rough the Eyes of the Wise Men
Journey to Faith
rough the Eyes of the Wise Men
Annie Muñoz Fogel Illustrated by Sarah Ruvo Edited by eresa L. Fogel
Text copyright © 2015 Annie Muñoz Fogel Illustrations copyright © 2015 Sarah Ruvo Design and Layout by Michele Ann Cali Published by Annie Muñoz Fogel www.journeytofaithbook.com
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. ISBN Number: 978-0-692-53527-1 Scriptures marked ERV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center, Inc. and used by permission. Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT): Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan
I dedicate this book to the greatest love of my life, Jesus. You are my everything. You have never failed me, and you never will. ough I’ve doubted you, betrayed you, and broken your heart, You have never stopped loving me or forsaken me. May my life bring you honor with every breath that I take all the days of my life. I love you. Forever yours, Annie
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 NIV
Matthew 2:1-12 ERV
Wise Men Come to Visit Jesus “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. Aer Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. ey asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard about this, it upset him as well as everyone else in Jerusalem. Herod called a meeting of all the leading Jewish priests and teachers of the law. He asked them where the Messiah would be born. ey answered, “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea, just as the prophet wrote: ‘Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are important among the rulers of Judah Yes, a ruler will come from you, and that ruler will lead Israel, my people.’” en Herod had a private meeting with the wise men from the east. He learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. en he sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me. en I can go worship him too.” Aer the wise men heard the king, they le. ey saw the same star they had seen in the east, and they followed it. e star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. ey were very happy and excited to see the star. e wise men came to the house where the child was with his mother Mary. ey bowed down and worshiped him. en they opened the boxes of gis they had brought for him. ey gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country a different way.”
“Do we have the right house?” asked Balthasar who was confused when they came to a very small and poor looking house. “How can a king live like this?” responded Gaspar in disbelief. Melchior wondered if they were at the wrong house as he looked up to the sky. But there she was. e same beautiful Star, they had first seen more than a year ago, was brightly shining over this house of peasants - not a place where a king would live. He smiled, as God’s voice whispered into his heart, “ings are not always what they seem.” Now certain he was at the right place, he said, “I know it doesn’t make sense, but nothing has made sense since we arrived in Israel. e Star is shining over this house; this is the right place. We’ve made it this far. Now is not the time to doubt.” Although it was late in the evening, they jumped off their camels, and began to dust the sand off of their clothing. ey washed up as fast as they could, but “fast,” was not fast enough. “Hurry” screamed Gaspar, “I don’t want them to go to bed. I cannot wait another day. Finally, the day I thought I’d never see is here!” With a look of frustration on his face, Balthasar answered, “I’m going as fast as I can.” Melchior waited quietly, holding his gi of myrrh in his hands. He had placed the myrrh in a box he had specially made out of gold and precious amethyst – both symbols of royalty. It was as beautiful as the morning sun and sparkled like the stars in the sky. is box would safely keep the myrrh the King will need the day He fulfills His destiny, as our Savior. As Melchior pondered these things, he gripped the box tightly, and a tear rolled down his cheek.
1
Melchior wondered if the baby’s parents knew and understood that their baby was a king and a priest, destined to save us at the expense of His own life. “God, His own people don’t know He has been born. Do His parents? Will they accept my gi?” he whispered quietly in prayer. His thoughts traveled back to the day his journey began, more than fieen years ago, in the palace library. He was one of the Wise Men serving the king of a small kingdom which had once belonged to the great Babylonian Empire. Wise Men, were those who served the king, representing the most intelligent of their time. ey knew more than anyone else in the kingdom about philosophy, history, science, medicine, religion, and magic. When the king needed advice, sound council, or had questions, he would go to his Wise Men. Melchior had been asked to look up the history of the former empire and report his findings to the king. While searching in the library that housed the scrolls collected from all the kingdoms of the world, several scrolls fell on his head. He hadn’t seen these scrolls before. Wondering what they were, he opened them up. He recognized the writing was Hebrew and that these scrolls belonged to the kingdom of Israel. Although it had been a long time since he had studied Hebrew, Melchior began to read… “is is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.’” (Isaiah 48:17 NIV) As Melchior read those words, it felt like a sword had pierced through his heart and stirred the deepest part of his soul. It was as though he could hear the voice of God speaking directly to him. In awe and wonder, he fell to his knees. “If you teach me, I will listen; and where you lead me, I will follow,” he said. Melchior was never the same. Encountering God that night had sparked the fire that burned in his heart all the days of his life. He wanted and needed to know more about this God he had just encountered. But how? He began by searching the entire library in hopes of finding more Jewish scrolls. 3
