# Day 216

# The Rising Star of Christ

Matthew 2:1–10

In the East, far from Bethlehem, lived some very wise men who studied the stars. They traveled to Jerusalem to ask one question: “Where is the child who’s born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star rise in the sky, so we came to honor him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was afraid he would lose his kingdom. “Call the chief priests and scribes,” he ordered. “They’ll know where the Christ is to be born.”

The Jewish priests explained to Herod the prophet Micah’s words:

Bethlehem in Judea is one of your

littlest towns.

But out of her will come the ruler of Israel.

Secretly, Herod spoke to the wise men from the East: “When you’ve found the child, tell me. I want to honor him, too.”

When they had heard the king, the men set out. There, ahead of them, went the star they had seen rising. It stopped over a house in Bethlehem. The travelers were overcome by joy.

Questions: What were the men from the East looking for? How did the priests know where Jesus would be born?