Epilogue:
The excitement and thrill which enveloped Bethlehem, that first Christmas eve, was to be short-lived,
Followed by unimaginable tragedy!
Satan desperately sought to maintain his death grip on the human race, the pinnacle of God’s creation, made “in the image of God.”
Deluded by his pride, Satan foolishly thought to impose his own will over humanity.
Establishing his claim to be “like God” not by creating, but by destroying what God had created.
He cajoled one of his own subjects, Herod,
To carry out his diabolical scheme to kill the prophesied heir to David’s throne.
He hoped that by killing the newborn he could thwart
Once and for all
God’s plan to redeem mankind from his reign of death and terror.
Of course that didn’t happen. Mary, Joseph and the baby were safe in God’s protective care.
Bible Spotlight:
Magi –
We’re not told in Scripture when the Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem.
They could have indeed arrived in time to join shepherds.
While the timing of the Magi’s arrival is not a critical element of the Christmas story;
It seems more plausible they arrived at the time of Christ birth having received the sign of the “Star” of prophesy nine months earlier.
This timeline would not require the Magi to arrive some time later, or even years later, as many Bible scholars suggest.
Baby Jesus –
The birth of Jesus revealed God’s gracious solution for mankind’s sin problem; Exchanging death and condemnation for forgiveness and redemption.
The plan was initiated before creation had even begun.
Our magnificent God, by His own design and character brought hope to humanity through the birth of His Son.
“God’s ways are high above our ways!”
Mary –
Sweet young Mary. Virtuous, poor, and without rank. How could we forget the wonder and mystery of the angel messenger…
“Hail, thou highly favored, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women!”
Chaste. A virgin, engaged to be married to Joseph. Imagine her confusion at the sudden appearance and startling news the angel delivered.
She was to be pregnant … by supernatural means … and her child was to be God’s son … the savior of the world!
Who would believe such a story?
There are many reasons for rational doubt but this is a story of God’s miraculous intervention in the affairs of men, and we marvel at her humility and faith.
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; Be it unto me according to thy word.”
Nevertheless, Mary, more than any other, understood the burden of such a blessing.
In the eyes of the world Jesus had been conceived in sin and she was the only one who knew differently.
Her faith is stunning!
Cousin Elisabeth –
Mary’s cousin Elizabeth was barren for a lifetime.
Suddenly pregnant she was radiant with gratitude for God’s answer to her and her priestly husband Zechariah’s prayers.
Their miracle child grew up to be John the Baptist.
He leaped for joy, in Elizabeths womb, when Mary came to visit. It confirmed the angel Gabriel’s earlier message to Mary, God was about to do something very special and each of them had a role to play.
Joseph –
We are introduced to Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, just after he learns that the beautiful virtuous and beloved young women to whom he is engaged, is pregnant!
He was most certain of one fact:
He was not the father!
How he chose to deal with his initial confusion, disappointment and shame, reveals a lot about his character.
He determines to break off their engagement privately so as to protect his pregnant betrothed.
The angel’s startling salutation“Fear not”
must have jarred Joseph. One can only wonder how his mind reeled at the unfathomable confirmation that the child in Mary’s womb was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Mary had been faithful after all.
Her fantastic tale was true! The child within her womb was God’s own son.
His name was to be “Jesus”…for He would save His people from their sins!
We don’t hear much concerning Joseph after the birth of Jesus, but he had a pivotal role in providing for Mary.
His behavior reveals a man of great integrity.
Shepherds –
The Bethlehem Shepherds settled in for a quiet winter evening. Suddenly the quiet was shattered as angelic hosts hovered in the skies above them.
Night became day and a host of angel voices proclaim a royal birth in nearby Bethlehem instructing them;
“You’ll find the baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
It seems likely that other villagers may have been awakened by the unexpected commotion of the shepherds.
How symbolic that God chose the simple shepherds to witness the birth.
They were the first to witness the birth of the “Great Shepherd”…
The one who would ultimately give His life for lost sheep.
Wise Men (Magi) –
There’s a certain fascination with the account of the Wise Men from “the East.”
The Magi rightly interpreted the appearance of the “Star”as a sign; fulfilling an ancient prophecy given through a prophet of their own people, Balaam.
Many have tried to identify the “star,” with the occurrence of natural phenomena, such as supernovae, star clusters, comets, unusual celestial bodies etc.
It first appeared and inspired the journey of the Magi
but it disappeared long before the Magi arrived in Jerusalem.
Amazingly, as they left Jerusalem that evening after meeting with Herod and the Sanhedrin,
The “star” unexpectedly reappeared to their great joy and excitement.
The star led the Magi directly to the house where Mary, Joseph, and the baby were staying.
The sudden reappearance of the star and its position directly over the house, precludes the possibility of the star being a natural phenomenon.
The “star” which guided the Magi to Bethlehem may not have been an actual star.
