Epiphany

Today, January 6, is observed by many Christian Churches as the festival of Epiphany, in remembering and commemorating of the first manifestation of Jesus Christ, Messiah, to Gentiles. In the church to which a friend goes, Epiphany is a major festival for them, as they celebrate the Baptism of Jesus Christ.

The word, epiphany, itself has many meanings, apart from Christianity’s celebration of Epiphany. In other words, people who are not necessarily Christians, also speak of having epiphanies, where they have been visited by their gods.

I deliberately and specially want to draw our minds to these two meanings of epiphany.

1.    To have an epiphany, is to have a sudden understanding or manifestation in some visible, simple way, of the real and true meaning of something or someone.

2.    To have an epiphany, is to have, in some simple way, an enlightening and illuminating realization or revelation of something.     

I have chosen to use these meanings, as they bring the understanding of epiphany nearer home to us. They let us see that such manifestations by God are not for certain people and not for others. They give us confidence that epiphanies are not necessarily for special seasons, but they are still a way by which God reveals Himself to ordinary people like you and like me. They take from us any erroneous thinking about epiphany only coming in big, spectacular ways. If we would by faith accept these truths, then today and the rest of this week will truly be a special time of epiphany for us. 

As indicated earlier, we are once more travelling the road of the Magi, also known as Wise Men from the East. Let’s recall that these people are special to us, because they are Gentiles and through them, God has demonstrated to all of us who are Gentiles, in any form or fashion that we are not outside His revelations.

Taking the meaning of epiphany in simple understanding, then the shepherds did in fact receive epiphany. Indeed, they did, as God revealed Himself to them, in Christ Jesus, the Baby King, whom they left their flocks to go see and worship. Many things about God were revealed to them. When no one else in Bethlehem knew about the Birth of Messiah, they knew. When no other people were journeying to David’s Town, on that birth-night, to visit the Saviour, Christ the Lord, shepherds were on that road with one mission. When no other person knew the sign of Messiah, a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, these shepherds knew it. God had revealed Himself to them through His heavenly messengers. What is there for us here?

The first thing for us to receive is this simple, but life-producing fact. God has revealed to people who are fully ignorant of His present doing, His present works, what He has just done. He has just given birth to His Son, Messiah, through a human. They who knew nothing about this Divine, yet human birth, now know, because of God’s revelation. Is this not also true for the Magi? We can say with surety that God has revealed to people who are fully learned and versed in the stars, of His present doing, His present works. God, through a star, has informed them of the Birth of the King of the Jews. They, who have been studying the stars, are now knowledgeable about King Jesus’ birth through God’s revelation. Does this not say to us that whether we are learned or unlearned, ignorant or knowledgeable, wise or unwise, it is God who gives humans revelations about Himself? Epiphanies come from God about Himself and His works.

Another thing we also receive, which gives further encouragement and hope for us, regarding receiving God’s manifestations, is this. It matters not how far one may be. We are told that Magi came from the East, all the way to Jerusalem. In other words we are seeing that whether near Bethlehem as the shepherds were, or far away in the East as the Magi were, Epiphany was just as powerful and revealing. It is being written in our hearts and on our minds that though there may be distances, vast distances at that, God works them to His divine advantage. When we think of the distance of East from West, we can’t help but hear these familiar words of the Psalmist. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103: 12. Here, distance of east and west is used to indicate the separable, never to meet again removal of our sins.  Now, we are seeing that even such a vast distance does not curtail God’s granting manifestations to those far off.

On this day of Epiphany, should we not be standing, fully assured that no matter how far we may be, our Lord will come to us to reveal Himself as He desires?