You Were There (10/16/04)
There are a number of perspectives that deserve exploration in this narrative. The first I would like to explore is that of the magi. Here are a group of men, we know not how many, who have traveled many months from foreign lands to see the fulfillment of things they have known about for centuries. Does it trace back to Daniel? To Balaam? The prophecy they will see fulfilled is not for themselves, not for the once-proud empire of Babylon, but for the obscure, oft-subjugated nation of Israel. Yet, so strong is the prophecy, and so familiar to them that they have come to subject themselves to this King.
Imagine their consternation, then, when having come to Jerusalem to greet this King they find that the King's own people are thoroughly unaware of Him! What can this mean? Now, it would seem obvious to them, given the limited knowledge they had, that He would be found in the royal household, perhaps a son of Herod. Or, perhaps Herod's reputation - for he was well known in his time - was such that they would discount that thought. Still, it would seem reasonable that in the capitol there would be those who knew of the fulfillment of prophecy. After all, if they knew it in Babylon, could it really be that the King's own people were unaware? How, then, must they have felt when they found no signs of rejoicing, no signs of recognition at all. Now, we know there were indeed those in Jerusalem who knew the King was come, but they were a remnant, and for the most part obscure.
How odd this must have seemed to them. Finally, there comes an invitation to the palace. Well, surely here is one who knows! But, no! He is seeking information from them! Can it be? Can this people really be so unaware of the signs? True, they had not the training of the Chaldeans. They explain to Herod what it was they had seen, and he is full of questions, seemingly anxious to greet the King himself. Apparently, Herod's reputation was not something they were intimately acquainted with, for they don't seem to note any duplicity. Perhaps their excitement has simply overwhelmed good sense. They have been so anxious to see this King, and here is one they can share their learning with, one who seems as anxious as they to meet Him. So, they share what they know, and in return Herod shares the one bit he now knows. Indeed, he enlists them to seek out this new King that he, too, might declare his subjection! Had they known Herod better, this would have been a flashing danger sign to them, but they are glad of the information they have received and depart immediately to pursue their task.
Imagine, too, the implication of Matthew's narrative. It would seem that they had lost sight of the star that had signaled Jesus' birth. Had they not, they would quite likely have bypassed Jerusalem altogether. But, now, with the news that they are mere hours away from their goal, the star returns. One tradition holds that they had proceeded to Bethlehem and, at a loss as to how they might locate the Child in this town that seemed unaware of Him, had looked down a well and there seen the reflection of the star that had previously guided them. I don't think this was the case, though. First, Bethlehem was a much smaller town than Jerusalem. The noise of the shepherds' visit would not have so quickly been forgotten as the outburst of a few elders in the Temple apparently was. Secondly, Mary and Joseph had, it would seem, stayed with family while they were there. The magi, had they sought Jesus in Bethlehem, would doubtless have learned that the Child and His family had gone on to Nazareth. They would have needed no star to guide them. No, I think they saw the star almost as soon as they were out of Jerusalem. Bethlehem was not that far from the city. I can imagine that God would begin turning their course as soon as they were beyond sight of the city walls.
This, too, must have been cause for amazement for the magi. They had just learned that the Child was to be found in Bethlehem. This was the judgment of the local scholars, who had a far greater body of prophecy to discern the facts from. Yet, having set out for that town, the star that had prompted them to leave their eastern homes had returned to view, and was visibly moving northward! Well! Experience was showing that their own learning in this matter was much better than that of the locals, so who to trust? The star quickly won out. After all, the movement of stars was something they understood quite well. If the stars say go north, then north we go!
It is said that they rejoiced greatly when they saw the star once more. Yes, I imagine they would! They had been traveling for some seven months and it seems quite probable that the majority of that journey had been without benefit of this light to guide them. They had only that initial rising of the star, His star, and their own good sense as guides. They had seen the sign, and beyond that, had had to use their best judgment as to how they should proceed. This had led to little more than frustration here at what should have been the terminus of their journey. What a relief it must have been to have a reliable guide after all this time! Yes, cause for rejoicing, indeed! It may have been confusing to have their guide point in a direction different than their understanding suggested, but they were wise enough not to lean on their own understanding when something greater was available.
Then comes a dream. Perhaps, as with Joseph, that dream had come on the road between Jerusalem and Nazareth, or perhaps it came after they had bowed to the King. Either way, they are once again being spoken to in terms they understand. Dreams and their interpretation were part of the magi's training. The message of the dream makes some things clear that had perhaps been troubling them. Why, for instance, was news of the King received not with rejoicing but with concern? Ah! The king is not anxious to lose his throne! Yes, that would make sense. Indeed, they shall return home by a new path. One suspects they shall return home new men! And we can only imagine what fruit their experience will bear when they get there.
Now, I would like to turn my attention to the Jerusalem Counsel. Herod calls together all the local experts to discuss the import of this visit from the east. They are not unaware of these happenings when they get the call. The whole city has been talking about it. They are not unaware, either, of Herod's jealousy when it comes to the throne of Judea. Interesting to note, here, is that this is a period of history in which the office of high priest had become a political appointment. Herod has called together the chief priests, the current holder of that office, as well as all prior holders of the title. Yet, in these men there was no guarantee of knowledge about Scripture. They were not in office because of their righteousness or their understanding of the things of God. They were in office because they had found favor with Herod and with Rome. No, the scribes must be brought along, too, because they would know the Scriptures. Why, then, bother with the chief priests? Herod knew the quality of men in that office. After all, he had worked to appoint them! I suspect their invitation came for more political reasons. They would be offended if they were not included in the consultation. Furthermore, they were men who would recognize that their own power depended on the good pleasure of Herod, depended on his power. If the scribes, for whatever reason, should prove unwilling to divulge what they knew, perhaps these men could apply their own persuasions to get the information flowing.
I can imagine, also, that in this first counsel, there were already the seeds of the great offense that would prevent them from accepting the Messiah for which they were supposedly waiting. Later, we hear them declaring the impossibility of the very idea that God would send Messiah without first informing them. I think we can be sure that same sense of wounded pride, of the impropriety of hearing of Messiah from these Gentile imposters was present on this occasion. Herod was, after all, no Jew. Neither had he shown any particular interest in the God of the Hebrews until now. Yes, he had financed the reconstruction of the Temple, but these political appointees understood that his actions were not acts of faith, but acts of political expediency. The people may or may not have been fooled by the display, but these were not. They appreciated the benefits of Herod's actions, but they were not fooled by them.
