Matthew 2

Here we see the theme of providence.  Divine protection.   Let's not be fooled into thinking that God cared more about Jesus than He does about us.  God is pure love, and He loves all of us as children,  How He expresses love for Jesus is how He expresses love for us all.    God wants to protect us from evil, that's why He guides us.   In fact, that's the reason for the Bible....to guide and protect us.

Joseph heard from God in a dream, which is a common Old Testament way to hear from the Lord.   That's not to say God doesn't work the same way today, He does.   It seems less common now, perhaps because we have the Holy Spirit living in and among us, which they did not.   It is probable that we hear from God much more often than they did.

Hearing from God is one thing, but what you do with it is another.  Joseph demonstrates that he was the right man for the job when he obeys immediately.   Immediate obedience prevents many problems.   For instance:  I watched a TV show once about a "super spy" who was helping a common citizen avoid capture in a busy mall.   He told him when to turn, when to walk quickly, even when to tie his shoe.  The citizen didn't say "my shoe doesn't need to be tied" or "I want to walk in a different direction".  Because he obeyed immediately, he was always in the blind spot of the men who were looking for him.   Any disobedience would have allowed him to be seen.      I think of that illustration when I think of Joseph.   God simply makes him "invisible" to those who are looking for him.
The lesson for us here is to obey immediately, regardless of what God asks.

I have often heard that the gifts of the wise men were so valuable that they sustained Mary into her old age, and made up for the fact that Joseph was no longer around and able to provide for her.   If that's the case, then why did Joseph pick Nazareth as his new home?   Nathanael (the disciple) snorts at the idea that anything good could come from Nazareth.  It must have been a relatively poor area.   If Joseph had money and chose to live in Nazareth anyway, he was even smarter than I suspected.   But maybe the gifts of the Magi didn't last a lifetime, they wouldn't have to...God could provide for his loved ones at any time.

The wise men (probably astrologers) were likely from Iran, Iraq or Turkey.  But they could have been from Arabia or even further away...maybe India.   No one knows for sure.   There are traditions that assign three names to men who lived around Turkey...but they are just traditions, no solid facts.

These men illustrate worship better than we realize at first.   They are seekers, who aren't afraid to journey  (all of our Christian lives are a journey).  They plan ahead to provide a gift, but before they offer that, they fall to their knees and worship.  And before any of that they are telling others about the king they hope to find.....and certainly they shared their success on the way back home, and with others at home.    Sacrifice, planning, transparent worship, testimony, humility, joy, fellowship....just a few of the wonderful parts of worship that the wise men model.

Then there is the idea of WHO Jesus came to reach.   In the same way that God incorporates women into His story, He includes gentiles from the very beginning.  Men who weren't part of the sacred line are some of the first to recognize and worship Him.   Certainly from this event we can see that Jesus came to reach and save all men, not just the Jews.

This isn't an account to be read only at Christmas, but anytime we want to be encouraged and motivated to greater intimacy with our Savior!


PR