The end of the beginning.

Epiphany. The Twelfth Day. January 6th.

I have come to the end of an attempt to reflect on a little of the Christmas story every day. What a privilege.

Single words and phrases, as I have leant over them, have jumped off the page.
New learning as sunk into my thoughts as new insights seep into my soul.

I have imagined how Mary must have felt; become better acquainted with Joseph; marvelled with Zechariah and Elizabeth; entered into the simple, harsh world of the shepherds; encountered Herod; journeyed with the wise men.

I have loved these few moments with a tiny portion of Scripture. Now, what next?

Dreams and visions. Again.

Later, when Herod died, God’s angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt: “Up, take the child and his mother and return to Israel. All those out to murder the child are dead.”

Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother, and reentered Israel. When he heard, though, that Archelaus had succeeded his father, Herod, as king in Judea, he was afraid to go there. But then Joseph was directed in a dream to go to the hills of Galilee. On arrival, he settled in the village of Nazareth. This move was a fulfillment of the prophetic words, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 2:19 - 23

Almost back to where this Story began
with Joseph, second player.
He, who often seems a bystander.

This creative carpenter, dream-inspired.
Obedient to God's quiet promptings.
Instrumental in taking Mary to Bethlehem for the birth.

Strong in faith,
in love and care,
in obedience.

How good is God.
Continually guiding, loving his people
to keep His son safe.

God will continually guide and love us
to keep His son safe in our hearts
if we let him.

May God give us
dreams and visions
and may we be obedient to follow.

Terror. Terror did not, in the end, win.

Terror. Not the usual word we associate with the Saviour's birth story.

Herod, when he realized that the scholars had tricked him, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills. (He determined that age from information he’d gotten from the scholars.) That’s when Jeremiah’s sermon was fulfilled:

A sound was heard in Ramah,
weeping and much lament.
Rachel weeping for her children,
Rachel refusing all solace,
Her children gone,
dead and buried.

Matthew 2:16 - 18

God knew. God knew. Foretold hundreds of years before.
How
do we reconcile the Good News with the bad?

Only simple answers
cut it.

God is good.
(He sent us a Saviour.)
Sin is bad.
(Our tendency, without God's help, is to sin.)

So we wait, in the sin-filled meantime, for His Kingdom To Come
in all eternity.
So we wait, in the power of His Spirit in us, for His Kingdom To Come,
to break into our lives in His power,
in the here and now.

Comments, articles, books, libraries
are written about this truth.
Me, I can only
keep it simple.

God is good!

Joseph obeyed.

"Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod’s death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: “I called my son out of Egypt.”

Joseph.
An almost forgotten hero, in spite of his continual presence
in all Nativities,
in muttered oaths of 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph',
in conversations and Biblical narratives.

We know
he was a devout, God-fearing man,
faithful and obedient to the Law.

And here he is again,
faithful to his family,
obedient to God's word.

Joseph,
as his ancestor was,
a dream-discerner.

This time, though,
there was no doubt.
The command was urgent.

'Get up!  Go! Take the child!'

Discernment on its own
is fruitless without obedience.

Wisdom

After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.”

Matthew 2:13

Another dream of warning.
How good is God
to come to us
in dreams and imagination
with life-saving truth
and advice.

I pray
that I will discern God's will
as readily as the wise men,
even when,
especially when,
it comes to me in a dream.

Worship

They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshipped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
Mark 2:11

The gifts.

"They presented unto him gifts - These were presented to him as King of the Jews, because they supposed he was to be a distinguished prince and conqueror. It was customary in the East to show respect for persons of distinction by making presents or offerings of this kind. See Genesis 32:14; Genesis 43:11; 1 Samuel 10:27; 1 Kings 10:2; Psalm 72:10-15. This custom is still common in the East, and it is everywhere there unusual to approach a person of distinguished rank without a valuable present.