Indeed, for the priests, whose path to power now lay in secular channels, the news brought from the east was a threat more than a promise. The scribes might have known better, but pride was in the way. They would never quite get over the fact that the news was coming from Gentiles while they were caught unawares. Wounded pride would prevent them from pursuing the wise course of the magi. They would not bend the knee to this One because He had not honored them with the right of discovery.
Did they see the star, too? It would seem they must have, but that assumes the star was but an occurrence of nature. If we bear in mind the experience of the shepherds, who found their fields lit up like midday, it might not seem so odd that all Jerusalem did not notice this strange, moving star. The fields around Bethlehem had been so well lit that all was exposed, yet the sheep enfolded in those fields had not been awakened, the people in Bethlehem had not been awakened. It's not clear that even the other shepherds, those not on watch at the time, had been awakened. Well, it was not an earthly light, after all! He whose light can so penetrate the darkness can surely determine what eyes shall see it! He who made the stars, the signs in the heavens, can surely determine who among all His creatures will note those signs! Had that star been something visible to one and all, there would doubtless have been quite a crowd hanging about Joseph's house, but there is no record of this. Yet, that star that attracted no attention in Nazareth was shining like a beacon for these men from the east. Simply amazing.
New Thoughts (10/17/04-10/22/04)
One thing has been really hitting home this morning. It's almost an aside to the story Matthew relates, but it is so important to understand. I see it in the reception of the magi in Jerusalem. The king was troubled by the news they brought, and therefore, all Jerusalem was troubled (Mt 2:3). News that should have been cause for great joy had come, but rather than rejoicing, there was anxious concern. The head was not pleased by the news, and the rest of the body followed where the head was leading. This example plays out in Herod's record in numerous ways. The reaction of the people of Jerusalem is but one of those ways. Like him or not, he was the king. He was in charge, and the people of Israel must necessarily be concerned for his concerns. If he was displeased to hear what the magi said, then it could only spell trouble for the people he ruled.
Herod was notorious for his brutality when it came to establishing and preserving his power. Given the throne of Israel by Roman authorities, he had moved ruthlessly to lay claim to that throne. Given the right of rule over larger territories, he again showed himself skillfully ruthless in establishing that rule. Once established, he showed himself utterly unscrupulous in maintaining his position. All the normal ties of humanity, all the bonds of love and life, were meaningless to him where they posed even a seeming threat to his rule. If his wife was a potential rival for power, she would have to go. If his sons were positioned to take the throne from him, they must be sacrificed to his need. The events that followed on the news learned from these visiting foreigners showed how little he cared for anything other than his own position.
The spread of this poison effected the rest of the leadership of Israel. Since his power held sway over the religious authorities, they were also of a similar mindset, far more concerned with preserving their own prestige and power than they were with the spiritual well-being of the nation. The people, as well, had adopted this spirit of suicidal self-preservation above all else. Jesus, teaching of the kingdom, would explain that those who sought to preserve their life would lose it (Mt 16:25). He spoke of kingdom principles, but the same truth was being lived out in Jerusalem at his birth. Herod's obsession with preserving the life he had built left him bereft of all that makes life tolerable. He had no love. He had no family, although he had children. He had no God. He had none to whom he could turn in trust. They say he had a disease that so distorted his view of the world, but it was his view of the world that was the disease! That poisonous view would lead him to try and take his own life The lust for power, the incessant servicing of his pride became despair, and he died a man hated by his people, ridiculed by those who gave him his power, pitied by those who would read of him in history.
The poison of his life spread to the nation he ruled. He was the head of Israel, and the body of Israel was therefore influenced by his habits. The record shows that he was forever choosing the ways of Rome over the ways of Israel. We might word it this way: he was forever choosing the ways of the world over the ways of God. What was the result? The generation that arose in his reign became something new in Israel - not something good, just something new. This generation, seeing the power that was Herod's and recognizing the means by which he held onto that power, pursued the example he cut. They remained Jewish in appearance, but their lifestyle was wholly Gentile in nature. They perhaps attended Temple on the regular Jewish schedule, but it was an empty exercise for them. The sacrament is an empty thing when taken by those who care not for what it symbolizes. But, the point I want to make here is that in large part, a whole generation was lost because of the head under which it grew.
The danger of bad leadership extends long beyond the reach of the leader. The influence he has had in his brief time will continue to spread its poison long after he departs. One could wonder if the influence Herod had on that generation isn't still felt in Israel to this day. That nation, once proud of its heritage as the people of God, is now largely embarrassed to be associated with Him. The nation set aside to be a peculiar people of God's own choosing is now held to be a secular society by the majority of its people. The seeds of that mindset were lain right here in the courts of Herod. He paid his respects to the Temple, but only to make a better name for himself. He glorified the Temple not to glorify God, but to glorify his own reputation. He had not the slightest care for the things of God except as they might prove useful to his own ends. Again, that same mindset is visible to this day in Israel. Even among those who have no care at all for God, there is still the demand that His established boundaries for the nation should apply. They want the benefits, but preferably without the commitment that goes with it. They want the house without the mortgage.
The nations of the west have largely followed the same road. God has been set aside in favor of world opinion. The righteous life has been cast aside in favor of the 'good' life. No longer willing to be subject to a Higher Authority, western culture has declined to the point where it is no longer willing to be subject to any authority. The government is no longer a tool for the common good, but an annoyance that is only barely tolerated. Indeed, for the most part, if not for the whole, the government has pursued Herod's course. Certainly, in American politics it is visibly so. Governance is no longer about the good of the people. It is all about preserving power through the next vote. It's not about responsible leadership, it's about handouts and favors granted. It's all power seeking to preserve power, and in the end, having sought to preserve life as they would have it, death will result.
