Dear Friends,
This week we continue our imaginary encounter with one of the shepherds who was present at the first Christmas. Our objective is to breath new life into the characters who adorn our nativities.
“Through the Eyes of a Shepherd – Part 2”
Hello again, Jedediah here. The last time we spoke, I told you how God had blessed me by letting me be part of the first Christmas. Finding Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus in that humble stable was just the beginning of the story. When Jesus was about two years old, Magi, or wise men, came to Judea asking, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Just who were the wise men? Some believe (based on Psalms 72:11, “May all kings fall down before him” ) that they were actually kings from as far away as India or even China. Others believe they were astrologers from either Persia (which is modern day Iran) or Babylon (which is modern day Iraq).
Want to know the real significance of the Magi? This is important. The Magi weren’t even Jews – they were gentiles who had come to worship the King of the Jews. They recognized that Jesus was born a king – not that he would become one – and they realized that he wasn’t just King of the Jews; he is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I wish I could have been there when the Magi presented their gifts: gold symbolizing Jesus kingship on earth, frankincense symbolizing his deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of sacrifice.
Later I learned that King Herod, a ruthless ruler who was overseer of Judea had taken the news of Jesus birth as a threat to his rule and wanted to kill the child. He decided to use the Magi to help him find the young Jesus.
By consulting with the chief priests, herod learned that about 700 years earlier the Prophet Micah had foretold that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Micah had written (5:2): “But you, Bethlehem, in the Land of Judah, Are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, For out of you will come a ruler Who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”
I always liked that verse, particularly the part about Jesus being the shepherd of his people. Take it from me, a shepherd cares for his flock.
if one of my sheep gets lost, I will leave the other ninety-nine and immediately go to find the one that is lost. I have read that Jesus feels the same way about us.
King Herod’s plot was foiled when the Magi were warned in a dream, so they left town by another route rather than returning to King Herod. Joseph was also warned in a dream, so he took Mary and Jesus and escaped to Egypt…
I, Jedediah, could never imagine the miraculous things that Jesus would do. I guess it’s true what the scriptures say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Each time I heard of another miracle, I thought back to that tiny baby I has seen in the manger, and wondered why God had been so gracious as to let me share in the miracle of the birth of His son.
At Christmas time, God gives each of you the opportunity to share in the miracle of Jesus birth. May the lights on the tree remind you of the stars that filled the night sky over Bethlehem. May the gifts remind you of the wise men who came to worship the King, and may the tiny baby in your nativity remind you of the greatest gift of all – Jesus.
Christmas Blessings,
Jedediah the Shepherd
Because He Loves Us Press 