In the beginning, God created the heavens, the earth, and a garden somewhere in the East. Genesis 2 tells us the garden of Eden, the original heaven on earth, was established in the East.
Now in the book of Matthew, we have mysterious, wise men hailing from the
East. They worship a single God, believe in a coming Messiah, and look forward to a reordering of this world where good triumphs over evil. Unlike the priests and leaders hanging out in Jerusalem, these men are not beholden to the power and brutality of worldly leaders. These men move through this world confidently, seeking truth, following a star across the night sky like Israel once followed a pillar of fire through the wilderness. Their faith is strong, and their expectations are high.
They are looking for the king of the Jews. They want to worship the king of the Jews. They are gentiles, outsiders, but they see Messiah just on the horizon, and they are moving through wilderness to honor and adore him.
These wise men from a long-lost Eden, Kneel before a baby, a child, the most powerless and innocent creatures. Oh, how Herod must have sneered when these travelers walked back out of his palace onto the dusty Road taking their treasures with them.
These gifts were meant for messiah.
These gifts were meant for the one who could rule with justice and equity — for one who leads goodness in triumph over evil.
These gifts were meant for one in tune with God, a holy arbitrator who reconciles his people.
These gifts were meant for the one who brings healing and life, not brutality and slaughter.
These gifts, well, these gifts were meant to adorn a body for burial, the body of the king of the Jews willingly sacrificed, utterly humiliated, and buried in a tomb.
And where are you in this story? And where am I in this story? Do we sit in the halls of power, conspiring to ensure our own security, and our own position at the top of the political order by trampling anyone weaker? Maybe, sometimes, in ways that we’d rather not admit.
But on our best days, in those moments, we are captivated by a light shining in the darkness – We can be like the magi.
We are called to be like the magi. We are called to be Eden People. We are called to be Heralds of the Kingdom of God. The spirit moves us to speak truth, seek goodness, and champion justice without fear or regard for those in power. We are to bring our best gifts and our best selves to the feet of Jesus.
And we are not distracted by the magnetism or ruthlessness of false kings.
And there are a lot of false kings.
I encourage you to think about these wise men, about the kind of people they are. The sort of religious movement they represent. The place from where they traveled and the star which showed them the way. Think about the people they upset and the gifts that they brought, and, most importantly, the child whom they adored. The Messiah, the King of the Jews, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our savior.
Kena Hawkins Newkirk 