The Music of Christmas, Day 19

 Serenade

Read Matthew 2:1-9
“Where is he who was born to be king of the Jews? 

For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” – the Magi

The wise men. Iconic and mysterious members of the Christmas cast. These sage travelers from a distant land followed a star, defied a tyrannical king, and stood among the few who recognized the Christ child. What’s even more intriguing is their aid in rescuing Jesus from Herod. They are to the Christmas story what secret agents are to a spy movie!

 

Bible students have wondered and speculated about the origins of this mysterious group of truth seekers. Based on Matthew’s account, the men had been watching for something, or someone, that many in Israel had long forgotten. The shepherds who worshipped Jesus that night received specific instructions from a heavenly chorus. The Easterners, as far as the Bible records, had no such instruction. They came from people who knew of an ancient prophecy and had faithfully waited and watched the sky, generation after generation. But how did they know, specifically, to follow the star? Who told them where it would lead?

 

The only possible answer is found in the Old Testament. Six hundred years before Jesus’ birth, King Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian king of Babylon, invaded Jerusalem and carried hundreds of Jews into captivity. Among those captives were four young men: Daniel, Hananiah, Michael, and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). These four individuals achieved prestige while in captivity, securing significant positions of influence among Babylonian authority. In Daniel 5:11, we discover that Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel “chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers.” In other words, Daniel was the appointed leader of the Magi.

 

Assuming the Easterners who followed the star to Bethlehem were actually Persians hailing from Babylon, it stands to reason that their knowledge of a coming king was handed down from Daniel, a Hebrew. We don’t often associate Daniel with the Christmas story, but maybe we should. This faithful servant who, as a teenager, was forcibly taken by the enemy and then lived his entire life in captivity awaiting a Savior. Daniel’s godly character and integrity set him apart, and as he grew older, he also rose in authority. However, his accomplishments never distracted him from searching for the redemption of his people. Given the character Daniel demonstrated, it seems likely that he “passed the baton” to his protégés -- the elite group of Magi that he led -- in searching for the Messiah.

 

Daniel died having never seen the star. It’s easy to picture Daniel, as long as he had breath, teaching generations of young astrologers to recognize the signs, to pray, and to watch vigilantly for the movement of God. Six hundred years after Daniel’s death, his hope was realized. The Christ had come. Meanwhile, Jewish leaders living in Jerusalem, serving in the temple courts, and well-versed in the prophecy failed to look skyward. Only an old priest and a widow recognized the Christ child within easy reach. (see Luke 2:22-38)

 

We often take the obvious for granted. Christians across the Western Hemisphere have multiple Bibles, likely all gathering dust, while people groups in Asia have no translation in their native tongue. Church goers in America stay home when it rains, while their Chinese and African brothers and sisters gather in secret, many hiding from a tyrannical government. Those of us familiar with the Christmas narrative seem inoculated to its power.

 

What are you doing this Christmas to look up from the busyness and distractions of the season? When is the last time you did a little star gazing? Or praying? Is it possible that those far removed from holiday excess can see Jesus in ways we cannot? If the star had shone directly above our heads, would we have missed it, too? Or maybe, like Daniel, you’ve been patiently waiting, anticipating, gazing toward the heavens, and waiting on God. So, here’s a question for you, faithful watcher: are you inviting the next generation to lift up their heads? Though you may not live to see it, those young star gazers may one day kneel with you at His feet.

 

 

Light of the World,

 

Jesus, You are the Light of the World, shining in the middle of our darkness. 

As the wise men watched the sky and followed the star, may we, 

Your people, turn our eyes toward heaven. 

May we follow Your light to walk the road of faith. 

As Daniel faithfully waited and told younger generations about Your salvation, 

may we be found faithful to point others to the light of Your love. 

Shine on us, Lord Jesus, so that Your Light may shine through us.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 20

 Rejoice and Sing

Read Matthew 2:9-12
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, 

and they fell down and worshiped him.

One year, in an effort to fight the excess of Christmas in America, we decided to limit our children to get three gifts each. Jesus, as far as we know, received only three gifts from the wise men. So, if three was good enough for Him, it was good enough for the Webber kids. This was, in my humble opinion, a brilliant parenting moment. We even had biblical justification for our choice. While we were pleased with the decision, our kids and their grandparents were not.

But we failed to consider the quality and value of those three gifts. Gold was obviously valuable then as it is today, but what about the frankincense and myrrh? Both had a variety of uses in the ancient world—everything from incense and perfume to making sealant for a leaky boat. Myrrh was also used as an embalming fluid. Not exactly the kind of gift you’d expect from a baby shower. 

The pharaoh Hatshepsut, one of the world’s first female heads of state, first brought the myrrh tree to Egypt, centuries before Jesus’ birth, and had cornered the market on this valuable commodity. Frankincense and myrrh traded in the ancient middle east much the way oil does today. And in a world without common currency, travelling with valuable commodities like what the wise men possessed ensured that you could buy and trade with a variety of people, anywhere, anytime. 

While Matthew is specific about the three gifts, he does not specify the number of magi who brought them. With all due respect to the beloved Christmas carol “We Three Kings” there could have been any number of travelers in that caravan to Bethlehem. Rather than focusing on the specifics of the givers, Matthew chose to focus on the gifts laid before the infant king. He may have done this for a few reasons, but one was to emphasize how far these men traveled to worship the King. These truth seekers gave Jesus their most valuable resources. The very assets needed to make the trip were what they left at His feet. It is possible they set out intending to give these as gifts, but it’s also possible they were so overwhelmed by the Son of God that they simply gave the most valuable thing they had – their traveling money. 

Authentic worship and overwhelming joy will do that. A full heart overflows in acts of unexpected and extravagant generosity. Consider the father throwing a lavish party for his prodigal son (Luke 15), or the woman who pours out her life’s savings in the form of oil on Jesus’ feet (John 12), or the widow throwing her last two pennies into the offering plate (Luke 21). These. and many others, demonstrate what can happen when a sincere worshipper finds himself or herself face to face with Jesus. 

These extravagant gifts would also serve a practical purpose. The wise men did not know at the time that, by making this sacrificial offering, they were also underwriting the holy family’s escape to Egypt, the ancient world’s center for trade and commerce, where frankincense and myrrh were the favored commodities. Too often, we underestimate the meaning and expense behind the wise men’s gifts on that first Christmas. Oh, and our feeble attempt to scale down Christmas in our home also failed to recognize the extravagant worth of our Savior. So, a few extra gifts may be under the tree this year.

 

 

Precious Jesus,

 

You are worthy of my very best offering. 

If I were a shepherd, I would surely have brought a lamb.

If I had been a wise man, I would have left my treasure at Your feet. 

Yet, You need none of these gifts. You, in fact, are the Gift and the Giver.

I lay my whole life on the altar before You as a living sacrifice. 

May it be holy and pleasing to You.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.