Matthew 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 - Read Matthew 2:1-2

1. a.& b. Who were the Magi? Where did they come from? Magician comes from the root word magi.(Read also Daniel 2:1-28 )

• Some translations call them Wisemen and others say Magi which is closer to the Greek word.
• From the writings of historians, we have found the Magi to be members of an Eastern priestly group, descendants of a tribe of people originally associated with the Medes. That's the empire that Daniel talks about, known as the Medo-Persian Empire. It was made up of the Persians and the Medes, a very large and powerful people.
• We know that the Magi were people who were present in the Babylonian Empire because we see them in the book of Daniel (eg. Daniel 2:1-28) and were still in existence in the Roman Empire when Christ was born. The word Magi was synonymous with magician.
• The Magi, were very high ranking officials due to their amazing intuition, wisdom, knowledge, and occultic abilities.
• They were the ones that were consulted about the various things that the ruling kings, nobles, and princes wanted to know.
• The Magi were so powerful that historians tell us that no Persian was ever able to become king except under two conditions: he had to master the scientific and religious discipline of the Magi, and he had to be approved of and crowned by the Magi. In effect, they controlled who could be king--that's power! (Like the choice of a pope today.)
• They were responsible for the actual selection of judges.
• All nobility was raised by these king-makers, and no one ruled at all apart from them.

c. What were the Magi's main interests?

• Astronomy (Astronomy is a science - the study of the sun, moon, stars, planets and other objects and phenomena in space)
• Astrology (Is a superstition - it is the search for meaning in the sky, using horoscope & people checking out how it will affect them). They were involvement in the occultic practices of divination and a kind of sorcery. Later the word magi was corrupted through history into the word magician which once meant sorcerer. Unfortunately, in those days they didn't make much of a separation between the superstition of astrology and the science of astronomy.

d. By whom were the Magi heavily influenced during the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires? ( Daniel 1:3-5)

• While these Magi were living in the area of Babylon during the time of Daniel, they were very heavily influenced by the Jews because Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, took the people of Judah into captivity.
• Because they had come into contact with Jews at this time, especially influential ones like Daniel, the Magi would have been familiar with Jewish prophecy regarding the Messiah.

e. How would some of the Magi have known about the birth of the Messiah and become true seekers of God?

• Within this priestly group, there were some who were committed to the ancient magian beliefs, and some who honestly believed in their hearts that the God of Daniel was the true God.
• Though centuries had passed since Daniel had lived, God had marvelously managed to maintain some truth-seeking Magi. By the birth of Jesus, there was still among the Magi, a remnant of God-fearing Gentiles. Some of these high-ranking king-makers of the great empire of the east were still waiting for Daniel's great hope to be fulfilled.

2. Who does the Bible record as having been appointed as master of the Magi? Why? ( Daniel 5:11-12)

• Daniel was appointed chief of the Magi, enchanters, astrologers and diviners by Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 5:11-12).
• When all these Magi who were in the high ranking place of advisors to the king couldn't give any answers, Belshazzar was informed of Daniel's superior ability: he has the spirit of the holy gods in him, had insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods, King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Daniel chief of the magicians, because he had a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems.
• Daniel was so adept at explaining the dreams of the king, that he was made the master of the Magi so that Daniel literally was the chief over this whole priestly group in Babylon. Now, that put Daniel in the tremendously unique position of being able to give information about the Old Testament to the Magi...and no doubt, this is precisely what he did.

3. Even though the Magi had political power, for what purpose did they come to Jerusalem?

• When the Magi got to that little room in Bethlehem, the Bible says that they worshiped Him.
• They saw more than just a king. It appears they saw the Messiah they had heard about from the days of Daniel.
• Perhaps the Magi who came to Jerusalem were God-fearing Gentiles who envisioned this Savior, the Anointed One (Messiah), as the king who would gather all the people of the East together against the oppression of Rome.

Why do you think Matthew presents this part of the story?

