Close Yet Missing Christ | Wednesday in The Word for December 17, 2025

Daniel 2:24

Daniel Explains the Dream

24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

Daniel 7:13, 14

13 “I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.

14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Matthew 2:1

Wise Men from the East

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

Matthew 2:2

2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:10

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

Matthew 2:11

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Numbers 24:17

17 “I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult.

Daniel 12:3

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Context

• How did Daniel & friends influence the magi centuries before? (Daniel 1;8, 9, 19-21, 2:17-24, 46-49, 3:28-30, 5:11, 12, 29, 6:25-28)

Reflection

1. How did Daniel save the magi from certain extinction? (Daniel 2:12, 17, 24)
2. What scriptures influenced the wise men to seek Jesus?
3. What about the STONE, the SON, and the STAR? (Numbers 24:17, Isaiah 7:14, Daniel 2:44, 7:27, 9:24-26, 11:45, 12:3, 4, 9, Psalm 118:22, 1 Peter 2:7)
4. How could Herod & the Jewish leaders be so close to Jesus but miss Him? (Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 12:20, 14:10, Romans 3:10-17, 23)
5. What 4 things did the Magi do in Matthew 2:10-11?

Testimony Time

1. How is Jesus the Star of Christmas? (Psalm 27:1, John 1:4, 8:12, Revelation 22:16)
2. Who influenced you toward following Christ?
3. Are you a missionary or a mission field? (Proverbs 11:30, 27:17, Daniel 12:3, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, 2 Timothy 2:2)