KPPI (Praise and Divine Healing Service) was held again on Thursday, December 10, 2020. The service was live-streamed through Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The Word of God was delivered by Rev. Jacob B. Sumbayak, taken from Matthew 2:1-12 about the wise men from the East.
The Wise Men from the East
Who are these wise men from the East? They were clever men and wealthy noblemen. They were from the East, it was around the regions of Iraq or Iran. They were not Jews. It took about 4-5 weeks traveling on a camel to Jerusalem. They were astronomers, they were expert in astronomy and they were not experts in horoscopes.
They said, “For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” These wise men had been researching quite long about the star that showed where the King would be born and they came to worship Him because they knew that the new born King was not an ordinary King. In the past, many Israelites were exiled to this land in the East, so it might be that they had heard that the Messiah would come. They studied the signs in the sky and they knew about the new born King. Heaven was indeed used by God to tell His glory. Psalm 19: 1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”
This was what these wise men saw and they finally came to Jerusalem because logically a King should have been born in the capital of a country and born in a palace. Therefore, they asked King Herod about the newborn King. And Herod gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They answered him that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem in the land of Judea, according to what is written in the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.”
God had promised King David about the Messiah. The Messiah must be a descendant of David (2 Samuel 7:12-13 – red). These chief priests and scribes knew the King would be born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy of the prophets. The Messiah had to be a descendant of David, had to be born of a virgin, and his place of birth had to be in Bethlehem. In the book of the prophet Micah 5: 1 it says: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
These wise men were intellectual people that could see the signs in the sky that shows where the King had been born.
The heavens declare the glory of God, so whoever seeks the truth will definitely find it. These wise men spent years looking for the truth and they found it. The journey was not easy, but they took the journey for the sake of worshiping the King. They were not Jewish, but they knew something great was happening, and they knew that this born King was the Messiah.
The star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. After waiting for many years, although their knowledge of the Messiah was limited, they finally found it.
Verse 11, And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. They entered into the house, so it was not a stable, because it was estimated that at that time Jesus was 9 months old, not a little baby anymore. Imagine they came from another country, these noble and wealthy men, worshiping the Son, knowing that this is the King of Kings. Then they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Herod became angry because he felt that he was deceived by these wise men. He then ordered to kill all male children from two years old and under.
Jesus is the Messiah, God who Came Down to Earth to Atone for Men’s Sins
For this born Messiah, God put His signs in the sky that can be studied by the intelligent people. It was not Jews who got it and knew it, but foreigners who believed. Will we also believe that Jesus is the Messiah?
These wise men came because of the prophecy of the prophet Micah, 700 years before Jesus was born.
There are 3 prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament that were fulfilled by the birth of Jesus, namely: he had to be the descendant of David, he had to be born of a virgin, and had to be born in Bethlehem. All had been fulfilled at the birth of Jesus Christ.
God loves men so much that He had perfectly planned the birth of a Messiah who would redeem mankind from their sins, who would be the way of salvation for believers. His coming was well planned. The Son of God came to become human. No one is able to atone for human sin, because all humans have sinned. There must be someone who has never sinned to redeem sinful humans. Jesus never sinned, so He could redeem humans. Whoever believes in Him will be forgiven.
John 3:16, ” For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Will you believe? Today is a good day for us to believe. This December we celebrate Christmas. We often see the decorations of these wise men everywhere. They really did exist and came to worship Jesus. Anyone who believes in Him is forgiven. God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him can be redeemed and his sins will be forgiven.
The Messiah came to redeem as many people who would believe in Him, whether young or old, poor or rich, of any race, of any color.
By His Stripes, We Are Healed
According to the book of John 1:12, we are now children of God. He is a good Father who loves us very much. He sent His son to die on the cross, atone for our sins, and heal our diseases. Believe that Jesus can heal because He is so powerful.
Isaiah 53: 5 says: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
He performed miracles 2,000 years ago, raised people who had been dead for four days, healed the lame, blind, deaf, and they who are demon-possessed. If we believe, whatever the disease is, even though it is incurable, lay your hands on the part that is sick. Have faith that you will be healed. Trust in Jesus who is the Healer. [YF/HN/EM]