This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Matthew 2:1-12, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, some very wise men from the East saw a special star in the sky. They knew that it meant a new king of the Jews was born. They wanted to go and worship him, so they traveled a long way to Jerusalem.
When the king, Herod, heard about this new king, he was worried that he would lose his power. So, he asked his advisors where this new king would be born. They told him that the baby would be born in Bethlehem, as the prophet had written.
Then, Herod asked the wise men when they had seen the star. He secretly wanted to know when the baby was born so that he could find him and get rid of him. The wise men did not know about this, so they went to Bethlehem to find the new king.
When the wise men saw the star again, they knew they were close. It led them to a house where they found the baby, Jesus, and his mother, Mary. They were so happy that they fell down and worshiped him. They gave him some special gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So, they went home by a different way so that Herod could not find Jesus.
Biblical Lessons
- God can use anyone, even wise men from a distant land, to worship and honor Jesus.
- The wise men were filled with joy when they found Jesus, showing us that true joy comes from being in the presence of God.
- The wise men were obedient to God’s warning in their dream and did not return to Herod, teaching us the importance of listening to God’s guidance and following His will.
- Herod’s reaction to the news of Jesus’ birth reminds us that not everyone will accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and that there will be those who oppose and try to harm His followers.
- The gifts that the wise men gave to Jesus represent their recognition of His royalty and divinity. We can also give our best to Jesus as an act of worship and honor to Him.