The Christmas rush is over – and we are now comfortably in the new year. Janet and I made the decision to store our decorations right after Christmas this year as Janet is facing some surgery later this month. We are getting ready for all the MRI’s, scans and x-rays before the procedure that will hopefully alleviate much of the back pain that she has been suffering from for more than a year now. And, I have been under the weather for the past several weeks and wanted to make sure I am rested for my role as one of Janet’s caregivers as she recovers.
However, we still have one more event to recognize in our Christian walk before the season is really officially over. That is Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, on which we traditionally celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men to visit the baby Jesus. Epiphany is January 6th, Tuesday of the coming week, and many people keep their holiday decorations up until Epiphany as a tribute to the journey of the Wise Men to worship the baby Jesus. There isn’t too much in the Scripture about this event, although we sing Christmas carols and were taught the story of the Wise Men when we were children.
In all honesty, there are several things that may not be historically accurate when we study the Bible and compare that to what we were taught in our early years. Theologians have surmised that there could have been as many as 300 or more Wise Men who made the trek to see the newborn King of the Jews. Now these travelers, who were not really kings as we think of the term, were more like astrologers, astronomers and magicians. They, more than likely, were highly educated for the day, and they turned to the sky and studied the stars as a way to divine what would happen.
With this understanding of where these Magi put their faith and their trust, it makes perfect sense that God would appeal to them through the heavens – placing a star in the sky to lead them on their journey to visit the Christ child. As we all know, God is capable of getting His message across and is unlimited in the resources He has available to accomplish His purposes.
We also are told that the baby Jesus was born in a stable and the Scripture tells us that when the Wise Men arrived, they visited Jesus in a house! What’s that all about? Theologians believe that some of the Magi came from great distances and it could have taken them a year or more to arrive in the presence of the Christ child. Of course, they would have travelled to Jerusalem first and had their encounter with Herod. Then, they continued on following the star to their destination. By this time, Joseph could very well have moved his family out of harm’s way so the Magi may never have visited Jesus in the location where He was born in Bethlehem.
The fact that Herod ordered the death of all boys younger than two years old would seem to support this idea that it took time for the Magi to arrive on the scene, bearing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts for Jesus recognized the divine roles of Jesus. Gold represents His kingship and royalty. Frankincense his divinity and priesthood (it was used in worship, and probably referred to the role of Jesus as the ultimate High Priest) – and Myrrh (used for embalming) foreshadows His humanity, suffering, and sacrificial death, recognizing His roles as King, God and Savior.
Our verse for tonight is from the Gospel of Matthew, where we learn about the Wise Men. Matthew, in the second chapter of his Gospel, tells us what happens after the Magi heard about the birth of Jesus and were sent on a mission by Herod. Matthew tells us, in Matthew 2:9-11, “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
My encouragement this evening is that God uses unusual methods to achieve His goals. Consider the Wise Men visiting Jesus, the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields and so many other miraculous occurrences in the pages of the Bible. My prayer is that we will all be open to God using us to accomplish His purposes during 2026! His plans are infinitely better than whatever we were planning for ourselves. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…