I would hope that all churches who show the nativity scene would proclaim it right and not the way that it is proclaimed now.

First, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem (the city of David) he was born in a manger (Luke 2: 7.) The portrayal of the wise men there is 100 percent wrong.

You have to know the scriptures to know that they were more than a year later in presenting him gifts. The wise men came from the east (known as the Orient) and they traveled by camel for more than 1,000 miles. This would take much time and the scriptures are clear about this, as in Matthew 2:2

They came to Jerusalem saying to King Herod, “where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” Herod didn’t know, so he sent to the scribes and the chief priests and ask where he was to be born.

In Luke 2, we are told that the angel of the Lord came to the shepherds to proclaim his birth. (The reason, the shepherds are the keeper of the sheep, and Jesus is the Lamb of God). It was the shepherds who went to the manger and proclaimed that the angel had told them the Saviour had been born in Bethlehem.

When the wise men found out through the scribes and chief priests, they followed the star and it stood over where the young child was (not a manger).

Matthew 2:11, “and when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with his mother Mary, his mother and fell down and worshiped him, and they opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

Also there is no number of wise men who were there, just the number of gifts that were presented.

When we are proclaiming a scene or a play we are to use God’s word for our story, please don’t try to enhance God’s word by trying to make it better, remember God needs no help with his word.

It is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Homer Campbell is the pastor at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church and can be reached at 533-3511.