Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. This is part two of our series on Iran, ancient Persia, and God's prophetic plan for this remarkable nation.
In our last episode, we looked at the biblical promises made to Elam—the explicit promise in Jeremiah that God would restore this nation in the latter days.
Today, I want to explore something just as fascinating: how God sovereignly used an ancient Persian religion to prepare the hearts of an entire people to recognize the Messiah.
We're going to talk about Zoroastrianism, the Magi, and why Persian priest-scholars traveled hundreds of miles to worship a Jewish baby in Bethlehem.
And friends, when you understand this story, you'll see the fingerprints of God all over Persian history.
Let me start with the religion that shaped ancient Persia for over a thousand years.
Zoroastrianism was founded by a prophet named Zoroaster—also called Zarathustra—somewhere between 1500 and 1000 BC in ancient Persia.
Now, this is important: Zoroastrianism was one of the world's oldest monotheistic faiths. At a time when most of the ancient world was polytheistic—worshiping many gods—the Persians worshiped one supreme God.
They called Him Ahura Mazda, which means "the Wise Lord."
And their core beliefs were remarkably ethical:
- One supreme God
- A cosmic moral struggle between truth and falsehood
- Human free will and responsibility
- An ethical triad: good thoughts, good words, good deeds
But here's where it gets really interesting. Zoroastrianism contained clear messianic expectations.
They believed in a coming savior called the Saoshyant. According to their sacred texts, the Saoshyant would be born of a virgin, bring final judgment, defeat evil completely, initiate the resurrection of the dead, and establish eternal righteousness.
Friends, this makes Zoroastrianism one of the earliest religions with a fully developed end-times theology—an eschatology.
Now, some scholars argue that these ideas influenced Judaism during the Babylonian exile. Others argue the opposite—that Jewish prophetic revelation influenced Zoroastrianism. I think the truth is that God was sovereignly preparing both peoples for the coming of His Son.
But here's what we know for certain: when Jesus was born, there were Persian scholars who were already watching for a savior. They were already expecting a cosmic king. They were already looking at the stars for signs.
Which brings us to the Magi.
Who were the Magi?
The Magi were most likely Zoroastrian priest-scholars from Persia or Media. They were interpreters of sacred texts, astronomers, dream interpreters, royal advisors, and guardians of prophetic traditions.
The Greek word magoi—which is where we get our word "magic"—appears throughout the ancient world to describe these Persian priestly sages.
And Matthew chapter 2 records their extraordinary journey:
"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.'"
Think about how remarkable this is. These were Gentile theologians—not Jews. They came from the East—Persia. They followed a celestial sign. They sought a newborn king. And they didn't just honor Him—they worshiped Him.
So here's the question: Why would Zoroastrian priests recognize the Jewish Messiah?
Let me give you several powerful connections.
First, there was direct Jewish-Persian interaction. During the Babylonian exile, Jews lived under Persian rule, specifically Daniel. Later, Cyrus the Great—remember him from our last episode—allowed the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem.
Zoroastrian priests would have had access to Hebrew prophecies. They would have known about Daniel's writings—Daniel served in the Persian court! They would have been exposed to messianic timelines.
Second, there were shared theological themes. Look at this comparison:
Zoroastrianism taught one supreme God—Christianity teaches one true God. Zoroastrianism taught a cosmic war of good versus evil—Christianity and the Bible is full of references to spiritual warfare between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness. Zoroastrianism expected a coming savior, the Saoshyant—Christianity proclaims the Messiah, Christ. Both taught resurrection. Both taught final judgment.
The Magi may have seen Jesus as the fulfillment of both their traditions and Jewish prophecy.
Third, there was the star itself. Zoroastrians were highly trained in astronomical observation. The Star of Bethlehem may have been a rare planetary conjunction, a nova or supernova, or a prophetic astronomical marker tied to Numbers 24:17: "A star shall come out of Jacob."
The Magi likely interpreted this sign theologically, not superstitiously. They understood it pointed to the birth of a king.