Frankincense - Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark, and suffering the gum to flow out. It is highly odoriferous or fragrant when burned, and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God. See Exodus 30:8; Leviticus 16:12. It is found in the East Indies, but chiefly in Arabia; and hence it has been supposed probable that the wise men came from Arabia.

Myrrh - This was also a production of Arabia, and was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. The name denotes bitterness, and was given to it on account of its great bitterness. It was used chiefly in embalming the dead, because it had the property of preserving dead bodies from putrefaction. Compare John 19:39, it was much used in Egypt and in Judea. It was obtained from a thorny tree, which grows 8 or 9 feet high. It was at an early period an article of commerce Genesis 37:25, and was an ingredient of the holy ointment, Exodus 30:23. It was also used as an agreeable perfume, Esther 2:12; Psalm 45:8; Proverbs 7:17. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article of drink. Such a drink was given to our Saviour, when about to be crucified, as a stupefying potion, Mark 15:23; compare Matthew 27:34. The offerings here referred to were made because they were the most valuable which the country of the Magi or wise men produced. They were tokens of respect and homage which they paid to the new-born King of the Jews. They evinced their high regard for him, and their belief that he was to be an illustrious prince; and the fact that their deed is recorded with approbation shows us that we should offer our most valuable possessions, our all, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Wise men came from far to do him homage, and bowed down, and presented their best gifts and offerings. It is right that we give to him also our hearts, our property, our all." (Barnes' notes, Bible.cc)

The wise men brought expensive gifts.
In reality, what can I give
the King of Kings?
I have nothing.

Only a heart.
May I be see the Lord Jesus
and be overcome
in worship.

At last!

"Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!"
Matthew 2:9 - 10

The star appeared again. How had they lost sight of it? Perhaps
it appeared only when Jesus was born, and so,
having read the sacred writings,
they set off to find the new-born king.

How unhappy, to have had to inquire of Herod. Perhaps
he might not have learned of the babe's arrival
and so could have remained ignorant
of this earth-shattering occasion.

But the star led them! This time, perhaps,
they could be sure of where they should go
and so, following, they arrived.
Happy, happy journey's end.

Whaaat!!

A king happy to worship a potential usurper?

Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.”
Matthew 2:7 - 8

Herod arranged. The all-powerful vassal-king of Judah under Rome,
arranged.
Who would deny him?

Master of subterfuge and cruelty, working in secret,
duplicitously pretending
to be a devoted God-seeker.

Sending unsuspecting innocents
on their way, hiding
the blackness of his heart.

The words sounded worshipful.
We, with hindsight wisdom
know the intent to be murderous.

Lord, help us
to speak Your truth in love
only, from pure hearts.

"Then Herod sent a private message to the astrologers, asking them to come to see him; at this meeting he found out from them the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them,  “Go to Bethlehem and search for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him too!”

Where?

"When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified—and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well. Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

They told him, “Bethlehem, Judah territory. The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:

It’s you, Bethlehem, in Judah’s land,
no longer bringing up the rear.
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel.”Micah 5:2, 4
Matthew 2:3 - 6

They knew. These learned men, these Gentiles, knew that the true King of the Jews was born.
They knew the When, for his star had appeared.
They knew the Why: a king would appear to save the Jewish people.
They only needed to know the Where.

So did Herod.
He was terrified he would lose his position when the Messiah King arrived/

Me too.
The King who would tilt the world, turn 'normal' upside down, challenge all for change.

Will I trust Him, pay homage, worship and obey? Put my life, belief, heart in His hands?
Not just once in a lifetime, but times in the everyday always?
Believe in this unusual leader, more humble shepherd than proud royalty?
Step forward into a new Adventure?
Why not do it?
Indeed?

The Searchers

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory— this was during Herod’s kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, “Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We’re on pilgrimage to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1 - 2

A band of scholars.
From one country: or many,
representing a world in need of a Saviour?
Friends: or strangers,
brought together by a communality of learning?

Wise men.
Philosophers, priests, astronomers.
Learned in study.
Experts in soothsaying.

