the new star they had seen in the east was again
visible. They found the house wherein Mary was living with her husband
and the Babe, and as they recognized the royal Child they "fell down,
and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they
presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."[235]
Having thus gloriously accomplished the purpose of their pilgrimage,
these devout and learned travelers prepared to return home, and would
have stopped at Jerusalem to report to the king as he had requested, but
"being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod,
they departed into their own country another way."[236]

Much has been written, beyond all possible warrant of scriptural
authority, concerning the visit of the magi, or wise men, who thus
sought and found the infant Christ. As a matter of fact, we are left
without information as to their country, nation, or tribal relationship;
we are not even told how many they were, though unauthenticated
tradition has designated them as "the three wise men," and has even
given them names; whereas they are left unnamed in the scriptures, the
only true record of them extant, and may have numbered but two or many.
Attempts have been made to identify the star whose appearance in their
eastern sky had assured the magi that the King was born; but astronomy
furnishes no satisfactory confirmation. The recorded appearance of the
star has been associated by both ancient and modern interpreters with
the prophecy of Balaam, who, though not an Israelite had blessed Israel,
and under divine inspiration had predicted: "there shall come a Star out
of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel."[237] Moreover, as
already shown, the appearance of a new star was a predicted sign
recognized and acknowledged among the people of the western world as
witness of Messiah's birth.[238]

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

Herod's perfidy in directing the magi to return and report to him where
the royal Infant was to be found, falsely professing that he wished to
worship Him also, while in his heart he purposed taking the Child's
life, was thwarted by the divine warning given to the wise men as
already noted. Following their departure, the angel of the Lord appeared
to Joseph, saying: "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and
flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod
will seek the young child to destroy him."[239] In obedience to