Matthew 2 - Where is He that is Born King of the Jews?

The birth of the Messiah was a long prophesied event, and the wise men were spiritually guided to recognize it and seek the Christ. But when they came to Jerusalem why did they seek Christ's location by going to Herod? Were the wise men naive in thinking Israel would have noticed the signs? Did they realize that "Herod ... [would be] troubled and all Jerusalem with him" when they arrived and proclaimed Christ's birth? Herod and the Jews had missed the signs and the wise men's arrival and pronouncement was a slap in the face. Herod scrambled to consult his Chief Priests and Scribes to give them a location, and pressed the wise men to tell him the time the star appeared. Surely the wise men did not know the man they were dealing with and the evil intentions that were forming in his heart. But the Lord enlightened them, as he will enlighten and protect us all in our quest to find Christ in our lives and share him with others. Perhaps notifying Herod was a mistake, or perhaps it was part of a grand design to spread the word in all Israel that Christ had been born. The consequences of using this channel were dire, but perhaps in the wake of Herod's destruction needed humility was born and people became more open to receiving the Savior.