What languages did they speak?
The question they asked was simple.
"Where is the newly born Jewish king?"

The humility of important men
before the birth of One so important.

An occasion so portentous
that they travelled from far.

Dedication

"Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She had been married seven years and a widow for eighty-four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fastings and prayers. At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem."
Luke 2:36 - 38

Anna, the gracious one, whose name means grace, prophesying in a dark world, where God had not spoken to her people for four hundred years...

The gracious one, remaining in prayer, seeking God, listening to His whispers, dedicating her life to His worship.

And then she heard it. Heard Him say: 'This is Him. This is the one. Tell all who are waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem....

'...the freeing of Jerusalem.'

Did she have any inkling of what this 'freeing' really meant?
Not a physical warrior king, a new David, who could put an end to the oppression from the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans...

...no, a NEW Saviour, whose grace reaches far beyond a mere city.

Grace prophesied by Grace.

Story behind The Story.

When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth. There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him."

Luke 2:39 - 40

This little gap, between verses 38 and 39, speaks volumes. Between Bethlehem and Nazareth were several years... it is said that they remained in Bethlehem long enough for the wise men to visit them before they fled to Egypt in front of Herod's murdering soldiers.

Such obedience from Mary and Joseph: fulfilling the law: the circumcision, and naming, affirming again the separation, the setting apart, of the Jews from the Gentiles: and yet this boy was to bring unity to all the world under God;
the giving of the first-born to God, acknowledging that Jesus belonged to God, who gave him life: and how very true this was for THIS boy;
the cleansing of Mary, making her fit once again to worship God in the temple: but of course she worshipped Him in her heart, wherever she was - as she and Joseph would have to do in Egypt.

And once in Nazareth.... Nazareth was home.
There they could settle, surrounded by family
who would help them in bringing up their son.

So he grew, physically strong and spiritually wise.
Emotionally gracious.
Perfect.
Jesus.

Blessing. Blessings.

"When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.

Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or two young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law.

In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:

"God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel."

Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,
'This child marks both the failure and
the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
as God reveals who they really are.'"

Luke 2:21 - 37

Blessed was Simeon
to see the Blessing
for all mankind.

What did Mary think? Why was she surprised?
Did she not already know
how Wonderful was
this Son of hers?

He was, after all, to be called JESUS.
The Saviour.

Ponder. SHOUT!

"Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!"

Luke 2:19 - 20

Again, when Jesus, aged 12, was 'lost' in the temple, Mary 'treasured all these things in her heart'. She kept them to herself until, as an old lady, she confided them to Luke, remembering all things about her dear son.

She would not have forgotten a single detail.
Barnes' notes say:
"A "mother" forgets none of those things which occur respecting her children. Everything they do or suffer - everything that is said of them, is treasured up in her mind; and often she thinks of those things, and anxiously seeks what they may indicate respecting the future character and welfare of her child.

Pondered - Weighed. This is the original meaning of the word "weighed." She kept them; she revolved them; she "weighed" them in her mind, giving to each circumstance its just importance, and anxiously seeking what it might indicate respecting her child.

In her heart - In her mind. She "thought" of these things often and anxiously."
The shepherds, on the other hand, did not forget either. They could NOT keep this amazing event to themselves, and told everyone they could, giving God the glory and the praise. 

Who believed them? Would I? Could I? Or would cold reason, dismissal of 'superstition', disbelief, ignorance, have come creeping in?

God, give me eyes to see You at work in our world
a heart to believe
and a willing will to obey.

Good news!

Good news.

More exciting

than words 

can say.

Compulsion 

to go, to see, 

to tell.

Imagine the stories

these excited men

told, words tumbling

out.

Lord, may I too

have this same

strong conviction

To go to Bethlehem.

See what has happened.

(Find the Child in that

most unlikely of places.)

TELL what has happened.

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."

Luke 2:15 - 18

Do.Not.Fear. It is GOOD news!

"There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

Luke 2:8 - 12

Good news came through a fearful experience.

