Christmas Prophecies | Seeing the Light
The wise men and the star fit into a prophetic thread about seeing the light from four perspectives that lead us to worship God: (1) the power of light, (2) the knowledge of light, (3) the guidance of light, and (4) the life of light. This sermon is part 4 of Bryan Craddock’s “Christmas Prophecies” series.
The Bible does not record the time of year at which Jesus was born. The Orthodox Church celebrates it on January 7. Some claim that the Western Church selected December 25 to co-opt a Roman pagan festival tied to the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. It is hard to say for certain whether that was the original motivation, but it did play out that way.
It may seem fitting to us to associate his coming with the dark days of winter. But Bethlehem sits at 31 degrees north latitude, the same level as the middle of Texas, so it is not as cold or dark as most of the United States or Europe. Of course, December 25 falls in summertime for the world’s southern hemisphere. Christmas is sunny and warm there. So, there is no reason to connect the birth of Jesus with the solstice.
Whatever the actual date was, however, the theme of darkness and light is a key part of the story that ties into one more prophetic thread. We find it in the star mentioned in Matthew 2:1-2. Matthew tells us,
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."
These verses raise a lot of questions. Who were these wise men? How many of them were there? Where in the east did they come from? What was this star? Was it something natural like a comet or the convergence of two planets or was it supernatural? Did it appear on the day of Jesus’ birth or sometime beforehand? Was it visible to everyone else? If so, what did they think about it? Why did these men take it as a sign of the birth of a Jewish king? Why did they feel compelled to come and worship him?
There are no definitive answers. We can make informed guesses, but perhaps those details are not really significant. If they were, Matthew would have included them. Instead, we need to see this story in the overall context of the Bible. The wise men and the star fit into a prophetic thread about seeing the light from four perspectives that lead us to worship God.
The Power of Light
One of the Bible’s strangest stories includes a talking donkey. According to Numbers 22, its master was a man from Mesopotamia named Balaam who practiced divination. The people of Israel were preparing to conquer the land of Canaan, so the Moabites who lived there went and hired Balaam to come and curse Israel. Balaam could not see that the angel of the Lord was blocking his path, but his donkey saw, tried to turn aside, and then just laid down. When Balaam began to strike it, the Lord opened its mouth to speak.
This odd miracle was an object lesson for Balaam about the Lord’s power. Later when he tried to curse Israel, the Lord took control of his mouth to bless them instead. It happened multiple times, and his final message refers to a star. Numbers 24:17 tells us that he said,
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
The mention of a scepter connects this pronouncement to the prophetic thread of kingship that we have already considered. This ruler will shatter Moab and other nations that Balaam lists in the verses that follow. He will reign in power. So, you might assume that the star is nothing more than a symbol of kingship. But perhaps it was meant to be taken literally as a sign that a diviner like Balaam would recognize in the night sky.
Did the wise men of Matthew 2 know this prophecy? They lived around 14 centuries later, but they were from the east. In Greek, they are called magi. Did they practice divination? Was that why they were paying attention to the stars? It would certainly make sense.
Might there have even been some kind of historical connection between them and Balaam? Perhaps, but their response to the Lord is entirely different from his. According to Revelation 2:14, Balaam advised the Moabites to draw the people of Israel into immorality and idolatry so that God would curse them. The magi, on the other hand, came to worship Jesus. So, they must have known more than Balaam’s oracle of destruction. On its own it would prompt fear rather than joy.
No other Old Testament prophecies mention a star in conjunction with kingly power. But King David speaks of finding strength to overcome his enemies in the Lord’s light. In Psalm 18:28-29, he says,
For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.
David might have considered God to be the source of his physical strength. But I think that his mention of light suggests that he is speaking of spiritual strength. The Lord’s light gave him courage to be brave in dark times. In Psalm 27:1, he says,
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
We don’t know whether the magi were familiar with these psalms, but their journey from the east and their refusal to cooperate with King Herod may suggest some degree of faith. As New Testament believers, we can certainly find strength and confidence from God’s power in our darkest times. As Paul says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” We can trust that he is sovereign, wise, and good. So, in those moments when it feels like the darkness is closing in, look to the Lord as your light and worship him.
The Knowledge of Light
We all know what it’s like to stumble around in the dark. Though we have five senses, most of us rely upon our sight to understand the world around us. Some even say that seeing is believing. But there is more to our existence than what we can perceive with our physical sight. We need to see spiritual truths. We need the knowledge that comes from God’s light.
The Prophet Isaiah used this perspective on light as he spoke about the coming of Christ. We have looked at his prophecy of the virgin born Immanuel in Isaiah 7:14. We have also considered Isaiah 9:6 where he describes the child who will reign as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. In verses 1 and 2 of that chapter, he speaks of light, saying,
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Balaam’s oracle foretold the defeat of the nations, but this prophecy offers them hope. By Isaiah’s time, the northern ten tribes of Israel including Zebulun and Naphtali had long rejected God’s Law. In chapter 8, Isaiah said that they would be conquered by the Assyrians, and the Assyrian practice was to move people out and to resettle the land with people from other nations that they had conquered. So, the Galilee area would become a hodgepodge of people groups. But at some point, a glorious light would shine there.
Matthew 4:13-16 claims that this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus began his ministry there. But you can see where some might have taken it to mean that Immanuel would be born in Galilee. Perhaps that explains why the wise men asked about his birthplace. The Jews in Herod’s court correctly pointed them to Bethlehem as Micah 5:2 says.
