Weekly Reflections for Feb 1, 2015:
Talking God: Questions Thinking People Ask Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage”… there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Monday–January 6th is called Epiphany. Epiphany was actually more important than Christmas in the early church. The word itself means “manifestation” and the day, the twelfth day of Christmas, was set aside to remember the manifestation of God’s son to the Magi. In honor of this day Christians would exchange small gifts, symbolic of the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that the Magi brought to Christ. It was also tradition that the manger scenes were finally completed on this day with the addition of the wise men. Read Matthew 2:1-23. Matthew’s gospel was written for Jews, and Jewish Christians, to demonstrate that Jesus was the Messiah. Yet at the very beginning of this gospel the first to come and worship Jesus are foreign non-Jews. Matthew included this story most intentionally to make a point. Why do you think Matthew felt it important to include this story? Note that Herod, who claimed to be the king of the Jews, who claimed to be a follower of Judaism, is killing babies, while the priests of another faith have come to honor Jesus. What do you learn about God from this entire chapter?
Tuesday – Before leaving behind the story of the wise men, let’s take a look at the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in this story. Read Isaiah 60:1-6. It was from reading verse three that the tradition developed that the Magi were kings, hence the carol, “We Three Kings” and their traditional portrayal. But the Magi in Matthew’s gospel were not kings, but perhaps the emissaries of kings. Notice two of the three gifts of the wise men are mentioned in verse six. All of chapter sixty is a promise given to the Israelites who had returned from exile to find their homeland laid waste – it is a promise of a future day of glory for the nation. Yet some of the imagery, metaphorical though it is, could not be fulfilled except in the second coming of Christ. Read Isaiah 60:19-22. Now notice how Revelation picks up this theme regarding the second coming of Christ as you Read Revelation 22:5 and 21:2-4. How are these words of promise meant to affect us as we live our lives in anticipation of their fulfillment? How do they speak to us when we are facing tragedy or difficulty or pain?
Wednesday– Unlike the other prophetic books, which are collections of sayings of the prophets, in Jonah the prophetic message is the story itself – like the parables that Jesus tells in order to teach about the Kingdom of God. The book itself likely was written during a time when the Israelites were becoming more and more intolerant of people of other faiths and ethnicities. Some believe this happened after the Jews returned from exile and “circled the wagons” in order to remain pure from contact with non-Jews. Jonah himself lived in the eighth century. Recall that Assyria was modern day Iraq. Let’s read this story as we look for God’s perspective and work with people of other faiths. Read Jonah 1. What do we learn about Jonah, who was a believer? What do we learn about the sailors who were not believers? Do you ever resist doing what God is calling you to do? Rededicate your heart and life to pursuing his will as you pray.
Thursday and Friday – Read Jonah 2-4. The book is in part about being obedient to God. It is in part about being willing to bear God’s light to others. But it is also, in part, a picture of God’s concern for those who are non-believers and those who worship other gods. Read Jonah 4:11 again – what do we learn about God’s heart from this passage?