Wise Men Still Seek Him

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matt. 2:2)

One of the toughest questions that skeptics like to throw at Christians goes like this, “What about the pygmies in the African bush who’ve never heard of Jesus? Is God going to send them to hell, because of their ignorance? That doesn’t seem right, especially if they are sincerely following their version of God.”

It’s a great question and perhaps you’ve been stumped by it, but the Bible offers a satisfying answer in the Christmas story. But before we get there, there are some important caveats.

First, God has clearly revealed His creative power, wisdom and sovereignty in the creation. Whether looking up to a star-spangled sky (Ps. 19:1) or contemplating the miracle of a newborn baby (Ps. 139), God is not silent. He has spoken through creation, complexity and conscience, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20).

This is called general revelation and what it means is that anyone with common sense can deduce from the beauty and order of creation that there is a Creator.

But, humanity’s problem is that we are lost in sin and our default position is in rebellion against God (Rom. 3:11). In reality, it’s not that some people have not heard about God. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have seen and heard, and instead decide to worship a “god” of their own creation.

However, God is seeking to save the lost. Christmas is positive proof of that. When we could not get to God, God came to us in the most unlikely way – an infant. Jesus was God’s love gift to the world and the way that all nations could be saved (John 14:6).

This is where the magi come into the picture. They were Gentiles from a distant land, presumably Babylon. As stargazers they studied the movements of the constellations and planets. When they saw the unique Bethlehem star, their curiosity got the best of them. They deduced from their knowledge of astronomy and hints from the Scriptures that God was up to something big. And so, they followed the evidence where it led. Across a desert they trekked, until they ended up at Jesus’ doorstep.

This scene tells us a lot about the nearness of God and the lengths He will go to reach us. Acts 17:27 assures us that God is not distant, “we should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Moreover, Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Everyone who truly seeks after God will find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will make Himself known. I wonder, what “stars,” that is – people, events, miracles, blessings – has God sent into your life so you will seek Him? Know that if you are seeking today, it’s only because you have already been sought (John 6:44).

Often, this question is used by skeptics to keep God at a distance. They think God would be unjust by denying an aborigine entry into heaven. But when we stand before God, we will not be judged on the decisions or works of others, we will be held accountable for what WE did with the light and opportunity we were given. Moreover, God is not on trial here. We are, and He’s not subject to fallen notions of justice.

I often pose this simple question, “If it could be proven to you that Christianity is true, then would you repent and change?” Many times, the answer is, “No.” Which proves at least one thing – most people are on a happiness quest, not a truth quest. But for those searching for the truth, then it’s inevitable – they will eventually end up at Jesus’ feet, just like the wise men.

Hoping for a Chance

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matt. 1:21-23)

Earlier this year, the Mega Millions lottery reached a jackpot of over a billion dollars as people everywhere lined up for tickets. After 29 consecutive drawings without a winner, one Chicago couple with the lucky numbers finally stepped forward to claim their prize. They decided to take the lump sum payment of $780.5 million.

A MarketWatch article interviewed one of the lottery officials who said, “The reason this lottery got so big – the third largest in US history – was because people need hope. In a time of inflation and economic stress, the fantasy of becoming super rich is driving more than half of American adults to play the lottery.”

By the way, the chances of winning that lottery were about one shot in 302 million! Regardless of whether you play the lottery or not, like that official said, its clear that people are hungry for hope.

Someone has said that “Hope is the one thing stronger than fear, because a single ray of light can pierce through the deepest darkness.” Hope is faith in the future tense, a passion for what might be possible.

Hope is also a core attribute of the advent season. As you read thru the Christmas story in the Gospels, hope percolates upward, piercing the darkness, danger and death finally culminating in the birth of the Christ child. The Christmas narrative teaches us that hope isn’t an abstract principle, hope is a person!  

The angelic announcement in Joseph’s dream helped him connect the surreal events happing in his life to the ancient prophecies about the coming Messiah. Specifically, Matthew cites Isaiah 7:14, which at that time was a 700-year-old oracle predicting the virgin birth. Malachi was the last OT prophet to speak to the Israelites some 400 years prior to Joe’s dream. It has been 700 years since Isaiah gave his prediction and 400 of those years were complete silence from heaven, so it’s safe to say the Jewish people had given up hope that God’s word was ever going to be fulfilled. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Century after century rolled by without the slightest whisper from God.

God’s promise of the virgin-born Savior wasn’t just on life support, it was practically dead! But here’s the good news of Christmas – when hope in God’s promise was at an all-time low that’s exactly when Christ entered this world. Joseph learned that God is not just a great promise maker, but that he’s a great promise keeper! In fact, this is just one promise out of 300 specific prophecies made in the OT about the first coming of Christ and all were fulfilled right down to the minutest detail!

Talk about odds! Did you know you’ve got a better chance of winning the Mega Millions lottery multiple times than of one man fulfilling hundreds of ancient prophecies? The mathematician Peter Stoner calculated that the chances of one man fulfilling just 48 of these prophecies was one shot in 10 to the 157^th power. That’s a 1 followed by 157 afterward, a number so unfathomable we can’t understand it.

Stoner remarks that physicists tell us there’s about 10 to the 80^th power atoms in the entire universe. So by these numbers you have better shot of hitting a target the size of an atom from across the other end of the universe than you do of fulfilling the Messianic prophecies by chance. The fact that Jesus did all this and more is further proof that He is undoubtedly the unique Son of God.

For those that know Jesus Christ, they are more blessed than a lottery winner. They know the Creator who came to a cradle and went to a cross. Only Jesus can give you a hope beyond this world.  

Where's The Myrrh?