Perhaps most sorrowful of all, the poisoned head of the family spread his poison to the family that would follow after him. The lust that ruled Herod would pass on to rule his children. The horribly distorted view of the world that made him not a king but a despot would also be the record of his sons as they ruled after him. These things are written as a lesson for us, as we live out our lives in these latter days. I have seen it in my own household, in myself, and it is cause for godly sorrow. There are traits I have inherited from my father's example in which I can be pleased. There are also many traits that are not so pleasing. There are habits, attitudes, ways of dealing with - or not dealing with - things that I can see clearly that I have learned from him. For the good examples, he has my heartfelt thanks. For the rest, I can only seek my God and Savior for a renewing of the mind. Yet, I know that there is much there that I still battle constantly.
How do I know this? Quite simply because I see it playing out again in my own family. Just last night, my daughter cheerfully acknowledged just how much she was like me. Somebody had commented on the fact that her physical appearance showed such strong resemblance, and she happily announced a litany of characteristics we had in common, as well. It was not music to my ears. "We're both grumpy. We're both silly. We're both hyper." No! It's all too true, as one might expect from the mouth of a child who should know! I don't want this for her! There are other things I would prefer she take from my example, but I must acknowledge that these things are a part of who I have been in her presence.
God! This must not be allowed to continue! The warning is so loud in this passage. Yet, I feel myself powerless to provide a better example. It's so easy to fall back on the simple declaration that I am who I am, and leave it at that. It's so easy to fall for the trap of thinking I am beyond changing, but with You, the concept of impossibility does not apply! You are "I AM!" You came precisely so that I could overcome my earthly inheritance, for You are my inheritance. You came precisely so that I could be transformed, renewed in the image of Your Son. Oh, Father! How greatly I need Your grace, Your transforming power in my life! How desperately I need the change that only You can bring! Redeem me, Lord! Change me into the head You seek me to be in this household. Empower me, Jesus, to set the example that You have set. Have mercy on my child, Gentle Healer, that she might have a better example in me, that she might overcome as she finds in her father an overcomer.
Lord, if this change is not mine in reality, then all this time spent in study is a waste. If I am not overcoming, if I am not being renewed in Your image, then what's the point? I need Your touch. I know I have been asking You of late to reveal the heart that is in me, and You have most assuredly been doing so. God! It's not enough to see the truth, though. I need Your Truth to take what is my flesh and restore it to Your image. I cannot bear being as You have been showing me I am. I cannot accept that I should continue as I am. I would not that the heritage I leave my daughter was a heritage of pride, envy, and lust. I would that the heritage I leave to her by my example is You and You alone. Help me, Holy Spirit, to set that example, to live out a life of righteousness in her sight, that she might know that there truly is a God in heaven, and there truly is a God in the earth, seeking His own, changing lives. Let me be a changed life, God, for Your glory!
The ISBE has this last thing to say about Herod. "The demons of Herod's life were jealousy of power, and suspicion, its necessary companion." This is precisely the topic that Pastor Najem has been teaching on for the last few weeks, the issue of jealousy and its cohort envy. As can be seen in Herod's record, envy is a killer, and the testimony is that envy is a matter of demonic influence. The whole record of the opposition to Jesus' ministry is an in depth account of envy's power. Herod's story is just the first of many that will be told as the Gospels unfold.
In him, envy was already a long-established resident before ever the magi came to town. So powerful was this demon within him that his own family had been sacrificed on its altars. Even in Rome this thing was known about Herod, that none was safe from the power of envy in him. If there was the slightest hint of a possibility that one were a threat to his throne, one was going to find himself or herself dead, regardless of who one might be. It was into this atmosphere that the magi were called. It was because of this atmosphere that their arrival had spelled not hope but trouble. The people were seeing signs, alright, but the interpretation of those signs was a bit different. The simplest fact that can be stated in regard to Herod's powerful envy was that he had no desire to lose his throne, even to its rightful owner.
This is, after all, ever and always the story of power. Power is not anxious to be done away with in any man. The founders of American governance recognized this and labored in the utmost to ensure that power would always have its proper restraints. Had they not done so, we would long since have seen a Herod among our own leaders. The impulse to envious, jealous preservation of power is always present. It's a pervasive issue in the life of mankind.
The same thing would play out among the religious leadership as well, although the effect would not be so immediately felt. Nor was it only Jesus that threatened that seed of envy in the Sanhedrin. I was thinking that perhaps the seeds were planted in this conference held by Herod, by the arrival of the magi. It may be so. This was not, however, the first announcement they had had in regard to Messiah. Zacharias had come from among their ranks. Not much over two years prior, they had been witness to his silence as he came out of the Holy Place. Then had come the amazing prophecy which he pronounced at the birth of his son. This was also recent history, perhaps less than a year before the arrival of these eastern visitors. There was this difference, though. Zacharias was one of them. They could claim vicarious involvement in what had been revealed to him, and thereby preserve their pride.
Now, the pride of the priesthood was already under great pressure because of Roman rule. They no longer controlled themselves. Indeed, the chief ranks of the priesthood had become political appointments. These were no longer men who necessarily feared God, but were instead men who feared other men of power, lest their position be taken from them. There is nothing quite so dangerous as power threatened by power. The scribes had, in this atmosphere, actually gained stature. The power of the priesthood was now in its appointment by others. Because of this, there was a bit of a vacuum at the top when it came to any real understanding of the Scriptures. Into this void stepped the scribes. Here were the advisors to the chief, the ones who knew the text, who had studied the prophecies, and knew (so they said) what those prophecies meant. They, too, had fallen into the power trap. They had achieved notoriety for their knowledge, and now that envy ruled their hearts, they would brook no contradiction to what their own knowledge declared.
Anything that spoke differently than themselves was a threat to their precarious power. Anything that attracted the hearts of the faithful in Israel, if it did not come from the halls of Temple power, became a threat. John preaching in the desert became a threat, because the people responded to his earnest cry for repentance as it never could for the dead, demonically infiltrated teachings of establishment religion. Jesus would prove an even greater threat, because He spoke not only to the needs of the people, but also against the demons that filled the hearts of the religious powers. Powers and principalities. Count envy and jealousy among their number!
