EPHIPHANY

Today is January 6th. It is known as the Feast of the Epiphany, a date celebrating the visitation of a number of “wise-men” from the East, the region around Babylon. We don’t know how many of these men there were, we just that they brought the three gifts that would have traditionally been given when a king was born. Gold was the symbol of royalty, frankincense was the sign of worship, myrrh was the sign of preparation for burial. They had come to “worship” this new-born King of the Jews.

Mary and Joseph were still in Bethlehem and Jesus was nearing two years of age. Joseph was a carpenter/stonemason and, with relatives in town, had apparently set up shop to ply his trade till the boy, Jesus, was old enough to travel. Traveling with a two-year-old even with a car-seat today is a challenge. It was a greater challenge back then. The family was living in a house, we read in Scripture. They were not still residing in the stable.

As a side note, remember that it was only a remnant of the Jews from Babylonian captivity that returned to Israel after Cyrus, the Medo-Persian king, had given them leave to return. Most of the Jews apparently stayed in Babylon after living there for 70 years, establishing Synagogue worship and apparently thriving businesses. There were learned men, often of independent means, though some would have been subsidized by the local Synagogue, who were leaders of these Synagogues. They were called “Wise Ones” “Khakhameem” would be the transliteration from the Hebrew: Wise Ones.

Remember Daniel? He had been in Babylon for 70 years and had been the chief adviser to Babylon’s kings. It is said that he had established a school to train advisers in wisdom and knowledge. He certainly was not discipling others in paganism. Wise Men from the East…they were very likely of mixed Jewish blood and had studied astronomy and mathematics, languages and other sciences. They had to have been wealthy enough to assemble the sizable caravan it would have taken to make the trip to Jerusalem safely. Soldiers, retainers, servants, cooks, people to set up and take down sizable tents, and care for the camels, horses and donkeys; it was a crowd. The caravan of these men was of such a size that all of Jerusalem was in a turmoil when they arrived. I don’t believe they were pagan astrologers, as Satan would have never allowed them the trip.

Astrology is one of the foundations stones of witchcraft and demon worship. These were part-blood Jews from Babylon; only part non-Hebrew. Having the astronomical wisdom to interpret the alignment of planets and stars pointing to a new-born King of the Jews they followed the star. After hearing that Bethlehem was town they were looking for, they headed out. The star had appeared about two years before these men arrived in Jerusalem.

They found Mary and Jesus in the house (Joseph must have been at work) and when they entered into the house, they worshipped Jesus, presenting their extravagant gifts. They were warned in a dream by the Angel of the Lord to not return to Jerusalem and tell King Herod where the Boy was. They went home by another way. The Lord God then told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus and to escape to Egypt because Herod planned to slaughter every boy in Bethlehem two years and younger, which he soon after did, not knowing the Holy Family had already escaped.

God, the Father, had made sure that the “Wise Men” (how many ever there were) provided necessary and sufficient resources for the Holy Family to be provided for until Herod died. God had revealed what He was doing to distant Jewish relations from Babylon to provide for safety and escape of His Son, the Word of God Incarnate, and Jesus’ Mom and earthly Dad.

No detail was too small, no need too great for God to set His plan in motion to redeem humanity. No detail of your life is too insignificant, no need too great for God to meet you where you are with His salvation, with His grace.

Happy Epiphany!

Oh...as a side note, the revelation of God's salvation to the Gentiles took place in The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 10, at the home of a Roman Centurion named Cornelius.