With Christmas decorating often comes setting up a nativity scene, including a Baby Jesus, manger, Mary, Joseph, animals, shepherds, and wise men, which many people don’t know much about.   Who were they and were they really wise?  Let’s take a deeper look at not only who the wise men were and where they came from, but how they knew about the star and what it meant (hint: It’s not astrology- it’s PROPHECY!)

Matthew Sets the Scene

Matthew 2:1-12 chronicles the events that occurred when the star appeared at Jesus’ birth.   

Who were the wise men?

The Bible says the wise men were “from the east.”  While we often think there were 3 based on the gifts they brought, the Bible doesn’t give us a number. We only know there were more than one, because Matthew doesn’t use the term “wise man.”  The Greek word used is magoy, or Magi, which specifically means astrologers.  “In the east” always refers to Mesopotamia, or Babylon.  

Wait, wait, wait…

These were astrologers, not astronomers?  What exactly is the difference?  Astrologers are people who think the stars influence their lives.  In ancient times, they often worshiped the stars. Astronomers are people who study the solar system, galaxies, and universe.  As I am learning while writing The Mystery of Science: Astronomy, astronomy is a science and astrology is a pseudo-, or false, science.   When the Bible talks about wise men from Babylon, the writers are referring to astrologers.  

Can we then determine that astrology is something to practice?  No! The Bible is clear that astrology should be avoided.  But it is important to note that that’s who the wise men were. 

The Daniel Connection: How Did They Know?

The New Testament account tells us the wise men had seen the star and traveled to see the Messiah so they could worship Him.  How they knew to look for a star and when it would be coming was something we need to look for in the Old Testament.  The story of Daniel, when he was in captivity in Babylon, gives us a clue.

Daniel 1 talks about how  King Nebuchadnezzar found Daniel and his friends wiser than the soothsayer priests and conjurers who were in his realm.  In Daniel 2, the king had a dream that the wise men couldn’t interpret; it ignited his wrath and resulted in a death sentence for the wise men.  Through the power of God, Daniel interpreted the dream, saving  the lives of the wise men. The king appointed Daniel as their leader.  It is easy to believe that some of the wise men, under Daniel’s leadership and after his interpretation that saved their lives, would have believed in the one true God.
As theologian Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum says, ““There is little doubt that he (Daniel) was able to lead many of them to a saving knowledge of the God of Israel.  A number of these astrologers turned away from the worship of the stars to the worship of the God of Israel who made the stars.” ¹

Daniel had a history with the astrologers in Babylon.  He prophesied when the Messiah would come. The wise men knew about the star from other prophecies in the Old Testament.  Daniel was able to explain what would be coming – even 400 years later! 

As a result, there would have been a group of wise men who believed in the God of Israel, understood the prophecies of Daniel describing the coming Messiah, and knew to watch for a star, or brilliant radiance, to appear around that time, signifying Jesus’ birth. 

God’s Unchanging Plan for Redemption

Wow!  What an exciting way to see the unchanging plan of God throughout the years!  God had a plan for Babylon astrologers to come to see the Baby Jesus and bring him gifts reserved for royalty and priests.  He gave us prophecies in the Old Testament that pointed toward the coming King and are validated through these wise men.  He saved astrologers who worshiped the stars. 

Next time you take out your nativity, keep the wise men in mind.  Remember the God who created the stars planned for a Redeemer to be born who would “save the people from their sins.” That plan has been the same for years and years.  He has come — hallelujah! And, like the wise men, we can worship Him!

1. Ariel Ministries, Manuscript 20: How Did the Wise Men Know? Or Is Astrology Valid?, 2005. More information can be found at www.ariel.org. ↩︎