[155]The wise men reaching Bethlehem found the babe and brought their
presents and worshiped. Without a doubt it was their intention to return
and report to Herod. And the result of such a return would have been the
death of the child. But God here intervened and warned them in a dream.
These wise magicians relied upon dreams. "Being warned of God in a dream
that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own
country another way." Satan again was thwarted in his wicked purpose.
[156]The real intent of Herod in sending these wise men is disclosed by
what subsequently happened. "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked
of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the
children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two
years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently
inquired of the wise men." (Matthew 2:16) Determined not to be thwarted
in his purpose, Satan and his instrument Herod were willing to destroy
all the babes in and about Bethlehem, with the hope of destroying the
one that was to be the King and Savior of the world. Jehovah saved the
babe Jesus from this slaughter by directing his mother and Joseph to
take the young child and flee into Egypt, which they did.--Matthew 2:13.
[157]We would not be justified, then, in presuming that God was using
these devil worshipers, the "wise men"--"Magians," Magicians--for the
purpose of being his witnesses to the birth of his beloved Son.
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