Later in his ministry, Isaiah said more about this light that would shine upon the nations. In Isaiah 42:6-7, he recounts God speaking to his servant, saying,
I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
God’s covenant relationship with Abraham and his descendants was supposed to bring blessing to all the families of the earth. But as they fought to survive as a nation, they only saw other nations as enemies. Here the Lord portrays the nations as prisoners locked in darkness. His servant would open their eyes so that they could see the truth and know God.
The Apostle John describes the birth of Christ this way. In John 1:9, he says, “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” Then in verse 14, he adds, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
But even though Christ came to reveal the glory of God, no one perceives it unless God opens their eyes. We are all blinded by Satan and held captive. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, Paul explained,
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
It requires nothing less than the intervention of our Creator to help us see. So, if God has enabled you to recognize his glory in Christ, give thanks, rejoice, and worship him.
The Guidance of Light
For millennia, people have relied upon the stars for navigation. Though they are millions of miles away, their light still reaches us through the darkness of space. They enabled those who were lost to identify their location and set their course. That is what the magi did, though in their case it seems much more specific.
The magi may have been informed by another biblical prophet. Daniel lived around 600 years before Christ’s birth. He was one of the Jews taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. In fact, the only other mention of magi in the Bible is found in Daniel 2.
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, called upon magi to interpret a dream that he had. When they failed to do so, he was going to execute them along with the other wise men in his court. Daniel was one of those men, and when he interpreted the dream, Nebuchadnezzar made him chief of the wise men, which probably included magi. So, under Daniel’s leadership the magi in Babylon may have learned much about Jewish history, poetry, and prophecy.
Daniel himself spoke of stars in one of his prophecies from the perspective of guidance. It may not have prompted the magi of Jesus’ time to make their journey to Bethlehem, but it certainly contributes to this prophetic thread of light shining in darkness. In Daniel 12:2-3, he says,
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
This is one of the few Old Testament verses that demonstrate an understanding of resurrection and judgment. Everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected to experience either everlasting life or everlasting contempt. So, the wise people who guide others toward righteousness, as Daniel did, shine like stars.
Jesus presented a similar idea in his Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:14-16 tells us that he said to his followers,
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
This familiar passage pulls together the other perspectives that we have looked at. If you have the knowledge of God’s light and are trusting in his power, then it should shape how you live. Your life should shine with a goodness that attracts and guides other people to worship and glorify him.
Good works cannot replace the preaching of the gospel, but they are essential to it. In Philippians 2:14-16, Paul instructs Christians,
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Paul reminds us of the basics. At the very least, we should start by getting along with people and not complaining. That alone stands out in our world. We will always need to keep growing in other aspects of holiness and love, but these basics allow us to share the gospel with integrity. Are you shining the light and guiding others to worship?
The Life of Light
Plants demonstrate the connection between light and life. They require it to survive and grow. Without it they become pale and withered. We need light too, not just physically but spiritually. Some of the last words of the Old Testament period reveal this connection. Malachi 4:1-2 says,
For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Though the prophecy switches to leaping calves at the end, the main picture is of plants. Evildoers have no root or branch, so on the day of the Lord they will be burned up like stubble. But those who fear the Lord find healing and joy when the sun of righteousness rises.
Four centuries later, the father of John the Baptist must have had this passage in mind. He understood that his son would be the forerunner of the Messiah. Luke 1:76-79 tells us that he said,
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Zechariah combines Malachi’s picture of the sunrise with the idea of guidance, all leading to the destination of peace.
John also brings out this theme in his Gospel. He uses it in his prologue in chapter 1. He records Jesus speaking about it with Nicodemus in chapter 3. But Jesus’ most definitive statement is found in John 8:12, which tells us,
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Jesus is the source of life-giving light. He rescues us from the darkness of the world and leads us to a new world that Revelation 22:5 describes by saying,
And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
We will experience true healing and a life of perfect peace when we arrive in the unhindered presence of God’s light. But for sinners like us to have the hope of entering that light, Jesus had to experience the darkness of death on the cross. Did the magi grasp any of this? It seems unlikely. Yet their gifts to Jesus may anticipate it. Matthew 2:11 tells us,
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Gold was a fitting gift for a king, and frankincense was burned in worship, but myrrh was used as an anesthetic. It was mixed with wine and offered to Jesus on the cross. It was also used as a spice to cover up the smell of decay when a body was prepared for burial. Perhaps the magi recognized a need that many others missed. Someone would have to die to lead people to the true light of life.
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Do you see God’s light in Christ? It is the only reliable source of strength and confidence in a dark world. It is the truth that opens our eyes to know him. It should shine through us to guide others to him. It is the hope of a life of true healing and peace in the presence of God. We do not know how much the magi understood, but they followed the star and worshiped Jesus. Are you responding similarly?
If you have never done so, I encourage you to start following Christ. Receive the forgiveness that he purchased through his death. Learn from his teaching and let him guide your life. If you would like to learn more about him, John 9 recounts another story that speaks to the theme of light.
If you believe in Jesus, is your life characterized by true worship? How could you grow as a worshiper? What changes could you make? Is the light shining through you? Is there something that is getting in the way? Do you need to be more open about your faith? Do you need to focus more on caring for people who cross paths with you?
May the light of Christ shine through us!
Reflect
Which perspective is most encouraging to you? Why?
How can these truths deepen your personal worship of the Lord?
How should these truths shape our approach to outreach