The Final Journey

What prompted Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar to leave their kingdoms, travel to Bethlehem, and place precious gifts by the manger in which Jesus lay? In the Gospels, Matthew records that they stopped along the way to ask, “Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews? We observed His star, and have come to offer precious gifts, and pay Him homage.” Hearing of these wise men and fearful that his throne might be usurped by this “King of the Jews” to whom they referred, Herod sought to deceive them, and said, “When you find Him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay Him homage.”