Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Matthew 2:1-3
The arrival of the wise men in Jerusalem after the birth of Christ created quite a stir. They had traveled a great distance, being assured that the star they had seen in the heavens carried a powerful message. Though the Bible does not tell us for certain, it seems likely that they were responding to the prophecies left in Babylon by Daniel that among other things gave a timeline for when to look for the arrival of the Messiah. “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times” (Daniel 9:25).
Though more than five hundred years had passed, the legacy that Daniel left was still having an impact. Daniel was taken from his home in his youth and never returned to Israel. But the loss of his home and family did not deter him from following God faithfully. Even in a foreign and heathen empire Daniel served faithfully and refused to compromise. He performed every assignment with diligence. His enemies could find no fault in his work. “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” (Daniel 6:4). As a result of his faithful work, Daniel left a legacy that endured for centuries.