Even at His birth, all earthly authority was feeling offense, was feeling threatened. If the true King of Israel was come, what was left for the man who sat upon the throne at His coming? If the true Messiah was come, if prophecy was fulfilled, what was left for the scribes whose prestige lay in interpreting the prophetic vision? Who needs the interpreter when all can see the Meaning standing before them? If the True is come, what was left for those who served the types and shadows? They were doubly threatened, for both their earthly appointer, and their appointed office itself were under siege by heaven's own Son.
All of these men thought themselves seated in places of power. All of them felt their power threatened by the coming of the King. In truth, they had no power at all. The true powers of their position were the vile triumvirate of Jealousy, Envy, and Pride. These principalities sat upon the throne of Jerusalem, upon the High Counsel of the Temple, and in the halls of the scribes. These were the true powers that governed life in Israel, and it was against these powers that Jesus, in His ministry, would wage war. The triumvirate was not keen to lose its throne. They would not go quietly.
An interesting aside comes to me, in this. Do you see the dark mimicry of heavenly Truth in this? There is a Triune God in heaven, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. These three persons of one essence are the True God and the ultimate Source of all life. In Him, the Three in One, is the true Authority from which all earthly authority derives its right of rule. Jealousy, Envy, and Pride are the anti-trinity, if you will. These three seek out power, usurp authority, rule by might rather than right, and in every instance work to produce hearts and minds as corrupt as themselves. In later years, that same imitation of all that is good would be seen in the halls of power in Rome. The demonic triumvirate, unable to find any one vessel corrupt enough to grasp the power they sought would instead take possession of three men, exploit them in combination, and place them on the throne of Roman power as the Triumvirate. See the power of the enemy behind this! He who sought to place himself upon the throne of God, finding himself unable to do so, would seek instead to possess the thrones of man. He who sought to place himself above the Trinity, unable to produce the Tri-Unity of the Godhead (for he can produce only division), settled for producing the Triumvirate. There would be a sharing of power in this cheapened imitation, but it would not be by choice. It would be continually tearing apart as Pride, Envy, and Jealousy battled with each other for primacy.
The fathers of the American system of governance may have had the Triune God in mind as they sought a more perfect form of rule. I would certainly like to think that it was this that guided their thoughts rather than the demonic triumvirate that controlled Rome. And yet… Was it not a republic that was formed? Was this not, then, modeled at least in part upon the Roman example? Whatever its foundation, whether godly or demonic, the present tense of American government appears to have largely fallen into the Triumvirate trap. What was meant to bring balance has brought a tension that does not come so much from trying to preserve the ideals of good governance as it does from trying to preserve power bases. Furthermore, we see those powers vying to take from each other, to erode each others power in an attempt to gain more for themselves. Pride, Envy, and Jealousy are an ever present danger wherever earthly power is found. There is only one Answer to that danger, and that Answer will come only in the prayers of the saints. "Pray for those in authority," Paul writes (1Ti 2:2). After all, all authority is from God (Ro 13:1), and in that sense it can truly be said that we get the government we deserve, if we do not take up our own responsibilities in that regard. Voting is one responsibility, but find a Scripture that says "Vote for those in authority." You won't find it. No, as important as our voting, participatory involvement in our own government is, the admonition Paul delivers is more important still. Pray for them. Pray for them whether you count them friend or enemy. Pray that God would so move the electorate that we don't get the government we deserve, but instead get the government He desires.
All of this is interesting, to be sure, and worthy of our attentive understanding, but the danger of this unholy triumvirate lies much closer to home. It lies within each one of us, and it must be dealt with first and foremost in that place where we are most intimately involved. For, each one of us has his little place of power, his own throne. It is in our human nature, I suppose, that we seek out a throne upon which we can sit, however superficial it may be. We need look no further than our own children to realize that. It is part of the growing process that a child will naturally seek out those aspects of his or her life over which control can be exercised. Having grown up under parental power, there is a natural reaction of the flesh to seize control to oneself, to be one's own person. This is not an altogether bad thing, since it is part of coming into maturity, but left to itself it will become prey to the powers of envy, pride, and jealousy which will surely lead to destruction.
This is the greatest of dangers. The triumvirate of Pride, Envy, and Jealousy left unchecked will eventually cause me to reject God's ways and insist on my own. I must say, as well, that if any man think himself completely free of these three joint evils, he is fooling himself. All men are sinful, none found righteous. That is the testimony of God against mankind. Not one is found righteous among all mankind. At the root of that unrighteousness one inevitably finds at least one member of this trio hard at work. They wear many disguises, pride posing in the clothes of humility, envy in the garb of curious interest. They are all of them adept at mimicking the things God seeks, so that they can continue their work in us without our being concerned. What use is our humility if it's been made a bragging right to us? What use is our service in the house if our serving has led us to be offended at all those who don't serve like we do? What use is our adherence to any Law of God if it has led us to decry the one who hasn't attained to our level? What use is any of this, if it does not bring us back to the Rock of Christ Jesus?
The three who sit upon the throne of my flesh are not going to depart that throne willingly. Even in the face of inevitable defeat they struggle on for dominion. Is it any wonder that Paul cries out in Romans, "I see my flesh at war with my mind, and I am held prisoner by the sin that is in my members. I am a wretch! Who can free me? Who can save me from this living death?" (Ro 7:23-24)? Ah! Paul, how I have heard that same cry in myself of late! Pride has been a struggle for me for how long? Years? A lifetime? Yet, in the here and now, the incredible danger of that abiding sin is being made so much more clear. It's not just a bad habit, it's not just a character trait, it's not just a guy thing, or cultural training. It's an unholy trio sitting upon the throne of my own little kingdom, my own body, seeking with all their unholy might to prevent the Rightful King from taking up His throne there.
Weeks ago, I know I offered up in prayer the dangerous request that God might show me the real condition of my heart, that seat of deceit. Oh, how He has answered! Not only has He revealed this heart of mine to me, but He's made it pretty plain to anybody that's been around me. How it stings! Yet, how thankful I must remain that He will not suffer me to remain blind to myself. How easily I can fall into thinking that I've made all this incredible progress, I've conquered through His mighty power, all the sins that so easily beset, and I now stand before my brothers and sisters as an elder statesmen of righteousness. What utter nonsense, yet it happens all the time! It is practically a part of church training that we should stand in His presence as though we had no cause to bow in His presence, that we should rejoice before Him as though we had no cause for tears. It is hard to rejoice when you've been allowed to see yourself, when you've stood exposed before the eyes of Purity.
