The Wise Men and the Star
(See Mathew 2:1-12)
In a country far to the east of the land of Judea there lived three wise men. They read many books. They studied the skys and the stars. One night as they studied they saw a new star in the sky. They had read about a baby who was to be born the king of the Jews. They thought it was his star they saw.
"We will go and worship the new king," they said. "We will tahe gifts to him."
The three wise men prepared for the trip. They came to the big city of Jerusalem. They went to the palace of King Herod.
They said, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."
King Herod was troubled when he heard what the wise men said. He called for his chief priests and his other leaders. King Herod asked them where the Christ was to be born.
The chief priests said, "In our books the prophet says that he is to be born in Bethlehem.
King Herod said,, "Go and search for the child and when you have found him bring me word, that I, too, may com and worship him."
The wise men listened to King Herod. They went out. Their servants brought their camels again. They started down the road that led to Bethlehem.
"Look," cried one of the wise men suddenly, "there is the star which we saw in the East."
The wise men looked. They were very surprised. The star seemed to move before them. They followed it. At last they came into the little town of Betlehem. They watched the star. It seemed to move until it stood over a certain house. Then it came to rest. How glad the wise men were to see the star!
They went into the house. They saw Mary. They saw Jesus. They knew that they had found the one for whom they had been searching.
They bowed down before Jesus. They worshiped him. They opened their treasures and gave him their gifts.
As the wise men rested that night they had a dream. They learned that King Herod wanted to harm the little Jesus. When they wakened they said, "We must not go back to King Herod." The wise men returned to their own country bay another way.
Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948