• To show us how God controls history.
• So we would be excited and fascinated seeing God at work. History is His story. Long ago He picked out a man named Daniel and put him in a place to influence over some men so that they could arrive to worship the King of Kings in perfect timing.
• Matthew, all the way through his Gospel, is trying to tell the world that Jesus Christ is King. And just to make sure nobody misses the point, he records the most famous king-makers in the world coming and bowing down at His feet. It's all a part of Matthew's strategy.
• If Israel isn't going to acknowledge Christ as King, then God is going to bring a bunch of people from Persia to acknowledge it.
• The sad part of this particular bit of history is that the people who should have known the great significance of the event missed it, and the people from way off who should have never guessed it could happen, showed up and worshipped the One who came to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles.

Day 2

4. Where was Jesus born? Where is that compared to Jerusalem? What does the name mean?

• In Bethlehem - a quiet little town, approximately five or six miles south of Jerusalem
• Bethlehem means "house of bread". It was a fitting name for the place where the very Bread of Life was born ( Jn. 6:48).

5. What other references do we have to Bethlehem in Scripture?

• Gen. 35:19-20 In Bethlehem Jacob buried Rachel, setting a marker by her grave.
• Ruth 4:11 Ruth married Boaz, she lived in the town of Bethlehem
• 1 Samuel16:1; 17:12; 20:6 The town of Bethlehem was the home and city of the great king of Israel, David
• Micah 5:2 It was a little village that the people of God had long expected their Messiah to be born, in accordance with the prophecy of Micah 5:2. They waited for the Messiah to come out of David's city but when the time of His birth did arrive, few were even aware of it.

6. What was the nature of the star? Some people believe that it was a genuine star. Read also Luke 2:8-9 to help answer this question. See an Old Testament example ( Exodus 24:15-17 )

• The Hebrew word for star can refer to a real star, but it is sometimes used to speak of an angel, or anything that has a blazing, shining appearance.
• Glory of the Lord shone around about them. (Luke 2:8-9)
• In the Old Testament the glory of God is manifest as light. Over and over again, when God radiated His presence, He transformed it into light.
• In the New Testament Jesus showed who He was by revealing His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the three disciples saw His glory as bright light ( Mt. 17:2 ).
• Could it be that the glory of the Lord that shone that night as it was descending to earth, marking the time when the glory of God came in the form of a man ( Luke 2:8-9 ) was what the Wise Men/Magi actually saw?

7. Read Matthew 2:3-6, 16. Who was King Herod? What kind of man was he?

• King of the Jews in Jerusalem.
• Herod was half Jew and a partial descendant of the Edomites (Esau's descendants) who lived southeast of Israel.
• The Romans made him the king of the Jews, giving him an army to bring Palestine under control. After three years, Herod was finally able to gain the authority that had been promised and truly became the king of the Jews, a title that he maintained until he died.
• He panicked when all of a sudden he saw the Magi (some Persian king-makers) coming into town who were asking, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?"--Herod was shocked and became afraid.
• He was cruel, jealous and suspicious of everyone. He was threatened by everybody and everything so that he spent his entire life plotting the murders of people.
• He even killed his own wife, Mariamne, as well as her mother, Alexandra; and because he was afraid that his two might take his throne, he slaughtered both of them. Then five days before his death, he ordered a third son executed.
• He had a lust for power
• The cruel and bloodthirsty character of this tyrant reached a climax when he knew he was about to die: Herod retired to Jericho, giving orders that a collection of the most distinguished citizens of Jerusalem be made, who were arrested, falsely charged, and put in prison with instructions to slaughter them all at the moment of his death. The reason for this was that he knew no one would mourn when he died, and he was determined to have mourning in the city at his death.
• Herod did accomplish some positive things. He was a very capable man, and had tremendous victories in battle.
• He was very efficient in collecting taxes for Rome.
• A capable orator and a very subtle diplomat,
• He was the only ruler in the history of Palestine who ever succeeded in keeping peace and bringing order.
• In times of difficulty he even gave people back their tax money so that they would have enough. In fact, in 25 B.C. when there was a tremendous famine, he melted down the gold plates in the palace and gave the money to the poor. He had a great welfare program so that when people had trouble getting clothes, he imported clothes for them. So, he did do some things to endear himself to the people because he was a smart politician.

8. Why was Herod disturbed when the Magi arrived in town?

• Israel is between Rome and the eastern empire and politically speaking, Rome was scared of the eastern empire. The people of the eastern empire had just gotten rid of the king Rome had given them and were looking for a new king to help them fight against Rome. So when Herod hears that Magi, who were still the oriental king-makers had arrived in Jerusalem looking for the one who has been born king of the Jews, he was rattled/disturbed, meaning literally shaking. Why? He feared for his throne. Not only was their unexpected presence unnerving, but to make matters worse for Herod, his army was out of the country on a mission.
• At this time, because both Herod and Caesar Augustus were close to death, and because of the retirement of the commander-in-chief of the Roman army, the Eastern kingdom was aware that this would be the ideal time to bring about an eastern war against the west.

9. How did all the people of Jerusalem respond to the Magi's question about where the king of the Jews was? Why?

• Herod, the king, was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.
• Jerusalem knew what Herod's fear meant--rebellion, bloodshed, and suffering. The reason everybody else was upset was that they knew the kind of man that Herod was...and they feared what would happen. As we know from the rest of the story that they had a right to fear because it wasn't long until Herod sent his soldiers to slaughter every single baby in the town of Bethlehem under two years of age just to make sure that he slaughtered this potential King. That's why Jerusalem was shook up.

Day 3

10. Who were the chief priests and leaders of the law with whom Herod consulted?

• The chief priests were from the tribe of Levi but had become involved in politics instead of just leading the people in the worship of God.
• The teachers of the law were the theologians.

11. Which prophet is quoted in Matthew 2:6? What kind of person would the Christ be?

• Micah wrote in Micah 5:2 that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem
• The Christ would be a ruler and a shepherd for the people of Israel.
• Were the religious leaders of Jesus' day "shepherds of the people of Israel"? No. They put such heavy burdens on the people with their many man-made laws.
• Why didn't Matthew quote the Old Testament exactly? Why did he add the end of vs. 6?

12. Why did Herod want to find out where the Christ was to be born? Wasn't it common knowledge where the Messiah was to be born? ( John 7:40-42)

• It was not because he wanted to know where Christ would be born in order that he might take the knowledge of that truth and apply it properly, but so that he might use the information for his own devious ends.
• According to John 7:40-42, many of the Jewish people expected the Messiah to come from Bethlehem. However, they thought Jesus came from Galilee

13. Read Matthew 2:7-8. Why would Herod have asked the Magi secretly about the exact time the star had appeared?

• This has got to be one of the biggest acts of hypocrisy in all of the Bible. Herod was so clever that the Magi were completely unaware of his real intentions. Though Herod's first meeting, with the priests and scribes, was public, this second one was secret, because Herod had a sly plan in mind, and another public meeting would arouse suspicion. Very subtly, he chose not to ask how old the child was, but rather when the star had appeared so as to play up to their interest in astrology and astronomy. His false interest in the star concealed his real interest in killing the little baby the Magi had come to find.
• This star that was seen in the East was now no longer visible, so Herod wanted to know precisely when the baby was born, & he figured that if he killed every child in Bethlehem two years and younger, he'd get Him for sure.

14. What did Herod tell the Magi he wanted to do when they told him where the child was? What action of his proved his real intention? ( Matthew 2:16)

• He said he too wanted to worship Christ, but he really wanted to kill him.
• Herod trying to kill the Messiah once again serves to show that Christ is truly a king. If He weren't really a king, do you think Herod would be so upset about His birth? No. He's the King, and Matthew brings that in every way he can.

15. What are the three responses to Christ in this chapter and who made them? Are those same responses around us today? Which response do you identify with?

• Some may be hostile to Christ like Herod. Even to some people today, Jesus is an interference in their life. He bothers them, upsetting their plans, and if they had their choice, they too, would eliminate Him.
• Some may be indifferent like the chief priests and teachers of the law. Many people today are too busy and engrossed with their life to care or notice Jesus.
• Some worship Christ like the Magi did. That is clearly the best of the three choices that can be made with regard to Jesus.

Day 4

16. Read Matthew 2:9-12. What 2 amazing and divine things happened when they left King Herod that led the Magi to the house in Bethlehem in which Jesus was staying?