God, how it's hurt! Yet, Lord, I'll not regret that prayer, no, and I'll not ask that You stop. Rather, I will add to that prayer, that You would also bring the answer for these things You have revealed to me in me. Yes, and I know that the answer for me is that same answer that was there for Paul: You, my Lord, Jesus the Messiah, my Salvation, my Redeemer. Yet, I am agonized by the daily recognition of failure. How can this be, Lord? How can it be that in mere moments at the workplace, I can forget? How can it be that this human condition remains so much in control, though I turn constantly to You? God, I thank You that Pastor has been speaking to this very issue in the last few weeks. I thank You that You have provided him with words that answer the problem at hand. Help me to take those answers to heart, to administer them to this body as medicine.
There are things I know from Scripture that need to be applied to this problem. There is the absolute reality of Jesus' declaration that 'apart from Me, you can do nothing.' That alone should suffice. There is also that key concept that Pastor spoke of last Sunday, another that I need to have embedded in my spirit. Whatever a man has, he has from God. If he has a greater talent, a greater responsibility, or for that matter, less responsibilities tying him down, what is that to me? It's Gods' business, and God's choice. Shall I really complain to Him about it? If I can but hold to these two concepts, make them matters that do not require constant reminder, but meditate on them constantly throughout the day, they will go a great distance towards curing the sin-sickness of this heart of mine.
If I can do nothing apart from my Jesus, what is left for me to be proud about? In Him I live. In Him I move. If I am moved to serve, it is because He has moved me. If I am moved to worship, it is because He has moved me. If there is a song in my heart, it is because He has put it there. If there is anything good in me at all, it's because He is there. I can take no credit. Pride dies in the recognition that it's all Jesus' work. It is because He is working that I can even come to be willing that He should be working in me. It is because He is working that any good work at all is being accomplished in this body. Indeed, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Ro 7:25a)! Though I still see my flesh serving too often the laws of sin, yet I know that my mind is dedicated to serving God's law. My flesh still wins the action, yet my mind wins the war. For, I know that feeling of remorse that follows swift upon the heels of my foolishness. The error is quick to become evident to my mind, and repentance comes more swiftly still. Yet, it is an agony of the heart that these things have happened at all.
There remains envy when pride has been chased from the halls of power. How grotesque a figure he cuts, demon envy. He can take the beauty of that which was created in God's own image and twist it so that none could bear to look upon it for all its wretchedness. He can take humble service and twist it into angry resentment and bitterness. He can tear down all that our labors have sought to build up. Yes, he whispers constantly in our ears as we seek our place in the order of things. He is the one that whispers to us that the place we have been given to stand is not one of sufficient honor, that we deserve better. His is the voice of the grumbler, that we hear coming from our own mouth. What a shock we are to ourselves! How could I say that? How could that come from me, who loves my Lord? Because there remains an imposter upon the throne of my heart, still clinging to a power that is not his by right.
Holy Spirit, come! These three must not remain any longer in the place that belongs to You. Come chase these thieves out of Your temple. Take up Your throne in this heart of flesh. Lord! Come stand victorious in Your halls, and let no imposter occupy Your rightful place any longer. Show me, Lord, how to truly defeat these enemies of my own life. Cast them out, my God, and let them not return again. Sit, Lord, on Your throne, that this vile trio may no longer have a place in me. Jesus, in You I have my goal, my purpose, my safety, my strength. In You I have all that I need, and nothing that I do not need. Strengthen me, Lord, against these things. Save me from the barbs of envy. Purpose in me, Lord, to serve You alone, to seek You alone, to rest in You alone. If there are to be works that I am to do, let them come from a place of resting in You. If there are things You would have me to accomplish, then let me accomplish them in Your strength, and with Your peace. If there is anything left in my activities that is not according to Your will, help me to cast it aside as a deadly tool of pride. Be swift, my God, to answer!
There is a contrast in this passage between the leaders that the world produces, and the leaders that God produces. Herod was a king. He had sovereign power within the borders of his domain, just as did Caesar from whom his power had devolved. He ruled from a foundation from power, and by power he preserved his rule. He had been given his kingdom by Caesar, yet he had to take that kingdom by force. An unpopular king, he held that power by brute force and cruel cunning.
In contrast to this king comes the promise of Scripture, a Ruler and a Shepherd for the people of God. The Ruler has authority, as does the king, but that authority has come in a different fashion. The king's authority was founded on power. The Ruler's authority is founded in respect. The king demands. The Ruler leads. The king commands, and his command is followed because there is power to punish non-compliance. The Ruler commands, and the command is followed because those commanded love and respect the competent leadership of the Ruler. The king was intended to be the 'support of the people,' but as God had warned Israel from the foundation of the kingdom, his first interest would ever and always be for himself. Power seeks constantly to preserve power.
The Ruler is also declared the Shepherd. This is such an important thing to understand. The Ruler leads, He doesn't lord it over His people. He tends the people, not His own powerbase. He furnishes His people according to their needs, nourishes them with tender care, guides them and guards them through every danger. The Shepherd comes a servant to all who are in His charge.
The difference between a king and a Ruler lies in that Shepherd role. The king follows the world's model, and the Ruler pursues God's model. The king seeks the prestige of power. "It is not to be so with you," Jesus declares to His sheep. "If you want to be great, then be a servant to your fellows. If you want to be number one, become the slave of your every brother" (Mt 20:26-27). That is the example of the Shepherd Ruler. The Shepherd does not rule the sheep by overwhelming force. He does not establish His rule by violence or threats. He establishes His rule by establishing trust. That trust is established by His perfect service to the sheep He would lead. His provision has established His right to be trusted, and the trust of His sheep has proven well-founded time and time again. It is love, His love for His charges shown in His care, and their love for Him who has so tenderly seen to their needs.
