(Excerpt from Cheryl Gnagey's Advent Devotional, "Jesus, Light of the World," for preparing to light the fourth Advent Candle, the Wise Men candle.)
Matthew 2: 12-18
"Now that the Magi had seen the Christ Child, had worshiped Him, and had given Him their greatest treasures, they understood that it had been God who had orchestrated their journey and this meeting. God had spoken to them through the Scriptures and the prophecies, through the sign of the star, and through seeing the Savior as the fulfillment of the journey God led them to make. But now, this was something new. God had never before spoken to them in this manner. Yes, God had clearly spoken to them in a dream, warning them not to return to King Herod! Leaving Bethlehem, they chose to listen to God and heed His warning, so they returned to their own country, but they did not return by the same path on which they traveled when they were following the star. Instead, they chose to walk in the Light!
But King Herod refused to accept the Light for who He was. He chose to remain in the darkness of his sin, jealousy, and bitterness. Herod believed that he had been tricked by the Magi when they did not return to Him, as he had requested of them, and report to him the exact location of the Christ Child. It appeared that way as he muttered to himself in the darkness of his own making, but in the light, it is clear that it was God who would not allow Herod to discover the whereabouts of Jesus.
Evil poured out of King Herod. He became so enraged at the course of events, so threatened by this Child King, that he committed the unthinkable. He recalled from his conversation with the Magi the approximate time that the star had appeared to them in the eastern sky. He took that information and ordered his men to go to Bethlehem and its surrounding area and kill every male child who was declared to be two years old and younger. They carried out his wishes to the letter and left in their wake so great a mourning and weeping that our finite minds could never completely imagine it. Herod's evil and dark plan was intended to snuff out the flame of the Light of the world before others could catch on to His fire. This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah concerning the event of the birth of Christ (Jeremiah 31:15). But God had other plans for His Son. Before the decree went forth from Herod, He had spoken to Joseph in a dream to warn him as well. Joseph was told by God to take Mary and Jesus to safety in Egypt because Herod was going to search for the Child with the intent to destroy Him (Matthew 2:13). Joseph was complicit, and he immediately and wisely chose to obey the warning of God. Joseph and Mary, with baby Jesus in her arms, quickly packed up and left for Egypt, where they remained until God called them out, when Herod died and it was safe for them to return home.
God still speaks to those who will listen. He used the Magi in His eternal plan for the gospel to go forth. They were a part of His divine purposes. And today, so are we! As we continue to attempt to be faithful to spread the Light of Jesus in our dark and lost world, there will surely be opposition to overcome. The darkness will always be looking for opportunities to extinguish the Light. So we must be constantly connected to God and His word, listening to the directions that He gives us, so that the Light that we have to share will not be snuffed out.
Pray for divine appointments from God in which you can share Christ with others. Pray for protection over the words that you will speak, so that they might not be overcome by the evil one. Listen to the warnings and directions God is giving you. Obey in faith all that He asks and directs you to do. Those who can be called 'wise men' today are those who know the voice of God and who are willing to be intimately connected to Him and His purposes so that the gospel of Light can be shared with those who are trapped in the darkness of the evil one. Who knows how many might say, 'I have seen the Light!' because of your willingness to share Him with them!"
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