• The star which they had seen in the east miraculously appeared again and stopped over the house where Jesus was.

17. Why is the baby Jesus mentioned first in connection with His mother? ( Matthew 2:11, 13-14, 20-21)

• the baby is always mentioned first, because the main concern is with the Child
• Jesus is the object of worship, not Mary

18. What 2 things did the Magi do that showed that they saw Jesus as a king and Messiah worthy of worship?

• Knelt down and worshiped Jesus
• Gave Him gifts worthy of a King

19. What were the gifts that the Wise Men brought used for? What is their significance in relation to Christ?

• Precious Gold - Gold was a super valuable commodity used for only the best purposes, such as in the construction of the Temple and all of its contents (1 Kgs. 5-7; 2 Chr. 2-5). It was worn as jewelry, and even used to make utensils for the rich.
  Significance: Gold is associated with a king. When Joseph was in Egypt as the vice-regent next to the king, he was given a gold neck-chain. Daniel was also given a gold chain as he was made third ruler in the kingdom of Babylon. Kings in the Bible had crowns and scepters of gold. Solomon had gold all over the place, illustrated by the fact that a description of Solomon's wealth in 1 Kings 10 mentions gold ten times. Because gold was the gift for a king, Matthew is telling us that Jesus is King. When we come to Jesus for salvation, we must acknowledge Him as Lord ( Romans 10:9-10). We come as a subject to a King, not as an equal.
• Frankincense - "pure Beautiful-smelling incense." This incense came from a white juice that was extracted from the bark of a certain tree growing in Arabia, its Old Testament equivalent also being derived from the meaning of white. Frankincense was used as a fragrant scent in the Temple ( Leviticus 2:1), and as a perfume in wedding processions ( Song of Songs 3:6).
  Significance: Frankincense speaks of deity, because incense was always offered to God as a pleasing fragrance. In the Old Testament, it was stored in the front of the Temple in a special chamber and was taken and added to the offerings and used in front of the Holy of Holies so that the sweet savor would rise to God. Exodus 30:34-38 tells us that the incense was for God, not the people. Ezekiel 16:18 also identified it as belonging to God.
• Myrrh - Lovely ointment and perfume. Myrrh came from a little tree that was also located in Arabia, and which gave forth a beautiful perfume. It was used in Proverbs 7:17 to perfume a bed and in Psalms 45:8 to put on clothes. As a prototype of deodorant, myrrh was used by Esther when she was getting all dolled up to come in to the king ( Esther 2:12), and also was used in the same bridal procession of Solomon where frankincense was used. Mixed with wine in Mark 15:23, it served as an anesthetic, and in John 19:39-40, it was used in the preparation of Jesus' body for burial.
  Significance: Myrrh was the gift that spoke of Christ's mortality, since it was used to embalm the bodies of the dead. From the very beginning, it was clear that He would die.
• And so the Wise Men came with the gold saying He was a King, with the myrrh saying He was a man destined to die, and with the incense saying He was God.
  
• Joseph and Mary were probably poor now that Joseph was temporarily not working in his trade, so they were able to use these gifts when they were sent by God into the foreign culture of Egypt. Possibly the gold, frankincense, and myrrh were the resources they used to support themselves until they finally made their way back to Nazareth.

20. Besides their personal welfare, what is another reason that God desired to protect the Wise Men from Herod?

• God took over and thwarted Herod's plot, wanting these wonderful Magi to take the message of the new King, the Messiah, back to Persia. He not only protectively cared for the Savior, but for the Magi as well.

21. Read Matthew 2:13-15. In what way was the dream that Joseph had not a normal kind of dream? In Matthew 1 & 2, where else do we see God revealing something or giving direction through a dream?

• God used this dream to reveal to Joseph direction for his family
• When Joseph was wondering what to do when he heard that Mary was pregnant ( Matthew 1:20-21)
• When Herod died, the angel told Joseph to take Jesus and Mary to Israel ( Matthew 2:19-20)
• When Joseph heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea he was afraid. He was then warned in a dream so went instead to Galilee. ( Matthew 2:22)

22. What was always Joseph's response when he received an instruction from an angel or a dream?

• He immediately followed the instruction he was given.