Ah, what a sweet theme is His Provision for us! How well, indeed, how perfectly, He has provided for His children. I never cease to be amazed by that care He shows, the arrangements He has made to bring about fulfillment of His purpose in each and every one of us. How could I not fall in love with Him! How could I not be wholly satisfied to follow Him who provides my every need? No, it is not a life of wanton abandonment He leads me to, but a life of purposeful service, of commitment and dedication.
Sweet Shepherd! You have led me beside still waters, where I could drink deeply from Your life-giving stream. You have settled me in pleasant fields, where the bread of Your Word is plentiful, and the fruits of the Spirit abound. Yes, and even in the rough places, such as I have been passing through of late, I know You are with me, a faithful Guide and a powerful Guard. You will lead me through, and You will give answer to the enemies that seek to destroy me. How faithful You were to be my Shepherd when I wouldn't have You! Shall I fear Your unfaithfulness now, when we have become close? Never! In You I will trust all the day long!
Providence is a favorite theme of mine, it is true, and as I look at the magi come to bow down to their King and ours, I am amazed once more at the thread of God's provision that prepares the scene for this story. This is another of those cases where suddenly is revealed all that God has been doing behind the scenes in centuries past. Indeed, it would seem that He had begun preparing these men as far back as the Exodus! Consider first where these magi originated. The best understanding is that the first of the magi were priests of Zoroaster in Persia. These were brought into contact with the Babylonian priesthood, which brought the science of astronomy along with its nonsensical cohort astrology into the skill set of the magi.
Alongside these new skills, there were matters that both Persian and Babylonian were learning from the other people relocated by their respective empires. Sargon had resettled Jews into regions where the magi were prevalent. It is inevitable that they would have heard tales of the Exodus, the proud story of Israel's entry into the promised land. They would doubtless have heard the histories relating how Israel had been victorious over the kings of the land as they came in. Later, the magi come to Babylon, and hear from the Babylonian mystics about their prophet Balaam. This piece falls into place with the stories of the Jewish exiles, and suddenly their stories become of greater interest to these seekers of truth.
Later still, the exiles from Judah arrive in Babylon, with prophets in tow. We know, for instance, that Daniel was not only a prophet of great import to the Jews, but was also prominent in the counsels of government, where he worked alongside members of the class known as the magi. Indeed, his skills were not far removed from their own, and were repeatedly shown to be greater than their own. Bearing that in mind, consider the impact his prophecies must have had on these interpreters of dreams, times, and events! He had, as I said, shown superior skill in his own interpretations, had been able to do what the magi had not in telling the king what his dream had been. He had commanded their respect, and that respect would command that they value his own prophecies. What did those prophecies speak of but the coming of Messiah? They came as confirming words, corroborating the more ancient prophecy of Balaam. They were duly impressed! The search for His star no doubt began in that very time.
Scholars testify to the fact that by the time of Jesus' birth, there was an expectation spread throughout the Middle East that a Great One was to rise from Israel. The magi had known this for centuries, had been awaiting His arrival right alongside the Jews throughout the so-called Silent Years. Centuries of preparation are now seen being fulfilled as the magi come to honor the King of kings as Lord of all.
I also find it a blessed reassurance to note how God reached out to these strangers to His covenant. He did not come to them insisting that they take on the whole of Jewish religion if they wanted to be accepted in His presence. He did not tell them it was hopeless, that they would not be allowed to enter into His courts. No, He spoke to them in the ways most suited to their understanding! They were priests of a false god, yet God spoke through the shards of Truth that remained in that falsehood. He amplified the Truths by which the Lie disguised himself, and His Light began to invade their darkness. He did not require that they burn all their astrological guides. Instead, He used those very tools of darkness to bring them to His Light. He sent no prophet to tell them how far off their beliefs and practices were. He sent a star, and He sent it in a fashion that their learning, however misguided, would recognize the significance of. What a wonderful God we serve! So gentle in correction, so adept in leading us out of our error into His Truth!
Lord, thank You! Thank You that You are so willing to speak to us in terms we understand! Thank You that no degree of learning, nor any lack of learning can prevent us from knowing You when You would be known. It is so awesome, God, to know how you have reached out to those in darkness, even using the very darkness around them to reveal Your light of Truth! To the astrologers, You spoke astrologically, not confirming their practice, but making all things work to the good! To the believers in a false god, You showed Yourself the True God, but not by show of destructive force. No! You simply came to them in the way they expected their god to come, and then led them from their paths of error into paths of Righteousness.
God, it parallels the way You brought me out of my own darkness. You came to this one who thought he served truth in serving logic and reason, and You spoke to me in logical and reasonable terms. You showed Yourself to be the logical, reasonable One, and thereby won my attention. Having won my attention, You have long since won my respect, Wonderful Shepherd, and you have birthed in me a love so great, a love for You, for Your ways, a love that simply thrills to see more and more of the things that You are and the things that You have done! May Your praises ever be on my lips and in my heart!
Who but You, oh God, would step down from the heights of Your glory and make Yourself not only known to man, but understandable to man? Oh! Those who say that You are real, but that You are so beyond us that we cannot even begin to imagine You have never met You! Those who say that You are ambivalent about Your creation, that You created and ran, have not understood You, have not taken time to know You and to recognize Your actions! So intimate You are with Your creation! Such a tender Father, and so able a Teacher! How You have stooped down to bless us, how You have simplified Your perfection of knowledge that You might instruct us in our imperfection! Indeed, who is like You in all the heavens? There is no one!
What is truly astounding as I read the account of Jesus' birth is that these strangers to God's covenant understood the signs of the times, and His own chosen ones did not! Indeed, Israel had borne the message of the prophets for long ages. They knew about Balaam every bit as much as Babylon did. They knew their own prophets, and what their message had been. Yet, who among them was looking for His star? Who among them had even recognized that there was a 'His star'? God who created the stars, knows their number, and calls them all by name (Isa 40:26). God had spoken over His people that a star would rise out of Israel to rule over the nations (Nu 24:17). Yet, God's people had not made the connection.
