difficulty in finding the abode of this glorious Child; therefore, as soon as they arrived in the city, they asked, "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 words he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. The birth of Jesus Christ made known by Angels to the Shepherds, and by them "made known abroad" among their neighbours and friends, the humble of the land, does not seem to have been noticed by the rulers and Priests living at Jerusalem. Their own Scriptures taught them that the Messiah was to come; and they expected that His birth would be immediately followed by Revolts and Wars, Earthquakes, Famine and Plague; therefore they might well be "troubled," when they heard He was actually come; though, if they had rightly believed and understood the great blessing He was to bring to mankind, they would have rejoiced at His coming, and thought all temporal sufferings easy to be borne for His sake. Herod was troubled; for though he was now an old man, and not likely to live till a new-born Infant should grow up, yet he did not like the idea of another king to interfere with him: he did not understand the nature of the Messiah's kingdom, and thought only of a king who would govern the country and the people, make laws, and impose taxes; he had no idea of a King who was to reign over the hearts of men on earth, and finally receive them into His kingdom in heaven. Herod's behaviour on this occasion showed a strange mixture of belief and unbelief. In common with the Jews in general, he believed that the Messiah was to come; and he evidently believed that the Child, whose birth had been made known by the star, was indeed the Christ. He therefore called together the wise and learned men, well acquainted with the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and asked them where the Messiah should be born. The chief priests and Scribes at once declared that Bethlehem was pointed out by the prophets as the birthplace of Messiah; thus giving another proof, that the Infant just born in that place, was the promised Messiah. So far Herod believed; but now his unbelief was shown by his fancying for one moment, that if this Child really was the Messiah, he could kill him, and so frustrate the purpose for which he was sent by God.