you receive Him, you become My heirs, joint heirs with Him, and partners with Me in the New and everlasting Covenant. Romans 8:17; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 16:59-60.
I love you. It is an everlasting Covenant of love. And love never fails.
If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. Romans 14:8.