Now, look at the gifts they brought: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
These were not random. Gold represents kingship. Frankincense represents divinity and priesthood. Myrrh represents death and sacrifice.
Friends, this reflects deep doctrinal understanding, not mere homage. These men understood who Jesus was—King, God, and Savior who would die for His people.
Now, let me show you what the early Church Fathers taught about the Magi.
The Church Fathers—those leaders who lived in the 2nd through 5th centuries—spoke often about the Magi. And they understood something profound: God used the Magi's own traditions to lead them to Christ.
Justin Martyr, writing around AD 150, identified the Magi as Persian priest-sages. He emphasized that Gentiles first recognized Christ, seeing their journey as fulfillment of Isaiah 60:1-2 and 6 which says: “Arise, shine, for your light has come…nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn…bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord” and Psalm 72:1 and 9-11: “Endow the King with Your justice, O God, the royal Son with Your righteousness…May the desert tribes bow before Him… May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to Him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present Him gifts. May all kings bow down to Him and all nations serve Him.”
Clement of Alexandria explicitly affirmed that Persian philosophy, like Zoroastrianism, was a preparatory tool God used to lead Gentiles to Christ. Philosophy, he said, was a "schoolmaster" for the Gentiles—just as the Law was for the Jews.
John Chrysostom argued that the star was not a normal celestial body—it moved, appeared, disappeared miraculously. God chose to meet the Magi where they were, then led them beyond astrology. The star was a bridge.
Tertullian emphasized the irony: Christ was first acknowledged by strangers. Foreign kings worshiped Him while Jerusalem was disturbed and Herod resisted.
And Irenaeus gave the classic interpretation of the gifts—gold for a king, frankincense for God, myrrh for death and burial. This became orthodox teaching.
Augustine summarized it beautifully: the Magi were the firstfruits of the Gentiles. Their worship proved Christ is King of all nations. Pagan wisdom bowed to divine revelation.
Now, let me be clear about what the Church Fathers did NOT teach. They did not teach that Zoroastrianism was a teaching that would lead to salvation…only Christianity can do that. They did not teach that astrology was valid. They did not teach that Christ was merely another Saoshyant-type figure.
They taught that God sovereignly used partial truth, that Christ fulfilled and corrected it, and that revelation always supersedes philosophy.
Let me give you three key lessons from this.
First: God sovereignly prepares nations for the gospel.
God was at work in Persia for centuries before Christ was born. He raised up a religion that taught monotheism, resurrection, final judgment, and a coming savior—preparing Persian hearts to recognize the true Messiah when He appeared.
Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen... so that people are without excuse."
God left witness in every nation. And in Persia, that witness was profound.
Second: The Magi represent the firstfruits of Gentile worship.
Matthew's account is not just a nice Christmas story. It's a theological statement. Before Israel fully recognizes Jesus, Gentiles from the East worship Him.
Isaiah 60:3 prophesied: "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."
The Magi fulfilled that prophecy. They proved that Christ came for all nations—Jew and Gentile alike.
Third: What Zoroastrianism foresaw dimly, Christ embodied fully.
Zoroastrianism expected a savior. But Christ is not merely a savior—He is God incarnate. He doesn't just defeat evil—He atones for sin. He doesn't just bring judgment—He offers grace.
Christ fulfilled and surpassed everything Zoroastrianism anticipated.
Let me pray…
Thank you for joining me today. The story of the Magi is not just about wise men following a star. It's about how God sovereignly prepared an entire nation—Persia—to recognize His Son.
What Israel awaited, Persia discerned. What astrology sought, Scripture fulfilled. What the Magi followed, they ultimately worshiped.
In our next episode, we'll explore the Islamic takeover of Iran, the current oppressive regime, and the incredible growth of the Church in Iran today—and how you can pray for this nation that God has not forgotten.
Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations, remember that God prepares hearts across cultures, and never forget—all peoples are precious in God’s sight.
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