Written By: Kirk
Peterson
LAYERS
See Image Here: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/the_nativity_story_08.jpg
I found it
very interesting studying the 2nd chapter of Matthew this week,
reading about the visitors from the east…the story I have heard so many times
before had come alive to me in a whole new way.
I thought
about how those visitors from the east, wise men from a foreign land, surrendered
everything in their life and journeyed to unknown territory simply to follow a
bright shining star in the night sky—and I was reminded of the great men in
God’s story in the Bible who showed the same level of faith: Abraham- willing to leave his home called
by God to a foreign land & of Joseph-
betrayed by his family and sold to slavery never yielding to the incredible hardships
he faced in his life, always staying faithful to the LORD. How often had I read the nativity story and I
never had seen the amount of faith the three
wise men had- leaving behind their families and lives to travel to a
foreign land, bringing presents of wealth that would most certainly put them in
danger, all for the hope to worship a new born king? How where they even to know if this was the prophecy
they had read about in the birth of the Messiah? I began to think maybe it was all part of God’s
plan to reveal in the birth story of Christ: FAITH through the three wise men, LOVE in
the bonds of parents as they bring a baby into the world and HOPE
from the birth of the promised Messiah coming to save God’s people.
I see God’s
truth, interwoven throughout all the stories written in his bible and I find it
miraculous that no matter how many times I read his word, that He in his mighty
wisdom still breathes new life into His truth to guide me.
Visitors from the East
1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,
during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern
lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We
saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”…9After this
interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east
guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place
where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! (Matthew 2:1, 2,9-10. NLT)
SHINING STAR
How
appropriate is it that God chose a shining star to light the way to Jesus, His
only son? A heavenly body hung in the
night, piercing the darkness and lighting the way to Immanuel (God with us). God The Most High reigns above everything, higher
than even heaven itself, and He chose this star to shine his holy light down to
earth.
Perhaps he
chose this star as a symbol of what was to come with the birth of The Christ…A mysterious
light in the sky representing the promised bridge the LORD was bringing into
the world to provide a way for man here on earth to
repair our relationship with the Shaper of The Universe once and for all time!
5God is more glorious than the moon;
he shines brighter than the stars. (Job 25:5, NLT)
STAR PROPHECY
17I shall see him, but not now: I
shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a
Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and
destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17, NLT)
Many bible
scholars believe that the star that the book of Matthew speaks about is the
fulfillment of prophecy from the Old Testament in Numbers.
LIGHTS IN THE SKY
14Then God said, “Let lights appear in
the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the
seasons, days, and years. 15Let these lights in the sky shine down on the
earth.” And that is what happened. 16God made two great lights—the larger one
to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the
stars. 17God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, 18to govern the
day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it
was good. (Genesis 1:14-17, NLT)
Perhaps God
chose to bring Jesus to his people during the dark of night for a reason? The chosen Son of God and Man was coming to
crush the head of the Enemy and to bring the good news of His gospel to the
world. Jesus is the light
piercing the darkness of this world, acting as a beacon to guide God’s people,
saving all of us from death and raising us to new life, just like the new life
that He was experiencing here in his own birth.
35Jesus replied, “My light will shine
for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness
will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are
going. 36Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will
become children of the light.” (John 12:35-36, NLT)
Jesus came
into our world with the holy light of God shining from above, I hope and pray
that each of you take the light offered in his story of the bible to heart, so
the darkness will not overtake you. Put
your trust in the light of Jesus and know that His love is never ending!
Peace be with
you brothers and sisters.
See "God of Brilliant Lights" by Aaron Shust here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqyLWY1QGyc
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