was headed, the great thinkers of
the ancient world sought answers
wherever there was a promising
lead. There was no neat separation
between true science and supersti-
surprisingly advanced techniques coupled with potions
and charms to affect a cure. Along this line, Magi
(wise men of the ancient Medes and Persians) saw no
difference between astrology and astronomy. The stars
verse but how they influenced the affairs of people.
eyes away, something drew them back again to study
it. What did it mean? Why did it appear now? Leaving
their observatory, they went to the library that con-
tained the Hebrew Scriptures, no doubt left over from
the Jewish Babylonian captivity. The Magi read of a
coming King to the Hebrew people. Their Persian
records told of how the God of the Hebrews had inter-
humbled twice by Yahweh (Daniel 3 and 4). Belshaz-
zar saw his fate etched on the wall as the book was
closed on the Babylonian kingdom (Daniel 5). Darius
watched as Daniel was spared the vicious fangs of
lions by the power of the true God (Daniel 6). Queen
Esther's unlikely story was still told. And the prophet
Isaiah had predicted by name that Cyrus would allow
the captive Israelites to return to their home in Pales-
tine to rebuild their nation (Isaiah 44 � 45:1). Although
the Jews had largely left Persia, their footprints left
traces through the history of the kingdom to that day.
The Magi knew that the God who had made Himself
known so mightily among them those centuries ago
to miss this one.