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matt. 2:11)

I heard a cute story about a boy who was playing one of the wise men in his church’s Christmas pageant. The boy only had one line to say when he presented his gift to the baby Jesus. He was supposed to say, “I bring the newborn king the gift of frankincense.” However, this was the boy’s first acting experience, and he was very nervous. Especially, because he had such a hard time saying, “frankincense.”  

Well, the big night of the performance came, and the boy was sweating bullets. He and his two other magi buddies took the stage and knelt before the manger. The moment came for the boy to say his line, but he when he opened his mouth stage fright got the best of him. He couldn’t get his line out, so he just handed his gift over to Jospeh and said, “Here, Frank sent these.”

Anyone familiar with the Christmas story knows about the gifts of the magi. But you may not know that these gifts were not just gestures of good will, they each had prophetic significance.  

Gold was fitting for Jesus’ royalty, as it was the most precious metal on earth in those days. Remember what the wise said to Herod when they first arrived in Jerusalem? “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? (Mat. 2:2).” These men were king-makers and their gift of gold spoke to Jesus royal lineage to David (Is. 11:1-2; Jer. 23:5-6), no wonder this got Herod’s hackles up.  

Frankincense was fitting for Jesus’ deity. This was a costly, beautiful-smelling incense that was used only for the most special of occasions. It was used in the grain offerings at the Tabernacle and Temple (Lev. 2:2, 15–16). How better to honor the God-man than with a gift associated with the priesthood?  

Myrrh was fitting for Jesus’ humanity. This perfume is mentioned often in Scripture, beginning in Genesis (37:25; 43:11). Mixed with wine it was also used as an anesthetic, and later offered to Jesus on the cross (Mark 15:23). When it was mixed with other spices it was used in the preparation of bodies for burial, even Jesus’ body (John 19:39). Imagine bringing embalming fluid to a baby shower today. How strange indeed. But this gift looked ahead to the cross and tomb. This gift recognized that this little baby was born to die as the Savior of mankind. King. Priest. Savior. Each gift spoke to Jesus’ ministry.

But the story doesn’t end there. If you study an obscure prophecy in Isaiah 60 you see some of these same gifts appear again. Here is the promise, “The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, they shall bring gold and frankincense” (60:3, 5-6).

In this oracle, Isaiah is speaking about a future time when the kings of the Gentile nations will flock to Israel to bestow riches upon her and to honor her king. But notice the myrrh is missing. Why is this? Because this prophecy is about Jesus Second Coming. When Christ returns to the earth, every knee will bow and every tongue confess Him to be King of king and Lord of lords (Phil. 2:5-9).

During Jesus’ Millennial reign, He will be worshipped as God and revered as king, but there won’t be any need to bring myrrh. He already died and rose again. He suffered as the Lamb of God, never to suffer the scorn and curse of sin again. “For we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him” (Rom. 6:9).  Hallelujah! What should your response be? Like the wise men we must bow our knee before Christ and offer our wealth, worship, and witness to His service.

The Eve-Mary Connection

 

“In pain you shall bring forth children” (Gen. 3:16).

A few years ago, while scrolling through social media during the Christmas season I came across a stunning piece of artwork which featured Eve and Mary standing face-to-face. The painting conveyed the connection between these two important women and their roles in God’s redemption plan.

A forlorn Eve clutches a forbidden fruit in one hand, while her other hand touches the pregnant belly of Mary. The virgin mother smiles as she reaches out to comfort Eve’s grief. A serpent is coiled around Eve’s leg, while Mary’s foot is planted firmly on its head, signaling the creature’s demise. 

I immediately saved the beautiful image to my phone and began to ponder how Eve and Mary are linked together in ways that never occurred to me before.

First, notice that both women had encounters with angelic beings which changed their lives and all of humanity. Lucifer, the fallen angel who became the devil, came to Eve in the form of a serpent. Through doubt, denial and deception he led Eve into temptation (Gen. 3:1-6). She submitted to the Serpent’s lying words by distrusting God.

On the other hand, the angel Gabriel came to a girl in Nazareth straight from heaven’s throne room. Gabriel told Mary the incredible news that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. She submitted to Gabriel’s life-changing news with faith in God (Luke 1:26-28).

Eve disobeyed God and brought about the curse of sin and death to all. Mary obeyed God and gave birth to the Redeemer who would bear the curse of sin and give life to all (2 Cor. 5:21).

Eve’s firstborn son, Cain, took life and became the first murderer (Gen. 4:8). Mary’s firstborn son, Jesus, gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Eve experienced the shame of sin and lost the joy of walking in God’s presence (Gen. 3:8). Mary experienced abundant joy and even sang about the blessing of Immanuel – God with us (Luke 1:46-56).

Eve clothed her nakedness with fig leaves of works (Gen. 3:7). Meanwhile, Mary clothed her miracle child in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger (Luke 2:7).

Eve was promised multiplied pain in childbirth (Gen. 3:16), while Mary was promised the pain of a sword piercing her heart (Luke 2:35), a prophecy of Simeon looking ahead to the cross of Christ. Eve shed tears at Eden’s tree, while Mary shed tears at the foot of Calvary’s tree where Jesus was crucified.  

These two women are like two sides of the same coin. Eve’s distrust of God led her to reach out and grasp the fruit of the tree, but Mary’s faith resulted in the fruit of her womb being nailed to a tree for the salvation of the world. Thus, there is a scarlet thread of redemption connecting Eden and Bethlehem. Even in the dawning chapters of the Bible, God looked ahead to Christmas and Calvary.

“Mild He lays His glory by / Born that man no more may die / Born to raise the sons of earth / Born to give them second birth”