This Christmas season (or anytime of the year), take a moment to enjoy a walking trek to simulate the journey of the three wise men as you follow the star to Bethlehem. This letterbox hybrid geocache is a 1 mile round trip by foot on sidewalks until the last 30 feet of the trek (on grass). During the Advent season, your journey will be assisted by a narrow beam searchlight that reaches between the earth and the sky through December 25th. For the full experience, you are encouraged to seek this cache after sunset while the searchlight and nativity are illuminated. You are also encouraged to travel as a group of three or more in the spirit of the journey that this cache represents. Please read this text to any children in your contingent to help them understand why we give gifts at Christmas time as we celebrate, and to understand why this journey of the wise men was for an event so eagerly anticipated for many generations.
Background of this journey:
This journey actually starts many generations before you, during the Babylonian exile of the Israelites from the Promised Land. As they were removed from the promised land in 597 B.C, many of the ones deemed wise and knowledgeable were placed into the king’s service to help rule the Mede and then the Persian empires, some of them as the king’s personal advisors and governors over the states. You may remember the account of Daniel in the Lion’s Den as he was one of three advisors in charge of the entire kingdom of Darius the Mede. This event would be followed many years later by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being thrown into the furnace during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. Despite attempts by others to remove them, the Israelite governors and advisors to the king were protected by the Lord in miraculous ways each time.
The Journey (2000 years ago, part 1):
It is 3 B.C. and you serve as one of several advisors to the king. Having been taught for many generations on how many years to wait before the Savior would be born, “sixty-two sevens” must pass since the reconstruction of Jerusalem (Daniel chapter 9), and that time is almost complete. Your team is now eagerly awaiting the prophesied sign in the heavens after over 400 years. Now the “Star of the King” (known today as Jupiter) merges with another star, and the conjoined celestial bodies appear to move in the sky in a unique path which signals to you that the Savior is born (or about to be). If you are going to see him and witness the fulfillment of the prophecy, this is the sign and now is the time. We know today that what they observed was retrograde motion caused by the rotation of the Earth at a specific point in the solar orbit, causing what appears as backwards or non-linear motion of some objects in the sky in their visible relationship from the Earth.
Your Journey (present day, part 1):
Assemble your fellow wise men in your kingdom. The former journey of 800 miles (via trade routes) will be represented today by a trek of 800 meters (each way) and is approximately a 1 mile round trip. Around you at the starting locations are various shops and traders that can help prepare you for your journey. Note that you may need warmer clothing and supplies, and what will you take for nourishment and refreshment during this trek? If you are brining a caravan of younger ones along, are they property outfitted and have the ability to rest in compact wheeled animals if needed? Move north from your staging area in heart of Babylon to the trade route that will take you westwards.
The Journey (2000 years ago, part 2):
Traveling westward, following the star moving in the sky, the Bashan gateway (through modern day Jordan) is closer to the direction you want to go, or it may have even lead the group right along the trade route (depending on the stellar retrograde motion as each day progressed). While you know that 800 miles of travel await you to reach the promised land, the star is ultimately your guide. You and your traveling companions have packed sufficient supplies for the journey and gifts to present to the newborn Savior. While history records that three primary gifts are brought, the actual number of wise men and their contingent members is not recorded, and may have been of significant size due to the travel distance and importance of the officials making the journey.
They Journey (present day, part 2):
If you are undertaking this trek after 5:45 pm, keep a watchful eye out for a bright star that is visible at the underside of the cloud layer, shining brightly despite the cloud cover that often obscures the rest of the celestial objects. Continue on past the Resthaven Care Center and continue past the large pools of water, that may or may not be marked with a fountain and flocks of Canadian Geese. Don’t walk directly to the star but instead follow the trade route due West.
The Journey (2000 years ago, part 3):
Upon arriving in the Promised Land, now occupied by the Roman Empire and under the rule of King Herod, the wise men would have been following a star that was now almost directly overhead. While indicating they were close to the completion of their journey, they came to the royal palace in Jerusalem to introduce themselves to the king of this region. Asking of him, “Where is the king, born of the Jews?” a startled Herod would have introduced himself as the king that they sought. Explaining that they were looking for a new born baby who is the king as foretold from the prophecy of old, the secular king would have been unfamiliar with the coming of the Savior, and was also disturbed that this child may be a threat to his rule. Calling for the priests, they would have shared the location to Herod from Micah 5:2 that the baby would be born in Bethlehem. The wise men would have likely have been familiar with that information from the earlier 500 year old prophecy, and were probably going through introductory formalities as they were high-ranking government advisors or rulers and traveling into a neighboring country without advanced notice. Herod likely wanted to keep good political relations with the neighboring empire and thus allowed them unrestricted travel to their destination so long as they reported back to him at the conclusion of their visit, so that he too could visit the newborn king (with ulterior motives). After finding the infant Savior, the wise men gave their gifts and greetings while rejoicing at the fulfillment of the prophecy. A warning from an angel of Lord instructed them to return home via an alternate route and thus delayed Herod’s discovery of the child. This gave Joseph and his family a chance to flee to Egypt and out from the areas within Herod's control until the king's death a few years later, at which time his kingdom would be divided amongst 3 of his sons who had more important issues to address.
Your Journey (present day, part 3),
After passing the pond and fountain, look for the rolling hills to your south for the sheep grazing and the farm animals near a visible stable. Look for a gathering of shepherds and the three wise men traveling in from the Persian Empire. Remain on the path (the grassy ground is soft), and if you are approaching after sunset, walk to a position where you can capture the moment with a beam of light stretching between the heavens and the earth in a position behind the manger. The source of the light is not close by, however it is on the other side of the village as the narrow beam searchlight consumes a massive amount of power. If your visit occurs after December 25st, you may find the star is no longer serving as the birth announcement, and you should expect that within a few days after that, Joseph and Mary will have to flee to Egypt to escape the Roman soldiers that have been sent by Herod. As you enter the rolling hills of Bethlehem, note that only 60 families or so live here during the time of the journey and while a traditional inn does not exist, the local families provide for travelers with rooms within their own homes. Should the residence be filled, a traveler might seek cover from the elements in the family's stable if needed. The 2nd of a group of 5 tall evergreen trees immediately south of the sidewalk holds the family register for guests staying at their house. You and your fellow traveling companions should sign in, note the date and where you are from, and you are welcome to use the stamp provided to mark your visit to this land in your own journal (the ink pad may or may not be present so please bring one if you intend to use it).
This geocache is placed with permission of the property manager of the organization that owns this location. Please be respectful of the community here and the potential other events that may be occurring on site. Please be watchful for any small children while traveling the sidewalk or while searching for the geocache due to proximity to the vehicle roadway. God bless you and your family and loved ones this Christmas and may the joy of the Lord dwell in you and bless you abundantly all year long.