Returned by another route

“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2:12)

 

Today is Christmas the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Those who appeared on the history of the first Christmas were Herod the king, Magi from the East, high priests, and scribes, etc. Certain people among them were used as the tools of Satan, who obstructed or persecuted against the Jesus’ birth, differently to those, and there were persons to celebrate and worship for the Birth. Herod tempted an insidious way to interfere with Jesus’ birth, but God got his unjust intentions to be useless. For no matter how good man’s wisdom and skill is, it cannot dare to exceed God’s power. The Magi presented gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts to Jesus the baby. And the role of guiding them there was played by a star in the sky.

 

The Magi arrived in Jerusalem asked around where the king of the Jews was born. When Herod the king heard the news, and there was a commotion throughout Jerusalem. The king of Judea is Herod himself, and he must have felt anxious and threatened because of the news another king of Judea appeared. The desire for power calls even murder regardless relationships in parents-children or brothers. Bible says Jesus was born as the king of the Jew, and yet Jew here means the people of God not bodily Jew. That moreover refers to the people who were saved by Christ. Herod was not a man who believed in and relied on God, so he would not have known the facts and meaning of the birth of Jesus. The anxiety Herod has is a same thing commonly as that of everyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus. Thus, to eliminate the fundamental anxiety of life, everyone must believe in Christ.

 

It is not possible to know in detail on what the identity of the Magi who came to see the baby Jesus is. The record about the Magi from the East is only in the Gospel of Matthew, even it is not mentioned the exact number of them. However, it can be only inferred that they are three persons because they have brought three gifts. There’s a view that they written as the Magi(μάγοι, Wise Men) from the East are kings, but their identities are not clear anyway. But it’s definite in record that they came follow the star from afar and worshiped the birth of Jesus. The birth of Jesus is not a peripheral event confined to the land of Judea, but a great news of joy toward the whole world. Even a star the lifeless thing was used as a tool for Christ’s gospel as a creature of God. Moreover, would it be really desirable if the Spirit of all things, made in the image of God does not praise the Lord of salvation?

 

It is so big an evil act what behaving as a guide who does against Christ as a tool of Satan, let alone praise for God. One of such bad people was Herod the Edomites. He was crowned king of Judea by the Roman emperor Octavian in 37 BC. He was a schemer, but as a dictator, he killed even his wife and children for his own position. When he heard the news of the birth of Jesus, he was preoccupied with sinning again in order to kill the baby. Whichever sin anyone has committed, sin continues to produce sin. The most foolish and pitiable thing is to become the servant of sin. If we do not remain in the salvation of Jesus Christ, anybody may be a servant of sin. Speaking in conclusion, not believing in Jesus is the greatest sin.

 

No matter where you live, no matter what kind of person you are, we should know to give the offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Lord, just like the Magi from the East offered to Him. Let’s try hard to go on living in Christ with unchanging faith, like gold the unchanging treasure. And let’s give God the offering of a fragrant life, just like incense. Also let us give eternal treasure to the Lord that does not rot, as like the myrrh works not to make decay. Anyone can do that, even if they don’t have property. If we are in the grace of salvation looking at Christ’s cross, we can give gold, incense, and myrrh as gifts to the Lord, like the Magi offered gifts to Jesus. Certain people think wrong that they can worship the Lord only if they have money in the pocket. If we cannot worship Jesus in the faith, who was born for the salvation of life, we can never please God even if we have much money.

 

Herod tried to kill the baby Jesus by deceiving the Magi from the East, but God did not allow him to do it. God accomplishes everything only according to His own will, even if people plan. We shouldn’t think of revenge on others. Do not have a mind judging the injustice of the other, but only make an effort to live along God’s holy way. Then, just as the Magi went home safely through another path by received the direction of angel, our lives will be guided by the Lord.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on Dec 25th 2022)