From Advent to Christmas

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men came to Jerusalem from the East, saying, 'Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?'...They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'"
Matthew 2.1-2, 5-6

As our Advent journey draws to a close and the celebration of Christmas bursts upon us once again, we end up in the little Judean town of Bethlehem. This is the place where the prophet Micah (5.2) told God's people so long ago that they would meet the ruler and shepherd of Israel, Christ the Lord. And still today, we take the metaphorical journey to Bethlehem to meet our Savior and the world's great King.

As you may have noticed, the language of "king" or "ruler" has already appeared 5 times in this post. And that is because the true Christmas story is all about a clash of kings and kingdoms.

In Matthew's narrative, wise men come from the East looking for the true King of Israel. But before they get to him, they are intercepted by king Herod, who was in all reality a false king of the Jews, a usurper, an impostor. Herod was troubled by the news of a newborn king, and so, he consulted the chief priests and scribes to see where Israel's Messiah was to be born. "In Bethlehem of Judea," they replied.

In desperation, Herod was willing to do just about anything to hold on to his power. So he summoned the wise men and sent them to "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him," said Herod, "bring me word, that I too may come and worship him" (Matthew 2.8).

What a lie! Herod's true intention was to kill the child Jesus. Herod was willing to go to the extreme to ensure that Israel's true King was destroyed. This was revealed to Joseph by an angel of the Lord (Matthew 2.13). And that same angel told Mary and Joseph to flee to Egypt with their child, for Herod was about to do the unthinkable.

Herod (a man who was known for killing his own family members and his wife!) used his position of power to kill all of the male children in the region of Bethlehem who were two years old or under.

It may surprise you to hear that this political power struggle is at the heart of the Christmas story in Matthew's gospel. What do we make of this?

Well first off, try to discard your thoughts of a calm, peaceful Christmas scene with a nice little manger.

While Jesus was still an infant, he became a refugee with a bounty on his head. And this fate would follow him all through his life, ending, of course, with a brutal death on a Roman cross - a place where failed revolutionaries often ended up.

But what is even more important for Matthew is that when things are at their darkest, that is when God fulfills his promises. God always comes through in the clutch!

Emanuel, God with us, comes to the place of pain, brokenness, betrayal, and darkness in order to bring us into the light of God's glorious kingdom. Jesus the Messiah and King of Israel comes in Israel's place and accomplishes God's ultimate plan of deliverance. Jesus accomplishes a new exodus for the world - "Out of Egypt I have called my son" (Matthew 2.15).

Jesus, Israel-in-person, has come to accomplish what Israel failed to accomplish. In the darkness of exile, Jesus brings God's light and deliverance. Jesus brings God's saving presence to bear in the world. And Jesus bids us, "Come, experience God's goodness and become agents of change in the world!"

In spite of the odds and in spite of what the rulers of this world promise us, we must always remember that our God is a God who truly does fulfill his promises. In Christ, God's promises never fail us.

Jesus' final word and promise to us in Scripture is this: "I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star...Surely I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22.16, 20).

As we, in this Christmas season, call to mind the person and work of Jesus, and as we prepare ourselves for his coming again, let us make the words of the the old hymn Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come our prayer:

Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.