In Hope of the Fulfillment and in Thanks for the Message of the Wise Men
Good Morning Friends,
Ok, Herod and his constituents and the magi had one thing in common… they were all recipients of the “epiphany” we will celebrate in a little over a week. You see, neither the magi nor Herod had the full story alone. Religious insiders and religious outsiders, apparently needed each other in order fully to understand the manifestation of God’s truth in Christ. And when they received it…taking the best of science and scripture they reacted very differently to the enlightenment. Herod had innocent children slaughtered in his attempt to destroy the Christ child but the magi honored and protected the child. And no the magi do not belong at the manger scene and maybe they were not three of them like the song… but today as we contemplate the reason and purpose of the gifts they bring to honor the young baby Jesus… and their rather disturbing symbolism… we also ponder the revelation of God and the message in the givers. It is here I have a post-Christmas wish that we might be In Hope of the Fulfillment and in Thanks for the Message of the Wise Men.
Scripture: Bottom of Form
60Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. 5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice,* because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Isaiah 60: 1-6 (NRSV)
2In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men* from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,* and have come to pay him homage.’ 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah* was to be born. 5They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd* my people Israel.” ‘7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men* and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ 9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,* until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped,* they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Matthew 2: 1-12 (NRSV)
Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:48 (KJV)
Message: On my coffee table I have a book of Impressionist painters work. Up close the brush strokes are just specks of light and dark that produce nothing recognizable. Only when one steps back can one gain perspective and see how things are to fit together. So too with the story of the magi. Only then in proper perspective do the confusing mix of events come into focus revealing the masterpiece God is creating. Only then is hope born anew as on that starry night when the wise men opened their gifts for the baby Jesus. Since the early days of Christianity, Biblical scholars and theologians have offered varying interpretations of the meaning and significance of the gold, frankincense and myrrh that the magi presented to Jesus. Gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. But they seem odd for a baby shower. The Book of Isaiah, when describing Jerusalem’s glorious restoration, tells of nations and kings who will come and bring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. But Matthew tells of three gifts and today we imagine they were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself—gold representing his kingship, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh a prefiguring of his death—an interpretation made popular in the well-known Christmas carol “We Three Kings.” But friends, let us leave that aside for perhaps even more important than the meaning of the gifts is the story of the givers. We know they came from the East, and therefor they were likely Gentiles, not Jews. Legend has their names as Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, but those names were offered up by a fifth-century Greek manuscript and later immortalized by Longfellow, not by Matthew. Interestingly Mary who treasured the words of the shepherds, is recorded as saying nothing about these gifts or the givers. Still the message comes through that God has a way of working outside the Jewish religious establishment as well as within it. Apparently no one has the corner on God’s truth. When God’s Messiah, God’s Son, comes into the world, that singular manifestation of truth and love and goodness is not limited by narrow human boundaries. Though influenced by Jews, God is meant to be available to all people. The sign of the star is a sign to be seen by all.
Pray that we submit to the hand of the greatest Artist of all. Pray we repent so that God can use us to help turn the lights of love on for others. Pray we encourage our children to become wise in the things of God. Pray we count our days that we may gain a wise heart. Pray that we seek wise counsel. Pray we learn that being hospitable is wise because there is a blessing and gift that God intends us to receive when we give.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 