Who Were the Wise Men?

Many people assume that the  wise men, were astrologers or star-gazers, but this is a misconception. The truth is that the Magi were neither astrologers, sorcerers, nor practitioners of any occult arts.

The wise men were not Israelites (Jews). The Bible tells us that they came from the East. In biblical times, the term “East” referred to areas like Babylon, and sometimes even as far as regions like India. Thus, the wise men were not Jewish; they were people from distant Eastern lands.

Despite not being Israelites, the wise men had a deep longing to know the God of Israel. This is similar to the Queen of Sheba, who traveled from afar (from Cush, in Africa) to hear the wisdom of Solomon (Matthew 12:42). It also parallels the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, who traveled to Jerusalem to worship the God of Israel, despite not being a Jew himself (Acts 8:26-40).

The wise men were similar in that they were not Israelites but traveled a great distance to seek the God of Israel.

Theological Insight:
God’s revelation is not limited to Israel alone. From the beginning, God’s plan was always for the salvation of all nations (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6). The Magi’s search for the Messiah and God’s answer to their search demonstrates that God is open to revealing Himself to those who seek Him, no matter their background.

It’s part of God’s nature to give signs and wonders to those who earnestly seek Him, especially those who are not part of the nation of Israel. For example, the Ethiopian eunuch, a Gentile, traveled from Africa to Jerusalem. He knew the Torah and some of the prophetic books of the Israelites. But as he was reading the book of Isaiah, he didn’t fully understand the prophecy about the Messiah (Isaiah 53). So, God sent Philip to explain it to him. To confirm God’s word, He gave the eunuch a special sign—the sudden disappearance of Philip.

Let’s read the story in

Acts 8:26-40:

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means ‘queen of the Ethiopians’). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.’ ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’ And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.”
— Acts 8:26-40 

This event illustrates how God reaches out to those outside of Israel to reveal Himself. The eunuch, a Gentile, was reading the scriptures but needed guidance to understand the prophecy about Jesus. God didn’t leave him in confusion—He sent Philip to explain and confirm the truth. The miracle of Philip’s disappearance was God’s way of affirming the message.

Theological Insight:
God’s plan of salvation is for all people. In the New Testament, we see that God’s message of salvation is extended to both Jews and Gentiles,

(Ephesians 2:11-22). The Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion symbolizes the breaking down of barriers, emphasizing that the gospel is for all who believe (Romans 1:16).

The wise men story follows a similar theme. They weren’t Israelites, but they earnestly sought the God of Israel. Their journey was a search for truth, and God responded by giving them a sign—the star that led them to the newborn King, Jesus. This sign, the star, was a divine revelation that confirmed the arrival of the Messiah.

Matthew 2:1-2 says:

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’”

Theological Insight:
The star that guided the Magi was a sign from God, just as He used other signs throughout history to guide His people,

(Numbers 24:17).

God used a natural phenomenon, a star, to lead these Gentiles to the Messiah, showing that His plan of salvation was not limited to Israel but extended to the Gentiles as well (Luke 2:32; John 4:42).

God can use anything to communicate His message.

He used a staff in Moses’ time (Exodus 4:3), a donkey in Balaam’s time (Numbers 22:28-30), and even the sun and the moon in the time of Joshua (Joshua 10:12-14). The signs God uses are always purposeful, and there are no limits to how He can reveal His truth to us.

The Bible affirms that God’s revelation is universal. As

Psalm 97:6 states:

“The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.”

Thus, the wise men were not sorcerers or astrologers, as some might believe. They were earnest seekers of truth, and God revealed Himself to them through a unique sign, the star. This demonstrates God’s desire to make Himself known to all people, regardless of their background.

Theological Insight:
The purpose of divine signs is always to bring people to Christ. While God can use any means to communicate with people, the end goal is always to point them to Jesus.

As John 14:6 says,

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Therefore, any sign that leads us to someone or something other than Jesus is not from God but from the enemy.

It’s also important to be aware that there are teachings today that promote astrology, claiming it’s justified by the story of the wise men. These are teachings from the enemy and should be rejected. Astrology and other occult practices are contrary to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), and they open the door to deception. The Bible warns against such practices (Isaiah 47:13-15).

Conclusion:
The wise men were not astrologers or sorcerers. They were wise men who sought the God of Israel, and God responded by giving them a sign that led them to Jesus. In the same way, today God can use any sign He chooses to communicate with us, but those signs must always lead us to Jesus Christ.

May God continue to give us the discernment to recognize His truth and avoid the deceptions of the enemy.

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