rough the Eyes of the Wise Men
Annie Muñoz Fogel Illustrated by Sarah Ruvo Edited by eresa L. Fogel
Text copyright © 2015 Annie Muñoz Fogel Illustrations copyright © 2015 Sarah Ruvo Design and Layout by Michele Ann Cali Published by Annie Muñoz Fogel www.journeytofaithbook.com
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. ISBN Number: 978-0-692-53527-1 Scriptures marked ERV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center, Inc. and used by permission. Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT): Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan
I dedicate this book to the greatest love of my life, Jesus. You are my everything. You have never failed me, and you never will. ough I’ve doubted you, betrayed you, and broken your heart, You have never stopped loving me or forsaken me. May my life bring you honor with every breath that I take all the days of my life. I love you. Forever yours, Annie
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 NIV
Matthew 2:1-12 ERV
Wise Men Come to Visit Jesus “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. Aer Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. ey asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard about this, it upset him as well as everyone else in Jerusalem. Herod called a meeting of all the leading Jewish priests and teachers of the law. He asked them where the Messiah would be born. ey answered, “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea, just as the prophet wrote: ‘Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are important among the rulers of Judah Yes, a ruler will come from you, and that ruler will lead Israel, my people.’” en Herod had a private meeting with the wise men from the east. He learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. en he sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me. en I can go worship him too.” Aer the wise men heard the king, they le. ey saw the same star they had seen in the east, and they followed it. e star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. ey were very happy and excited to see the star. e wise men came to the house where the child was with his mother Mary. ey bowed down and worshiped him. en they opened the boxes of gis they had brought for him. ey gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country a different way.”
“Do we have the right house?” asked Balthasar who was confused when they came to a very small and poor looking house. “How can a king live like this?” responded Gaspar in disbelief. Melchior wondered if they were at the wrong house as he looked up to the sky. But there she was. e same beautiful Star, they had first seen more than a year ago, was brightly shining over this house of peasants - not a place where a king would live. He smiled, as God’s voice whispered into his heart, “ings are not always what they seem.” Now certain he was at the right place, he said, “I know it doesn’t make sense, but nothing has made sense since we arrived in Israel. e Star is shining over this house; this is the right place. We’ve made it this far. Now is not the time to doubt.” Although it was late in the evening, they jumped off their camels, and began to dust the sand off of their clothing. ey washed up as fast as they could, but “fast,” was not fast enough. “Hurry” screamed Gaspar, “I don’t want them to go to bed. I cannot wait another day. Finally, the day I thought I’d never see is here!” With a look of frustration on his face, Balthasar answered, “I’m going as fast as I can.” Melchior waited quietly, holding his gi of myrrh in his hands. He had placed the myrrh in a box he had specially made out of gold and precious amethyst – both symbols of royalty. It was as beautiful as the morning sun and sparkled like the stars in the sky. is box would safely keep the myrrh the King will need the day He fulfills His destiny, as our Savior. As Melchior pondered these things, he gripped the box tightly, and a tear rolled down his cheek.
1
Melchior wondered if the baby’s parents knew and understood that their baby was a king and a priest, destined to save us at the expense of His own life. “God, His own people don’t know He has been born. Do His parents? Will they accept my gi?” he whispered quietly in prayer. His thoughts traveled back to the day his journey began, more than fieen years ago, in the palace library. He was one of the Wise Men serving the king of a small kingdom which had once belonged to the great Babylonian Empire. Wise Men, were those who served the king, representing the most intelligent of their time. ey knew more than anyone else in the kingdom about philosophy, history, science, medicine, religion, and magic. When the king needed advice, sound council, or had questions, he would go to his Wise Men. Melchior had been asked to look up the history of the former empire and report his findings to the king. While searching in the library that housed the scrolls collected from all the kingdoms of the world, several scrolls fell on his head. He hadn’t seen these scrolls before. Wondering what they were, he opened them up. He recognized the writing was Hebrew and that these scrolls belonged to the kingdom of Israel. Although it had been a long time since he had studied Hebrew, Melchior began to read… “is is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.’” (Isaiah 48:17 NIV) As Melchior read those words, it felt like a sword had pierced through his heart and stirred the deepest part of his soul. It was as though he could hear the voice of God speaking directly to him. In awe and wonder, he fell to his knees. “If you teach me, I will listen; and where you lead me, I will follow,” he said. Melchior was never the same. Encountering God that night had sparked the fire that burned in his heart all the days of his life. He wanted and needed to know more about this God he had just encountered. But how? He began by searching the entire library in hopes of finding more Jewish scrolls. 3
