And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:12
Dreams again. Having been told, through a dream, to disobey King Herod’s command, the mysterious men from a faraway land went home via a different route. Perhaps they went south, through Egypt (as Jesus would soon do). Perhaps they went to the sea, then boarded a boat. Or maybe they moved north, then east. However they went, the magi went home. After Matthew, the Bible doesn’t mention the wise men, however many of them there were, however many gifts they gave and left behind.
We have sufficient information.
That’s a good lesson to remember because the Bible teaches it frequently. God speaks succinctly. He tells us what we need to know. He’s God. He knows how to get His message across. To the magi, he spoke in a dream (just as He had done with Joseph earlier, and would soon again). God told them, “Go home a different way.” We don’t know if He told them why, or which way to go, or how to get there. God told these wise new followers of the young Messiah to return home by a different route. He has his reasons, and nothing further is mentioned. From God’s short words, we have enough information to draw lessons:
- Trust God’s word. He tells us what He wants us to know and doesn’t waste words. Wasting those words is left to me, and you, and all of us. But boil down the extra words and we’re left to trust what God said.
- Share God’s word. Tell others. Along your journey, tell others. When you get home, tell others. For the rest of your life, talk about this miracle God has done for you by telling others. It’s logical to assume the magi did that. We should, too.
- Follow God’s word. The dream told the wise men to bypass Jerusalem and Herod on their way home. They complied. The men went by a different route and didn’t report back to the king what they had seen or done. As we’ll see next, this enraged Herod. I’m sure the wise men talked about what slighting a powerful monarch might mean. And perhaps they were afraid. We don’t know. After this, we don’t hear about the magi again…because we have sufficient information. All we know is that they followed God’s instructions.
And all this came from the dreams. Perhaps God revealed to each of them; perhaps only to one. It doesn’t really matter. We have all the information we need, from God’s account here, to know that we, like the Magi, should trust, share, and follow God’s word, now more than ever. God bless we should all dream about that.
For more reading: Matthew 2:13
Lord, You revealed Your will to these men in dreams. Help me to know Your commands, then to trust, share, and follow You
Practical Proverbs 