EPIPHANY – January 6 – ALL KINGS DAY

I have come to the end of my commitment to write in my blog through the Christmas season. 

Today is Epiphany. I have no idea why it has that name! It is best known as All King's Day - or in Spanish Dia de Los Reyes - the day set aside to celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men from the East. They were astrologers who watched the stars and one night in the night sky they discovered a new star - a special star that somehow they knew to be the star of a new king, and they followed the star. It has never occurred to me before this morning that when they set out on their journey they had no idea how long the journey would be - they were just compelled to follow, curious to know where it would lead them and determined to honor this new king. 

Ultimately it led them first to Jerusalem - where they asked Herod where the newborn King of the Jews was so they could worship him. Herod summoned the wise men to meet with him privately, and asked them when the star had appeared. That was very important information for him to know. He lied about wanting to go worship him, too. 

After the astrologers left Herod, the star led them to Bethlehem - and it stopped right over the house where the young child was living! 

There is sooooo much to wonder about! How many men were there in this entourage? How long did the trip take? Did others join them as they traveled and pointed out the phenomenon? Precisely where were they from? How did they know this was the star of a King, and particularly the King of the Jews? And what compelled them to follow it? What kind of star was this - that could lead them, and could hover over the specific location where the young child was living when they arrived?

It was an "epiphany" for me when I first paid attention that they visited Joseph, Mary, and Yeshua in a house. The astrologers were not there at Jesus’ birth. There were no camels "from the East" and their riders beside the manger - but the star that arose at his birth was what led them to the house where the little family was living. The astrologers were certainly anticipating finding this baby King, but I have to assume Mary and Joseph didn't know they were coming. We are not given any information that would lead us to that conclusion. 

The wisemen went into the house - and brought expensive gifts - and worshipped the little boy who would grow up to save ALL people who were willing to accept God's offer of salvation. Then, being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they left to go back home via a different route than they had come. 

That night, after the astrologers left the house, and Mary & Joseph had fallen asleep, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take the child and Mary and flee to Egypt, for Herod was about to search for the child to destroy him.

And Herod did try. He was absolutely furious that the astrologers didn't come back and report to him precisely where he would find this child who was to be king so he could kill him, but since he had learned from them when the star first appeared, he had every little boy age 2 and under killed to "be sure" he killed this one who was to become king. That is the heartbreaking part of the story.  

Another epiphany was when I realized that the way this family managed financially to flee to Egypt and survive there until after Herod died, was those expensive gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh were all costly, and valuable as items to sell to get what they needed. God met their needs in an incredible way. 

While we celebrate the arrival of the multiple 'kings, wisemen, astrologers' (as they are alternately referenced) we celebrate most of all the One who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and get to marvel at the miracles of protection that surrounded him. 

The Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 3

Friday, Day 3:  Matthew 2                            

Matthew doesn’t tell us why or how Joseph and Mary got from Nazareth to Bethlehem; doesn’t tell about their going from inn to inn trying to find room, and finally being given a spot in the stable with the animals; doesn’t tell us about the shepherds in the field and the myriad of angels who appeared to them, doesn’t tell us about the shepherds coming to see the baby in the manger.  Nothing about Jesus at all between the resolution of His conception and when he was about 2 years old!   Nope!  Matthew jumps straight from telling us about Joseph getting on board with the impending birth to the visit of the wise men.  He is ticking off the prophecies and letting us know succinctly and clearly that Jesus fulfilled them all. 

When Herod inquired of the chief priests and scribes where the Christ was to be born Matthew 2:5 & 6 records their response: 

They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:  “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” (ESV)

Sneaky Herod pretended to want to go worship this newborn phenomenon, when in fact he purposed to kill him. 

The wise men did indeed find Jesus in a house in Bethlehem, a toddler by then it would appear, and they fell down and worshipped him, then gave him expensive gifts – gifts that upon being sold would provide all the financial support needed for he and his family to thrive while in Egypt, where they were sent that very night when an angel appeared to Joseph again in a dream and told him to take his little family and flee immediately…and they did. 

And, in one of the saddest parts of the narrative, in Herod’s fury and fervor to kill the young promised ‘king’ he feared being a threat to his monarchy, he had all the little boys 2 years old and younger murdered, fulfilling yet another prophecy:

Matthew 2:18

“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

I am visual, and that part of the story elicits absolute agony when I read it and imagine the horror and resulting grief. 

Just a few years later, after Herod died, Joseph was visited by an angel again in a dream, and this time the angel sent them back to Israel.   But because Herod’s son was the new ruler, Joseph went back to Nazareth, not Bethlehem, even though it meant Joseph and Mary would have to face the risk of being judged by people in their community who knew she was pregnant before she was married.  Going back to their hometown fulfilled another prophecy:  that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene.

Humor for today:

My middle daughter decided to institute a new plan for their household.  She didn’t want there to be any more raised voices.  The increased volume just leads to more drama – and she wanted to train her kids to learn to listen the first time a direction was given instead of ignoring her until she raised her voice…  So – just a couple of days after the wonderful new plan was adopted, her eldest daughter, who had refined arguing to an art form, pushed too far too long, and my daughter raised her voice. 

Immediately her 3-year-old piped up and said, “Mommy, I could pray with you right now that Jesus would take that yucky sin away from you.” 

Postscript:

I  absolutely must add a current postscript to today's blog entry.  I had the privilege and blessing of attending the Washington State Governor's Prayer Breakfast this morning.  On the way to the 7 a m gathering, I prayed for a Divine Appointment.  God provided that, as well as excellent inspiring speakers and a special added treat of getting a selfie with Tyler Lockett.  I came home energized and full of joy!