Who would not have shared the shepherds' terror

at this supernatural, other-worldly, incomprehensible occurrence?
Not just one random angel, either,
but a whole bunch of them. Terrifyingly bright and fearsomely beautiful.

Fear. Of the unknown.

How often do I fear because I do not know?

I do not know the facts.

I do not know how someone feels.

I do not know God loves me so much that I have no need to fear even when I Do Not Know.

Because He loves me.

Look up to heaven.

Hear the angels' joyful message.

Share in the wonder at God's glory.

Experience His peace.

Accept the Gift.

Be not afraid.

Do not fear.

All that is needed

Is Knowledge of the 

One True Saviour.

Accept His Gift.

Arrival.

And how amazing
that this Jesus, this Jew born to people of humble origin
should have his birth registered
in the mighty Roman empire.
Caesar Augustus, thinking he was God
and owned the people, wanting them counted
as he counted his riches, was himself
directed by God.

No disputing that this baby was born
a real human being.
No disputing his parents.
No disputing his birthplace.
No, the mighty Roman empire
had it recorded as truth

ordained by God, who himself
spoke centuries before
of where and how this all would happen.

Luke 2:1 - 7
About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

6-7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

John. Joy beyond hope and expectation.

The Birth of John the Baptist

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

What rejoicing there must have been. Shouting, laughing, crying...
Miraculous intervention. Dreams and hopes fulfilled.
GREAT MERCY.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,  but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

She knew. Zachariah had told her, somehow, in paucity of written words, far removed from his real revelation. Just a skeleton of the truth, the precursor of good news. 

When did he tell her? As soon as he arrived home? When he lay with her in their bed? Or was it when the first signs appeared: the morning sickness, the thickening of her waist... all signs for medical concern for those not with child?

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Sometimes, others think they know better.
But it is only GOD
who knows what is best.
Let us seek HIM for wisdom.

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. Luke 1:57 - 66

And his name?  

His name means 'Yahweh is gracious.'

The Gospels, the Good News, absolutely reek with the Lord's graciousness. How he looks with favour on those who love Him and keep his commandments....

Mary's song.

And Mary said:

46 “My soul glorifies the Lord

I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise. 

I live and breathe God;

if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:  Psalm 34:1 - 2

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Christ Jesus our hope 1 Timothy 1:1
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 1 Timothy 2:3

48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar. Psalm 138:6
From now on all generations will call me blessed,

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”  Luke 11:27
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.

Who is like you, God? Psalm 71:19
holy is his name.

He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

Psalm 111:9
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.

but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:6

But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—

Psalm 103:17
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.

Psalm 98:1
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
Isaiah 40:10

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.

for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful

He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:3
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

The Lord swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne. Psalm 132:11

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[a]meaning one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16

Luke 1:46 - 55

The Message:

"And Mary said,

I’m bursting with God-news;
I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now."

Luke 1:46 - 55

And this is how I feel. Brought down, trodden on, humbled... the only 'out' is to look up in hope....

Disbelief.

"And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.  When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home.  After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.  

“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Luke 1:20 - 25

A warning for our disbelief. 

How often do I not dare to believe that God really, really loves me enough to give me my deepest heart's desire? It may not be now - the timing is his - but He knows what is best.

This best, a son for Zacharias and Elizabeth, was long in coming.

Did they see him come to manhood?

Surely, old as they were, they would be spared the unjust tragedy of his death?

Elizabeth was unaware of his great destiny: “He’ll drink neither wine nor beer. He’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother’s womb. He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics—he’ll get the people ready for God.” 

Only Zachariah.

He returned home with heaven-sent knowledge which he could not share. 

(I wonder -  had they still been making love together, old as they were? Zachariah surely lay with Elizabeth on his return from Jerusalem - was she surprised?)

He could only watch in awe as Elizabeth's stomach slowly swelled

as the child grew in her.

Unbelievable.

Yet nothing is impossible - WITH GOD.

Dare to believe.

Accept His love.

Obey His word.