They Bowed Down and Worshiped … A Baby!?
It’s Christmas. We are all busy with family, church, shopping, and parties. Most of you won’t have time to read this post. But, scroll down to the bottom and listen to the Youtube video. You will be blessed by the 10-year old autistic girl singing alternative lyrics to ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen. These lyrics were written by a Christian band. And then read the post (just kidding).
The Magi are the most mysterious participants in the Christmas story. Who are these guys? Why are they part of Matthew’s story of the birth of Jesus at all? They seem so random. And what do they have to do with me?
They are called the Magi in the NIV and the wise men in the NKJV. Magi in Greek means sorcerer, magician, or wizard. No one knows where they came from, but historians speculate that they came from Persia, India, or maybe even Central Asia. Wherever they came from, it was to the east of Bethlehem, and they were following a star.
The star suggests these guys were familiar with astronomy/ astrology. The Western Medieval narrative says there were 3, hence the song, written in 1857, “We three kings of Orient are”. Other traditions suggest up to 12. Again, no one knows for sure. The consensus of the historians I checked out is that they were not kings, but knowledgable, distinguished, wealthy Magi or a type of high priest from one of those places mentioned to the East.
They obviously journeyed a long distance over some incredibly difficult and hostile terrain, traveling for a year or more. And why? Probably because God, who they did not worship or know (some today consider them ‘magicians’ — from the word Magi — who worshiped the occult), commanded them to go find the King of the Jews, and gave them a star to guide them at night. And they went, bearing expensive gifts, leaving behind their work, their families, and their familiar lives of privilege and comfort. What did they think when finally, after all that time, danger and hardship, they arrived at the ‘house’ (because they didn’t find Jesus in the manger, but in a house probably when Jesus was between the ages of 6 months and 2 years), to find that the ‘King’ was a baby (or toddler) and his parents poor common people?
Matthew tells us they “fell down” or “bowed down”, a sign of great respect and even veneration due a king, and worshiped this baby! How did they know? These were Priests, possibly Zoroastrians from Persia, not Christians. God chose them and told them: “Go (and they went! ) to the place I will show you. There you will find the King. Give Him your gifts of gold (a symbol of kingship); frankincense (a symbol of deity); and myrrh (a symbol of death)”. In that moment, when they looked upon Jesus for the first time, their hearts had to have been supernaturally transformed; the men who left that house were likely profoundly different from the ones who had entered a few minutes before. That’s it? A few minutes with baby Jesus after at least a year of travel across the Arabian peninsula? Yes, that is all the time God needed. They probably stayed for tea and a meal (or in that culture where hospitality is expected, a month); and then they left, never to be seen again.
Their journey, adoration of the baby Jesus, and, I believe, their transformation, was miraculous.
Warned by God, they traveled back to their home, but by a different route. They wouldn’t have used this word, but I believe they traveled home as Christians, carrying the news of this King and His Kingdom wherever they went. Perhaps they were the first real believers and evangelists.
Their story reminds me of two other men: Abraham and myself. As you know, hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, God commanded another man — Abram, later Abraham — to “leave his country, his people, and his father’s household, and go”. Like the Magi, Abram came from the east. Like the Magi, Abram probably worshiped local gods. That he dropped everything and set off for a distant and unknown place because of a revelation from an unknown God, is also a powerful miracle, one that will be mimicked by the Magi.
Abram traveled to the Promised Land (or what would become the Promised Land). The Magi traveled to the Promised One, who would lead His people into the ultimate Promised Land — the Kingdom of God. And the One who brought this KIngdom arose out of a branch of the former.
Then there is me. Looking back on my journey to Christ, I see I had some things in common with Abraham and the Magi. When I began the journey to the Messiah I was also worshiping other gods. They were powerful gods — all related to self. I had a long and difficult spiritual and emotional journey. I didn’t have a star, but in hindsight I did have a guardian angel. And, when finally I was brought face-to-face with Jesus, I also fell down and worshiped. That falling down (which was figurative, not literal — but still real) was a ‘line in the sand’ separating the old life of slavery from the new life of freedom. And it happened in an instant.
With time, I came to see that I brought gifts to Jesus, just like the Magi. At the time I didn’t think they were of much value. But over the years I have come to see that what I offered Jesus was very precious to Him. I gave Him my heart, my soul, and my strength. Three gifts — all that I had to offer. I gave them imperfectly to be honest — I would give them and then take them back, or at least try to, over and over again until finally I let go, mostly.
God did not force me to give these gifts to Jesus. I gave them freely because that is the heart of worship.
For me, the call to the Magi, Abraham, and me; our journeys, and our common destination are what Christmas is all about. It is about God calling us out of darkness — and for some, deep darkness, guiding us with light into the light, and then graciously allowing us freely to give Him the gift of our lives. It is a time of joyous celebration, recognition of the goodness, grace, and power of our Father and His Son; a story of redemption, and the promise of restoration — now and in the future.
Even today the story of the Magi is being repeated millions of times each year in the same part of the world. Men and women living in darkness are seeing a great light, taking incredibly perilous spiritual and cultural journeys, and arriving at the same destination as the Magi — into the arms of an incredible savior, who entered this world small and helpless. Like me, they too offer Jesus their gifts — but unlike me their gift is too often their mortal lives or at least the loss of everything and everyone they know and love. But, to them the price is worth the gift — it is real!
The Magi are more than random guys carrying gifts to Jesus and then departing to disappear into the mists of history. They are a symbol of the power of God to pull all of us out of the darkest places, lead us through difficult and painful circumstances, and bring us into the presence of a Savior who will change our lives forever. Even if He shows up as a baby.
Merry Christmas, friends
John
Is there one word that expresses our love, gratitude, and praise for God who entered our world as a baby to save us? It might be halleujah!