Day 2| Prophecy Fulfilled

(Continued from yesterday)

…“Of the child that is born,” said Baltasar,

“Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;

For we in the East have seen his star,

And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,

To find and worship the King of the Jews.”

And the people answered, “You ask in vain;

We know of no King but Herod the Great!”

They thought the Wise Men were men insane,

As they spurred their horses across the plain,

Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,

Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,

Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;

And said, “Go down unto Bethlehem,

And bring me tidings of this new king.”       (to be continued)

From “The Three Kings” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, (1905)

In this week of our Advent celebration, we’re focusing on the Wise Men, or Magi.

Yesterday, we tracked the arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem. Their appearance caused quite a stir. A caravan of foreign dignitaries searching for a new king terrified the one who was on the throne. Herod would crush anyone who threatened his power. Yet, though he was violent, Herod was also cagey politician and wanted to use the Magi to locate this threat. At first, he tried to deceive them.

Read

Matthew 2:3-8

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Reflect

At the time of Christ’s birth, the Romans were ruling Israel (called Judaea during this time period.) The Romans allowed some local control of their conquered lands, and appointed rulers who would be loyal to Caesar. Herod had been appointed “king of the Jews” even though he was not in the line of David and was in fact only half-Jewish. Herod’s mother was Jewish, but his father was Idumean, meaning that his line descended from the Edomites who were ancient enemies to the Jews. Though he tried to endear himself to the Jewish people by expanding and restoring the temple to its former glory, most of the Jewish people despised him for his heritage and his cooperation with the Romans.

Though he was a shrewd politician, his position as ruler was under constant threat from others who wanted his power. Herod became paranoid and vicious as he got older. Because he questioned their loyalty and was concerned they were plotting against him, Herod was responsible for the deaths of numerous wives, sons, and others who were close to him. The Magi were likely unaware that by even mentioning the possibility of a new king, they were putting the child’s life in danger.

It was common for kings during this time to take omens seriously. Herod had no problem believing that the Magi had indeed seen a sign that pointed to the Messiah’s arrival. He was upset and agitated by the news that a true son of David could challenge his claim to the throne. He turns to the “chief priests and teachers of the law” to investigate. They inform him that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, a small town not too far from Jerusalem. Herod calculates the probable age of the child, and then the sends the Magi on their way, but insists that they come back and report to him what they find. Lying about his intentions, Herod claims he wishes to worship the child too.

If Herod had been a true worshipper of God, he would have rejoiced in the news that the Messiah had come. Instead, he was threatened. If the high priests and teachers of the law had loved the God they purported to know and serve, they would have accompanied the Magi to welcome and worship the Messiah. Instead they remain indifferent. It is the foreign Magi, who were perhaps ignorant of Scripture who act most like the people of God. They continue on their journey to find the true King of the Jews.

Throughout the centuries since Jesus’ birth, people around the world have reacted to Jesus in the same ways. Some are threatened by a king who has a legitimate claim on their lives. Some, even those who have gone to church and been taught the Bible are indifferent to Jesus’ coming. But sometimes it’s the most unlikely people who have the most sincere and faithful response to the call of God. They want to know Jesus.

Check your own heart. Do you sometimes bristle at God’s authority? Rebellion against God’s rule is an ancient sin that tempts us even though we have so much evidence for God’s love in what he accomplished at Christmas.

Do you take your knowledge of Jesus for granted? Sometimes those of us who’ve grown up in the church are tempted to do so. As you’ve moved through this Advent season, are you allowing yourself to be awed by the glory and wonder of God and his amazing plan to save us?

Take some time to pray over these temptations. Also, this Christmas, let’s give people the opportunity to respond to Jesus for themselves. We may be surprised by the response of some who are excited to know and worship him.