23. What is the main reason that Joseph and his family were directed to Egypt?

• To fulfill the prophesy that Hosea had given in Hosea 11:1 out of Egypt I called my son.
• This was a safe place to send Jesus because Herod wanted to kill him. Alexander the Great had established the city of Alexandria as a place of refuge for the Jews. As long as Herod was ruling over Israel, more and more Jews were fleeing into Egypt. As a result, Egypt had become filled with Jewish residents. Around 150 B.C., the Jews were given their own temple in Egypt so that they could prosper as a community. By A.D. 40, historians say that there were at least one million Jews living in Egypt.

Day 5

24. Read Matthew 2:16-18. Who was the real murderer behind Herod? What effect did Herod's rage have on him & how did he express his rage?

• Satan was the real murdered behind Herod
• We have seen what a horribly cruel man this Herod was, who murdered people all through his reign. And now, when this Edomite king of Israel was tricked by the Wise Men, he became "exceedingly angry", he was out of control. His anger was so intense that it actually blinded his sense, for if he had any sense at all, he would have figured that if the Magi were smart enough not to come back, they were probably also smart enough to have warned the family to flee. But being blinded with rage, he didn't even think about that possibility, and consequently ordered the massacre of every baby boy under 2 in the area of Bethlehem - even though Jesus may have been much younger at the time.
• He was not taking any chances. He wanted to make sure that the Christ/the King of the Jews was killed.

25. Of what was Ramah symbolic? Who does Rachel symbolize? With what was its weeping associated? (Prophecy is found in Jeremiah 31:15)

• Ramah is a place that is always associated with weeping, because it was a symbol of the deportation of the sons and daughters of Israel.
• Rachel was used as a symbol of the mothers of Israel who are crying because they saw their children taken away.
• In this case Ramah would symbolize Bethlehem because that's where the mothers would be crying because they saw their children taken away (killed in front of them).

26. What indicates that Herod was not alone in his opposition to Christ? ( Matthew 2:20)

• The angel said that those who were trying to take the child's life are dead

27. Why would Joseph and Mary have thought that the area of Jerusalem would have been a good place to reside?

• The angel appeared to Joseph again to instruct him to move to Israel, but no specific place was mentioned. Coming from the direction of Egypt to the south, they came to Bethlehem and Jerusalem, perhaps thinking that the capitol would have been the place to stay since they knew that their Child was Immanuel, God with us. They knew He was to be the Savior, as indicated by the name He was given (Mt. 1:21). They were well aware that He was the Messiah of God, for the angels had told them. Consequently, they probably thought Jerusalem, or Bethlehem nearby, would be the appropriate place for the future King to reside. But that option changed very quickly when they learned that Herod's son Archelaus was ruling in Judah.

28. What are the reasons that Joseph and Mary chose to live in Galilee?

• Archelaus, Herod's son, was reigning in Judah and Joseph was afraid. Why? After the death of Herod Archelaus killed 3000 Jews many of whom were attending the Passover. This made Archelaus even more hated and feared than Herod.
• Joseph was warned in a dream so he left Judah and went to Galilee and lived in the town of Nazareth.
• The ultimate reason was to fulfill prophesy. The prophets had said that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. We don't know which prophet said it because it didn't get written down until Matthew did so. And because Matthew didn't even give an explanation, but merely said that the prophets foretold that He would be called a Nazarene, this prophecy must have been common knowledge.

29. What is the significance of the meaning of "Nazarene" as applied to Christ?

• Nazareth was so despised, that Nazarene became a synonym for somebody despised. When somebody was called a Nazarene, it was used in the sense of a derogatory expression. No wonder people thought Jesus wasn't the Messiah.

30. What is one of the central themes of Old Testament prophecy?

• The central theme of all Old Testament prophecy concerns the coming King, who will rule in God's promised Kingdom. If there is one major emphasis of all Old Testament prophecy, it is that God is going to set up His rule. He is going to have a Kingdom like no other kingdom has ever been. The King of that Kingdom will be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The whole reason for Matthew 1 and 2 is to vindicate those very words of Jesus "...I am a king. To this end was I born..." ( John 18:37b).

