DREAMS OF CHRISTMAS #3/6
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
DREAMS OF CHRISTMAS #3/6
WISE MEN DREAM OF A DANGEROUS KING
December 9, 2007
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Insurance is available for almost anything these days. I have booked several trips, both business and pleasure, through online services. I am given the chance before completing my purchase of a motel room and/or airline tickets to buy an insurance through which I can receive a refund in case that I cannot complete my travel. Many things could come up requiring someone to cancel travel plans: an illness, a family emergency, natural disaster of some kind. Without the insurance, I agree that I will receive no refund even if I cannot complete the trip. Even though it would be extremely disappointing to pay for a trip I cannot make, I have never purchased the insurance. Fortunately, everything has always worked out, and I have not had to forfeit any of my reservations.
Obviously, a persons travel plans can be suddenly changed these days. There are times when our State Department issues warnings, and even prohibitions, to travelers to, say, the Holy Land during times of conflict or high terrorist activity. I have continued to stay in contact with an Israeli representative at the USO in Haifa, Israel, when I visited there aboard the USS Ponce. Thankfully, he and his family have not suffered any injury during attacks in that region over the recent years, but he has written numerous times about how devastated the local tourist industry has been because of the conflicts there. Even the USO has been shut down for several years; I think that it is still closed. Trips have no doubt been ruined.
Needing to change travel plans is not only a modern phenomenon. The Wise Men had their trip interrupted, not before they started out, but as they were going home. In a dream, the second of five dreams in Matthew's nativity, the Wise Men learn that Herod is a danger to the Christ Child; they are not to return to him with news of where they found the child. They were instructed to go home a different way - a disturbing conclusion to an otherwise joyous journey.
Let's go back to the beginning of their story. The word Matthew uses to identify the Wise Men is magoi or "magi" in some Bibles. Magoi is a reference to a Persian who studied the heavens. Some refer to them as astronomers; others as astrologers or magicians. They were known in their culture as men who could interpret dreams. Matthew tells us that they are from the east where they saw the star. The Wise Men were likely Persian.
This brings in some intriguing observations about this part of the birth of Christ testimony. There are strange circumstances going on here. It is odd that it would be these men who receive the message of a star leading them to a newborn king of the Jews. First, if their occupation was the kind of astrology and magic arts that are condemned in the Bible, it seems that they would not be welcomed. Whats more, they were not Jewish. What interest do they have in the one who has been born king of the Jews?" They seem to have two strikes against them: an ungodly occupation and the wrong religion. Yet they come, believing they will be welcomed, if not by the people, at least by the King they seek.
Then, of course, there's the star. What is that all about? Hardly a Christmas goes by without articles on the star. There will probably be a feature story or two on the news channels. Wait and see. There will likely be at least one theologian and an astronomer interviewed asked to explain the star. What will the astronomer say? He'll probably tell us about the well-known conjunction of the planets Saturn and Jupiter in 7 BC. Since King Herod died in 4 BC, and it would have taken a year or so for the Wise Men to travel from Persia to Jerusalem, that would put it at the right time. So that must be what it was, a conjunction of the planets, the astronomer will tell us.
The theologian might refer us back to the Old Testament and its references to stars in some of the Messianic verses. Numbers 24 contains Balaam's prophecies. Numbers 24:17 18 tells us, I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. This rising royal star would crush its enemies including Edom. Guess where Herod was from? Edom. So, to some theologians the star of Matthew 2 indicates a fulfillment of the prophecy.
It's possible, though, that both are wrong. Ancient astrologers or astronomers knew all about plotting the paths of stars and planets across the night sky. They could recognize Saturn and Jupiter. They could identify a conjunction of the planets when it occurred. This was different. The Wise Men recognized this star as an unusual phenomenon that had never happened before. It does not seem that the natural alignment of some planets would have created the kind of excitement they experienced.
The Old Testament reference sounds plausible, but there remains a significant problem with even that idea. Matthew makes no reference to it. All of the Gospel writers are more than happy to connect the current events they were reporting as fulfilled prophecies. We have to think that if Matthew understood it to be a fulfillment of Balaams prophesy, he would have said so in his narrative. He makes no such reference. That does not absolutely preclude it from being connected to Balaams prophesy, but it seems unlikely in this instance.
