Now consider what the wise men did: they saw the heavenly star and they followed it, but they made a great mistake. They received the vision, but they soon turned to their human concept and exercised their natural understanding. They realized that this star signified the King of the Jews; therefore, they reasoned that they should go to Jerusalem and inquire of those who would have knowledge of such matters. Their going, as we know, caused much trouble. I do believe that if they had not turned to their natural concept, but continually looked away to the star in the sky, the star would have gone before them all the time, leading them directly to the place where Jesus was. They need not have gone to Jerusalem. They were thoroughly wrong and caused many young and innocent lives to be taken. The Jewish religious leaders had the knowledge, and the wise men had the vision. Nevertheless, those who received the vision made a great mistake and, apart from divine intervention, would have caused the loss of the little child Jesus.
When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem, Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him (Matt. 2:3). Herod, yes, but why Jerusalem? Were those in Jerusalem not for Christ? Why was all Jerusalem troubled at the birth of the One for whom they were waiting? This is religion. I am afraid that many who are seemingly for the Lord’s return will be troubled by His coming.
Then Herod called the chief priests and scribes of the people together and asked of them where Christ should be born (Matt. 2:4). The scribes were those among the people who had doctor’s degrees in theology. Immediately they answered, “Bethlehem!” And they gave him the right book, the right chapter, and the right verse! They quoted Micah 5:2, but did any one of them go to Bethlehem? Not one! They were troubled by the news, but no one cared to go and see what had happened.
Then the wise men left Jerusalem, and, “Behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them....When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matt. 2:9-10). When the wise men came into religion, they missed the star; but when they left religion, the star appeared to them. They could not find living guidance in Jerusalem. They did not receive the heavenly vision in religion; they had to leave. When they departed from Jerusalem, behold, the star went before them. In principle, it is the same today.
Micah 5:2 was the holy writing, the holy Scripture, prophesying that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. However, by that verse alone you could not find Jesus: you would know in what city Jesus was to be born, but you would not know on what street or in what house. I do not believe that the postman today could deliver a letter addressed to John Smith, Los Angeles, California. Even if you have the knowledge of the Scriptures, you still need the instant, up-to-date, living star to lead you to the very street and the very house where Jesus is. You may have the Bible knowledge, but you still need the living guidance. The Scriptures can never replace that. It is easy to accumulate scriptural knowledge, but if we would have living guidance, we need to live in an intimate relationship with the Lord; we need to be one with Him.
The Word says that the star “went before them until it came and stood over the place where the child was” (Matt. 2:9). The heavenly star led them to the very spot. This is all we need. I do believe that if they had no knowledge whatever of Micah 5:2 but simply followed the star, they could have arrived at that place. How can we find Christ and serve Him? Not merely by Bible knowledge, but by the living star. Not one found Christ merely according to Bible knowledge; those who followed the heavenly star found Him and worshipped Him.
Do we need the knowledge of the Scriptures? Of course we do. It helps; but there is a condition: the living, instant guidance, the guidance of this very moment to lead us to the very spot where Jesus is, is indispensable. Without this living guidance I may know the Bible, but I may not be able to arrive where Jesus is. It is the living guidance that brings me to Jesus that I may worship Him and offer my gifts to Him.
The wise men saw Christ and they worshipped Him. Then we read in the Bible some significant words—they were warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod; therefore, they departed into their own country “another way” (Matt. 2:12). I like this term “another way.” After we have seen the living Christ, we will take another way; we will not go the same way we came. In fact, we should have come this way in the first place. We came the wrong way; now the Lord has adjusted us so that we will go on by the right way. We should not go back through Jerusalem. We need to forget about Jerusalem. We should not go back to religion; we need to take another way. By our former way we cannot meet Jesus; but, hallelujah, there is another way! In Los Angeles there is another way! In San Francisco there is another way! In the United States there is another way! Praise the Lord! If we have not seen Christ, we may go back to religion. However, if we have seen Christ, we need to be warned—we need to take another way.