31. What are the four prophecies about Christ that were fulfilled in Matthew 2?

• Micah said a ruler and shepherd would come from Bethlehem...and from Bethlehem He came.
• Hosea said God's son would come out of Egypt...and out of Egypt He came.
• Jeremiah said there would be weeping like Rachel in Ramah of old...and the mothers wept over their babies near the tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem.
• And the prophets of old said He would be called a Nazarene, and He would be from Nazareth...and so it was.
• Each time a prophecy about Jesus was fulfilled, it solidified His right to reign. And so Matthew says, "This is the King by genealogy, by birth, by worship, by the hatred of jealousy, and by the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus was born a King, for which cause He came into the world. ( John 18:37b)

Day 6
Application:

1. Who did the people of Jerusalem fear more, God or Herod? Consequently, who directed their lives? Who or what is directing or controlling your life? Is it fear of man or circumstances or is it a reverential fear of God (Read Matthew 10:28-32)

• In Matthew 10:28, Jesus warned His disciples that when they faced opposition, they were not to fear what man could do to them, but rather what God would do to those who never responded to their proclamation of the gospel.
• Are your fears, perhaps even of world events and economic disaster, greater than your reverential fear of God, so that temporal things are controlling your life rather than eternal things? Which fear would give you the greatest sense of freedom? Why? (Matthew 10:29-32)

2. Are you among those who seek certain information from the Bible to be used for your own ends, rather than in the manner God designed it? For instance, if you feel that wealth and success is of primary importance, do you look for the verses that emphasize the blessing and victory available in God, and at the same time overlook the mention of contentment and trials that are part and parcel of every Christian's life? Make sure that the conclusions you draw from Scripture and apply in your life take into consideration the context and the true intent of the inspired writer.

3. Which do you think would be worse, indifference to Christ or hostility towards Him? Read Revelation 3:15-17? What is your spiritual health like? Are you hostile, indifferent or worshiping Jesus in love? Are you willing to let Christ give you a routine spiritual checkup, even though it may mean some changes we need to make in our life? List and pray about those things that you want Christ to change.

4. Have you ever thought it would be nice to have to have the same kind of direct verbal guidance that so many Bible characters had. Seeing that we don't have angels who guide us as they did Joseph and so many others, what must we do to confirm our direction as being from the Lord? Look up the following passages and see how God guides us today:

Psalms 19:7-11;

Psalms 119:9-16;

Proverbs 3:5-7; 11:14; 12:15;

John 16:13-15;

Acts 6:1-5; 14:27; 20:22-24;

Romans 8:14;

2 Corinthians 2:12-13;

Hebrews 13:7, 17

1 John 2:20,27.

5. Herod had anger without restraint that completely blinded his sense. It is possible to be filled with anger to the extent that it controls you. Do you have an uncontrollable anger? Do certain injustices or adverse circumstances stimulate you to anger? Do you lose your patience easily? To gain a better understanding of the consequences of anger and the benefits of controlling it, read the following verses:

• Proverbs 14:17 A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.
• Proverbs 14:29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly;
• Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Proverbs 15.18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
• Proverbs 19:19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
• Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.
• Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
• Rather than being controlled by anger or some other destructive attitude, commit yourself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Prayerfully meditate on Galatians 5:16-25, memorizing verses 22-25. The next time a potentially volatile situation arises, pray an immediate prayer to yield yourself to the Spirit's leading, and then let His fruit be manifested through your life.

6. Think back through our study covering Matthew 1-2. What have you learned about God's character and how He operates in the world in bringing His plans to pass? What divine attributes were manifested in the events which took place? Based on this passage alone, what could you teach someone else about God? Select a truth that became especially meaningful to you and share it in a family devotion or with a family member or friend.

7. Who are you influencing with your life?

8. What/who is the object of your worship? How do you show that?

9. Does God still speak to people in dreams? If so, give examples.

10. Joseph always followed God's instruction, immediately. This past week, did you follow God's instruction immediately?

11. Am I too busy with the everyday issues of life and miss out on spending time and worshipping Jesus as my Messiah?

12. What has been meaningful to you from your study of Matthew 2? What specifically could you apply to your life?