Something different was going on. Modern folk, who are always smarter than ancient folk, think of stars and planets as rocky orbs or balls of gas or self-contained nuclear furnaces. But stars and planets were not just physical objects to those in the ancient world. Many thought they were angels or even gods. In fact, John writes about stars being swept out of the sky in Revelation 12:4. The reference is to angels, not the physical stars we can observe with our eyes and telescopes. It is likely that if we ask one of the Wise Men what this star is, he'd tell us it was an angel. We do not know everything there is to know about angels, but we do know that they are messengers. So, what was the message? How would they find it out?
In Persia, as in many parts of the ancient East, there were large communities of exiled Jews living far away from Israel as a result of one of the dispersions. As scholars, the Magi had no doubt studied the learning of the Jews who lived among them. They'd read their sacred writings or heard their sacred stories. From them they would have learned of the promise and hope of a Messiah, a Savior King from the line of David, a king who would rule the whole world in righteousness.
In an age of monarchs who held life and death power over their subjects, in an age when kings ruled with arbitrary cruelty, the idea of a righteous king who was a shepherd of his people and not a butcher was unimaginably wonderful. The Wise Men could easily have seized upon this hope and believed in it for themselves. To them, this beautiful and wholly unique star leading them to Jerusalem could signify only one thing: the promised king. The righteous shepherd-king had been born. Armed with only this faith, they set out, traveling hundreds of miles to the west, to find him.
In our Christmas story tradition, we call these men from the east Wise Men. Maybe they were wise men because they actually asked for directions. Upon reaching Jerusalem, they enquired, Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.
Imagine how surprised they must have been when no one could tell them. Here they were, not only in the land of the Jews, but in the geographic, economic, political, and religious capitol of the Jews, and no one knew what they were talking about! No doubt some of the city residents wondered what these foreigners had been drinking or smoking!
No surprise, then, that Herod got word about it. Hey, King Herod. Want to hear about these foreign fruit loops wandering around town? Theyre asking where they can find some kid who has been born king of the Jews. What a hoot! Herod wouldnt think it a hoot, though. Monarchs took seriously in those days threats to their power, even if the threats sounded outlandish. Herod was familiar with threats, and he did not shrink at all from doing what he thought necessary to retain his throne. By this time, he had already killed his wife, three sons, mother-in-law, uncle, and quite a few others for good measure because, at one time or another, he thought they threatened his throne. What an understatement it is when Matthew says that Herod, on hearing the news of a new king's birth, "was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him."
Herod loses no time. He calls together the chief priests and teachers of the law. From them he learns what the Old Testament prophecies had to say about the birthplace of the Christ. They tell him, of course, "In Bethlehem of Judea." It is interesting to observe that the chief priests and teachers of the law do not get joyfully excited over this turn of events. They know full well that they are hoping for the Messiah, but this little detail that he is actually here seems to slip by them. Their Messiah will be one who comes and overthrows Herod and the Romans and restores the rule of Jerusalem and Israel to the proper lineage of David. The idea of a young child as king of the Jews did not fit their preconceived notions.
After learning what he needs to know from the chief priests and teachers of the law, Herod invites the Wise Men to the palace. He pretends he's delighted to hear about the new king. He wants to know all about the star. He sends the Wise Men off to Bethlehem saying, Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.
The Wise Men, no doubt grateful for this additional information, had no reason to question Herods sincerity. They intended to return to him after their visit and tell Herod what he wanted to know. Off they go to Bethlehem where the star once again appears. This time, it leads them to the precise location they were seeking. Filled with joy, they go inside, they see the child and his mother, and they fall on their knees in worship. They present their gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh, and they leave, planning to stop off at Herods palace on the way out of town.
This is where their travel plans changed. This is where they dream of Christmas. As with the previous dreams we have considered this Advent, this is a far different Christmas dream than ours. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Like the others who had dreams of Christmas, the Wise Men heeded their dream. They obeyed the direction from God and returned a different way. No one cares much for a bad dream, but we are thankful that the Wise Men had this one. They not only followed a star that led them to the Savior, they followed a dream that led them away from Herod. Because of that, you and I have a Savior; one who would grow up to take our place on Calvary's cross, dying for our sins, and rising again that all who believe in him will receive forgiveness and eternal life. All of this just because of Christmas dreams.
Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
PO Box 515
170 W. Broadway
Bunker Hill, IN 46914
765-689-7987
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