Who Were the Magi

By McDonald Savoury

Who Were the Magi?

The rag-mag or the Magi as they are better known were the PhDs of their day, equivalent to Daniel in rank and wisdom. It is believed that they came from different parts of the Eastern world. From the banks of the Tigris River, Mesopotamia or Egypt. Men of such high rank do not travel alone. The gifts they had were very expensive. They studied the translated hebrew scriptures which was written in the Greek language more than two hundred years before, ordered by Alexander the Great.

The text in Daniel 9:24 holds the key to the time of the Messiah’s birth, while the star led them to the place where he was born. God sent this band of angels (that is what they really were) and for two years they alerted these students of the scriptures. The only mistake they made was going to Jerusalem.

This book explains the facts and circumstances surrounding the birth and first advent of Jesus. Caesar Augustus, Herod the Great, The shepherds and how the Magi discovered about his birth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Dec 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781684704408

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Copyright © 2019 McDonald Savoury.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[Scripture quotations are] from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-6847-0440-8 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 05/20/2019

This work is an inspiration. Mr. McDonald Savoury has provided a narrative that chronicles the birth of Jesus the Christ, in all of its historical magnificence. The fact that he has done this while labouring under the disability of being sight-impaired is all the more remarkable. Mr. Savoury begins by painting a picture of a Jewish world that was distraught. There had been no prophetic voice for 400 years and the religious rulers had become soft on matters of righteousness. However, as Mr. Savoury tells us, in the midst of despair, there were faithful persons such as Zacharias, Elizabeth, Mary, even Joseph and some shepherds getting on with the business of herding their sheep — all humble people, who would be entrusted with a message of hope. Using this template, the reader is taken on a spiritual journey that finally ends with a challenge to prepare for the second coming of Jesus. This manuscript is both necessary and timely.

Pedro L V Welch, Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION

This is not a repetition of the Christmas story as you know it. Nor is it about the myths and traditions associated with Christmas. Instead I shall be looking at this story of love and the message of peace and goodwill toward mankind from a different point of view. My focus will be on how God revealed the message of the first advent to those who were truly looking for it, and how He bypassed the hierarchy of the church in Jerusalem.

Those in Jerusalem were troubled for many reasons. However, the shepherds and the wise men were not troubled, but interested. To them God revealed His message of love and peace.

Just as the church was distracted in those days, the church today can also be distracted. It is necessary to make sure that this does not happen. The church in the twenty- first century may be troubled about many things. However, it is necessary to make sure that the present truth of His message is not lost amidst the confusion of world problems. Just as the wise men saw signs of His first advent and knew that He was born, we too today need to look for His second coming.

Let us see how those who were faithful then received the blessing of seeing Him. Let us not be caught napping, but be alert and be aware of His coming.

CHAPTER 1

Gabriel Speaks to Zacharias

Four hundred years had passed since the people of Israel had last heard the voice of a prophet. Many changes had gone over the land since their repatriation from Babylonia. They had rebuilt the temple, though not in its former beauty. The walls of the City of Jerusalem were also rebuilt under the leadership of Nehemiah. The rule of the Syrian and Jewish Maccabean Kings had come and gone. Now the Romans had stamped their iron feet over the land and there was nothing that the Jews could do about it.

The Romans retained the civil law but allowed the Jews to maintain ecclesiastical control over the land. During that time the Septuagint was written, and the Sanhedrin was established. The morning and evening sacrifice was still burnt on the brazen altar and the Holy days were still celebrated, but it was just form and ritual. Nevertheless a few were still faithful. God had not forgotten His people.

Zacharias was one of those who was faithful in Judea. He was an old man and had no children. He was faithfully carrying out his duties in his course as a priest in the temple. Suddenly the room was brightened far beyond the light that glowed from the twelve candles in the Holy place. As he burned the incense on the altar before the veil of the most Holy place, suddenly standing before him on the right side of the altar was the messenger of God. Zacharias was afraid at first but the angel told him not to be afraid.

"Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shall call his name John. And thou shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And He shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make