Now, I could dismiss that, realizing that the rising of His star was a sign particularly suited to these magi from the east, but so many signs were simply exploding onto the scene. A priest struck dumb for a season, only to burst forth in powerful prophecy at the end of the season - a prophecy so clearly and directly related to the advent of Messiah! An aged woman, barren for decades, gives birth, reliving in her own life the example of Sarah, and the birth of her child is the occasion for things so astonishing that the whole region around Jerusalem was talking about it. They were talking about it, yet they did not recognize the signs for what they were. They could only express their wonder, and wonder what it might mean.
Shepherds report a brilliance in the fields of the night, an angelic visitation, and run through the streets in the wee hours of the morning shouting praises, and telling one and all that they have seen the King, but nobody recognizes the truth of it. How can it be? The Redeemer is here, and the response of the redeemed is annoyance at being awakened early from their slumbers! From the mouths of two witnesses the Child is announced in the very courts of His own Temple, and the word is spread to all those who are seeking His arrival, yet all these seekers apparently fail to seek Him out, and the servants in His House don't hear a thing, don't see a thing. Just another baby come to be cleansed. Nothing more.
God help us, lest we fall into the same trap! Keep us ever sensitive to what You are doing here and now. Yes, we must learn from the history You have made, but let us not get so caught up in what You did before that we miss what You are doing right now! Tune us in, Holy Father, to Your purpose in our own day. Put us in position, Holy Spirit, to serve our part in Your plan. Let us be the ones, Lord, to usher in Your kingdom in fullness! Open our eyes to the signs of our own times, the signs of Your return, that we may be found ready, awaiting Your arrival with confident anticipation, and instant in receiving You when You come.
It is one thing to see the signs, and another to recognize them for what they are. It is another thing still to act upon that recognition. The first step requires no more than physical function. The second step requires intelligence. However, intelligence without godly wisdom will not understand the signs correctly. It will recognize the sign as a sign, but cannot deduce the true significance. Only when Godly wisdom has been added to intelligence does the true sense of the sign become apparent to a man. Yet, even this would not be enough to explain the arrival of the magi in Jerusalem.
Consider this. Many saw the star. Indeed, it seems likely that the greater part of those living in the lands of the Middle East saw the star. Only a very few, though, recognized the star as something special. Only a very few recognized the star as a sign. Among these, there were doubtless any number of interpretations as to its significance. It would be surprising to me if even among the magi, with their astrological bent, there were not numerous theories as to what the sign signified. Only a small number of those with the training of the magi recognized the star as being the one of which Balaam had spoken long centuries past. Yet, how many from among those who understood the sign were willing to act on that understanding? How many set out to see this King who was announced by a star? Few indeed. And of these few, how many would persevere through a journey of seven long months without any further sign to guide their way? How many would have continued when in the land of the King it was found that nobody knew Him? I must submit that these magi who came through Jerusalem were men of faith, saving faith. These were men God had chosen to stand amongst His elect. Although they came from such a background, although they had spent a lifetime in learning things God abhors, still, He sovereignly selected them from out of all their fellows, and He bestowed them with the faith that endures.
How do we fare in the same circumstances? Perhaps we have heard some word from the Lord, been given some direction and, having set out, been met with silence along the way. It is very easy to fall prey to doubts on such a journey. It is very easy to let go of faith, to give up and turn aside from our course. We are called to greater things. We are called to hold fast to the word we have been given, to cling to the grace that has been given us, and to do everything in our power to expand upon the word of grace. Our faith must be strong, for we may have to progress for a long time with no further direction than that one word. We must be wise to fully understand what He has told us, wiser yet to pursue it wholeheartedly. We must rely upon the faith that is by grace for the will-power to continue steadfast when all seems doubtful. We must persevere with the confident expectation that when we have done all that He has asked us to do, we will hear Him again, we will see Him. He will never abandon us to wander blindly in the wilderness of sin.
He has given us brains that we might use them in His service. He has given us intelligence to be able to interpret the things He sends by way of direction, and to be able to pursue our course without a constant stream of these directions. But, the brain is captive in rebellious flesh. It will not serve us well without godly training. So often we allow our progress to become paralyzed by prayers seeking direction. I could easily imagine God, Father that He is to us, shaking His head and saying, "Use your brains, child. That's what I gave them to you for!" The prayer for direction ought often be, I dare say, a prayer for unclouded thought, for proper function of the tools God gave us for our guidance. If our prayer for His direction is a thin disguise over an unwillingness to take responsibility for our own choices, can these be good and acceptable in His sight? If we have not done what He already told us to do, can He be greatly pleased to hear us asking yet again what He would like from us?
Faith guides the actions of the mind. Faith holds us to the course, gives us strength to pursue the impossible, gives us wisdom to know how to proceed when no instructions have come. Faith led the magi through the desert when no other sign was available. Faith was their shield against despair when faced with the disappointment that was Jerusalem. Faith brought them through it all to bow before the One they sought. Faith allowed them to bow down to the King, and I have no doubt that faith empowered them to hold fast to this King through all their days.
In contrast to the faithfulness of the magi, Scripture records the actions of the people of Jerusalem, His own chosen people. They had been blind to the signs happening around them, but eventually events began to register on them. At the culmination of Jesus' ministry, it appeared that many were beginning to understand the signs, and to act upon them. More and more were recognizing that the prophecies spoken over Israel through the ages were coming to fulfillment around them. Many acted on this recognition. When Jesus made His entrance into Jerusalem, He was greeted by crowds of people who recognized the sign of His entrance, and greeted it with rejoicing. "Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven! Glory in the highest!" they shouted (Lk 19:38). Yes, they had realized that their true King had come. Or had they?
Mere days later, the King whose triumphant entry they had greeted would be subjected to the cruelest of Roman punishments. He would be flogged near to the point of death. He would be beaten. He would be nailed to a cross and left to hang until the hurt of these previous tortures and the heat of the day had combined to tear the life from Him. Long before His trial was over, the faithlessness of His people would be evident. Throats that had sung blessings at His arrival were now joined in a chorus of 'Crucify Him!' They wanted an ATM King, one who would instantly crush all the oppressors that troubled the nation, and who would glorify His people. They were in no way prepared for the things that followed upon the signs they had understood. Now, all understanding was gone, and there was no faith to sustain them through the difficult spot. In less than a week, this Blessed King they had greeted with their 'hosannas' would be dead upon a tree with a sign above His head reading, "This is the King of the Jews" (Lk 23:38). He would be condemned to a most cursed death, and the same people that had hailed His arrival would as hastily have hailed His destruction.