It seems more likely that it was an angel messenger from the Lord speaking to Magi in their own language, the language of the stars.
Regardless of its substance,
It was a supernatural sign in the heavens which directed the Magi to distant Bethlehem,
That they too might pay homage to the Messiah, the newborn king.
How ironic that stargazers acting in faith,
Traveled many hundreds of miles from distant lands seeking the Christ child. The ruling powers and religious elites of God’s people, the keepers of the sacred writings,
Could not be bothered to travel the short distance to Bethlehem.
Their lack of faith and indifference caused them to miss the coming of Messiah, the prophesied King, the Savior of the world.
Several facts revealed by the Wise Men have caused many to conclude they arrived in Bethlehem long after the birth of Jesus.
Herod –
This issue is caused by the actions of a major villain in the Christmas story, evil King Herod.
From the account in Matthew, the Wise Men arrived in Jerusalem with great fanfare asking;
“Where is He that is born, King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Herod was troubled “…and all Jerusalem with him…” by the possibility of a rival to his throne.
After consulting with the Jewish scholars he was informed that the Messiah King was prophesied to be born, not in Jerusalem but in Bethlehem of Judea.
Herod instructed the Magi to return to Jerusalem when they have located the new king, so that he too might “worship” Him.
After they left, the Magi were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod.
When they failed to report back, Herod, in a fit of fear and rage, ordered all the children of Bethlehem and surrounding area, two years old and younger be killed.
This was done according to the time in which the Magi had first seen the “star in the East…”
It’s easy to see why many believe the Magi didn’t arrive until sometime after the birth until you consider the “star” didn’t appear at the birth.
It appeared when life began, at conception.
The “star” made its initial appearance to the Wise Men nine months prior to their arrival in Jerusalem;
At the time the angel appeared unto Mary;
With the news that she was to be the mother of God’s son.
Can we doubt the baby growing in Mary’s womb was God’s son from the moment of conception?
The angel told Joseph the baby in Mary’s womb had a name:
“His name shall be Jesus…”
Jesus did not become God’s son at the time of His birth, in the stable in Bethlehem; he was God’s son from the moment of conception.
Herod, had no regard for life.
His own wives and children were murdered at his hand when he felt they could represent a threat to his rule.
He would not have been concerned about “collateral damage.”
Herod increased the horror, and the carnage when he doubled the elapsed time from the star appearance and included the “surrounding area” to his order to kill the children.
The excess was to insure the rival king would not survive his purge.
Some believe the Magi arrived after the birth, because in the Matthew account, the Magi found the “young child” in a “house” instead of the stable.
The term translated “young child” could also be translated “newborn.”
It’s possible Mary, Joseph and the baby were moved from the stable, attached to the inn, in response to the shepherds appearances and stories of angelic messengers.
The timeline for the arrival of the Magi impacts a number of important issues:
The Wise Men present at the time of birth, like the shepherds, would be a confirmation of the miraculous significance of the birth itself.
The practical provision of the financial resources provided by the gifts of the Magi would have been used for the flight to Egypt and escape from Herod.
Perhaps most importantly the “star” appearing at conception reflects God’s view:
Life begins at conception. It would provide ample time for the Magi to make the journey to Bethlehem in time for the birth.
Conclusion:
The Magi’s First Christmas is a retelling of the Christmas story by combining the Biblical accounts in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels, with the relevant prophecies throughout scripture, into a single story.
The goal has been to be faithful to the Biblical facts that are known, while filling in the gaps, in story form, with what might have been.
Matthew and Luke present different elements of the story of Christ’s birth, from different vantage points.
The two accounts are often separated by an extended period of time with the Magi arriving some time after the angelic announcements and shepherds visits at the stable.
This may or may not be accurate, but it is not necessary.
The time gap between the birth and arrival of the Magi, is attributed to Herod’s question to the Magi:
“What time did the star first appear?”
Herod used the information when he gave the order to kill all the babies two years old and younger.
I’ve offered another explanation for scope of Herod’s order.
The star, first appeared to the Magi at the time Mary conceived, nine months prior to the arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem.
Mary’s nine month gestation period, plus the elapsed time for Herod to realize the Magi were not going to return, provided the basis for his order.
This period of time likely represented something less then one year.
Herod’s ruthless determination to destroy the perceived threat caused him to double the elapsed time and order to kill all male children two years old and younger.
The story of Christ’s birth is amazing and inspiring. God’s son, born of the virgin Mary, was not only God but was fully human.
He was in all ways tempted as we are, yet lived a sinless life. He became man for the sole purpose of offering Himself as a sacrifice to satisfy Father God’s righteous requirement for payment of sin’s penalty.
This truth will transform you, if you are willing to acknowledge your need of a savior.
Jesus, now at the right hand of the Father in heaven offers himself as your advocate. His sacrifice is to pay your debt. Accept His gracious offer:
