"But the light for which the world is waiting is a new light, the glory that shall rise out of patient and triumphant suffering. And the kingdom which is to be established forever is a new kingdom, the royalty of perfect and unconquerable love."
Henry Van Dyke, The Other Wiseman
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| Photo by Sergey Zhesterev on Unsplash |
Kings and strongmen tend to do their power moves at night. It's not that they couldn't raid, pillage and overwhelm their enemies in the daylight, but somehow the fact that everyone wakes up to a new reality in the morning seems to legitimize their actions. And so many nights down through the ages (and even in our present day) are filled with violence and intrigue.
Herod oversaw many violent nights. He was well schooled in the art of both political and armed maneuvering. After Julius Caesar's death, Herod played sides against each other, maneuvered through a Parthian (a Kingdom located in modern day Iran) take-over, picked the wrong side when he aligned with Anthony and then ingratiated himself with Augustus. He married into the rival ruler's, the Hasmonean Kings, family and then eventually deposed them. He even went as far as to kill his own family members, including the wife he married for advantage. Finally he was "King of the Jews."
And it was from that comfortable seat of power that Herod heard the words of the Magi, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." It is no wonder that he was "disturbed." He had spent years grasping at power to secure that title. Now eastern nobility (they might have even been Parthian) were showing up asking about a different king. He likely panicked and started planning how he could fend off this next threat.
In the midst of the intrigue, the answers came fairly easily. The teachers and priests were able to tell Herod exactly where the King of the Jews would be born and Herod hatched a plan to use these eastern visitors to his advantage. Instead of racing to Bethlehem, why not deputize the Magi in secret to find this new threat and then deal with it surgically? He hoped to eliminate the threat before anyone else even had a chance to consider the new claim.
We don't know what the Magi thought about Herod's secret request for information. All we know is that they believed him and God affirmed Herod's information with a new sighting of the star. That star led them to Jesus and they were able to worship the true King of the Jews and the Savior of the World.
Today is Epiphany (January 6th is also called Three Kings Day or Día de los Reyes in Spanish). It is the day we celebrate how God revealed the birth of His Son to the wider world, as evidenced by the Magi's visit. It marks the end of Christmas with the 12th Day of Christmas being on January 5th. It is the megaphone that takes what others might have considered a small side event in a little corner of the world and announces its importance to a world in desperate need of hope.
Part of it also happened at night, when the star was visible. But unlike the world's rulers who sneak around at night to hide their evil planning, God reframed night around the light of the star. The star became one of the most powerful images we have of hope in the midst of evil and sin. On the night that the wisemen saw the Star of Bethlehem, all the intrigue and unknown slipped away and the night was transformed.
God is in the business of transformation and renewal. Whatever we naturally use for selfish and harmful purposes, God is planning to reframe for honorable purposes. The intrigue of the night was transformed into a stage for God's glory.
Psalm 2 says it well:
"Why are the nations so angry?
Why do the waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
the rulers plot together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.
"Let us break their chains," they cry,
"and free ourselves from slavery to God."
But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
terrifying them with his fierce fury.
For the Lord declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne
in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain."
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