I want to turn next to the symbolic elements of this passage. I begin with the rising of His star. While astrology may have been a practice particular to the magi, the stars had their symbolic aspect in Jewish thought as well. Quite often, that symbolism had the stars representing a variety of heavenly citizenry, whether angels, or powers, or the Christ. With that in mind, the use of the rising of the star of Christ was not a matter of God giving the nod to the darkened arts of astrology. It was perfectly in keeping with His own character, and it was perfectly tuned to the symbolic understanding of His own people.
The next set of symbols that can be found in this story are the gifts which the magi brought. Each of these gifts is significant in its own right, especially as one considers the life which would unfold in Christ Jesus. First among the gifts offered was gold. What a powerful symbol this is for the Christ! It bespeaks the most precious portion which He is. It bespeaks His nobility, His royalty, declaring Him a most worthy King. In this respect, it declares His office. But, beyond this, it also bespeaks His character: Strong, pure, and incorruptible. These are the very issues of character which made of His death an offering meritorious for our redemption. These are the characteristics of true and sincere faith in God, modeled for us. These are also declarations of His essence. He is life incorruptible, conquering death. He is purity - righteousness, and He graciously imparts to His adopted ones from the infinite store of His own righteousness, providing our wedding clothes that we might come to the heavenly feast unashamedly. He is strong, victorious over every enemy of God, placing them all under His feet, and in His victories, we, too, know victory!
Next comes frankincense, the 'perfect incense.' The great symbolism of frankincense lay in the smoke of its burning. In this was seen the ascending of the peoples' prayers before God, entering into His throne room to present Him with a pleasing scent. It was also a reminder of the pillar of cloud by which Israel had been led through the wilderness. Thus, it at once reminded the people of the presence of their prayers before God, and the presence of God before them. There is added to this the representation of God's holiness in the pure whiteness of frankincense. Thus, the cloud of smoke that came from its burning bespoke the spreading of Gods' Name. Add to this, that in representing acceptable prayers, frankincense also represents acceptable sacrifice. It is the incense offered on the altar for atonement.
In Christ, all of this symbolism would be fulfilled. His life would be given as the acceptable sacrifice, the once for all sacrifice of atonement. He would arise to the clouds as His life was poured out, even as the smoke of the burning incense arose, and in Him, the glory of God's Name would be spread to all the nations of the earth. He is the pillar by which we are guided, day and night, as we wander through the wilderness of this life, forever leading us homeward.
Finally, there is the myrrh. This was part of the oil of anointing, and we see even in this most early of scenes, that Messiah is the Anointed One, the Appointed Redeemer, the King of God's own choosing, the eternal High Priest. Myrrh was for the anointing oil, but it was also for the embalming process. So, we might see that the Christ truly was born to die. It was announced even as He was recognized as the King who would overcome all.
There is also this factor in the combined significance of the myrrh. To serve by His anointing will always be accompanied by death. We cannot serve Him except our own agendas, our own plans and purposes be put away. We cannot arise to new life in Him except we first die to our sinful self. We cannot know His increase except we decrease. As anointed as was the earthly life of Jesus, even He did not enter into the fullness of His anointing until He had died. Death could not hold Him, the source of Life, but it was a necessary ingredient in the oil of anointing that would announce Him our High Priest forever. Let us bear that in mind always, that the anointing we so anxiously seek bears with it our death, and we will never reach that which we seek until we have embraced the death it requires, and received the rebirth of victory which is ours in Christ. Death may come in many ways, but you can be certain that every death we must encounter will involve that triumvirate which has been sitting upon the throne of our lives: Envy, Jealousy, and Pride. These must all be put to death in us if the Prince of Peace, the King of Life is to ascend to the throne that is rightfully His. Until we chase these vile tyrants from the kingdoms of our lives, the true and rightful King cannot rest in us.
As powerful as these gifts are individually, the combined effect of them is more powerful still. Fausset's tells us that the gifts that were offered to the Christ child "were the usual gifts of subject nations." This is what it means to come and worship Him. It's so much more than celebrating His glory. It's so much more than shouting out our 'Hosannas.' All Jerusalem felt the excitement of His presence, but only a very few declared themselves His subjects. All Jerusalem declared Him a King, but only a very few declared Him to be their King, rightful ruler of their own lives.
When the magi came to this Child, Matthew tells us they worshiped Him. Perhaps we are put in mind of our own worship services, hands raised, waiving in the power of His presence. That is not, however, what was happening in Joseph's house that day. No, these men, as soon as they had entered the room in which Jesus was, had fallen to their knees, with their foreheads to the ground. This was the worshipful approach that a subject made to his superior in the east. This was the only appropriate response that one could have to being in the presence of the King. Crawling forward on the knees, head ever respectfully on the floor, they did homage to the King, they would, if permitted - and only if permitted - kiss the hand of this King. It was in this position that they humbly offered their gifts, the gifts of subjected nations. The nations whose subjection they declared were the nations of their own hearts. They were conquered land, already fully under the sway of the King of God's own choosing.
When we come to worship the Lord, we would do well to come with that same level of subjection. We may offer Him our best, yet those offerings on their own are as nothing, are worthless to Him who owns all things. The things we offer are of no great import, what makes all the difference is the offering of ourselves. Sacrifices are not what He requires, but obedience. Slavery is not what He has called us to, but Familial Obedience. As we declare ourselves His humble servants, He in turn declares that we are His delightful children! What an awesome exchange this is! Yet, the life of God's child requires, as every anointing does, the preceding death of the willful child of sin.
Life has come. Let us put to death the deadly will within us and embrace the King of Life! Let us be bowed to Him in the worship that is His due, and let us so bow down in earnest, laying aside every agenda, every sinful habit, in earnest pursuit of His own perfect purpose. Let us take up the weapons of His service and eliminate once and for all, the triple tyrants that have too long held sway in us! In submission is our victory, so let us gladly submit to the Anointed King, the Chosen Redeemer, the Eternal High Priest!
