First Focus

We come this day, mindful that it is a huge, special and divinely sacred day of celebration of the Epiphany.

In his Gospel, Matthew tells us of this Epiphany. He educates us on the wise men who came to Jerusalem, looking for the Christ Child, Jesus. We are not just made aware of facts about Jesus at this Advent time, but we are stirred and convicted deeply by some personal questions. These are questions which will no longer lie dormant, hidden and deeply buried in us. They will not remain side-lined or pushed away in a corner of our minds.

In a day, when darkness is all around us, in its many confining, threatening, and intimidating powers, glorious light has come to us too, as it did to wise men on that first Christmas time. The gloriously beautiful star of God, led those wise men away from their faraway place, to bring them to the place where King Jesus was. They were stirred in heart and mind and started off on a long journey, which would bring them to the One King, Saviour of the world.

Through divine guidance, we are brought to focus on King Herod, on this Epiphany week, while darkness is still alive and well. I say this because this New Year has begun with great despondency, disappointment, dejection, destruction and defeat for many whom we know and perhaps for us also. None can deny that darkness, in its many outfits, still parades itself. Herod, reigning king at that time, represents destructive darkness, demonic evil and deadly rivalry. It is in these therefore, that we are brought to some unearthing questions.

Our first focus is that when King Jesus was born, King of the Jews, as pronounced by the wise men, who witnessed His star in the east, there was another king ruling. Herod was king and present ruler of the western world, as it were, and the Jews were under his rule. Understand this.  Jesus was born, given birth, while Herod ruled and there it was, under his authoritative rule, under his nose, as it were, another King, born to rule His people, has been born and Herod knows absolutely nothing about it. How can such a statement be made? It is a fact because, had the wise men not come into Herod’s jurisdiction, looking for King Jesus, Herod would not have had a clue about the birth of a New King.

Who can match the wisdom and authority of our Sovereign God? This is what we are shown in clear, spiritual light. God’s Living, Active and Powerful Word, Light of the world, will be born, right in the destructive darkness of the enemy, and the darkness cannot deny it.

The sin of darkness rules in our evil hearts. Has not prophet Jeremiah told us truth about the heart? The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17: 9. Yet, in the midst of sin ruling in our deceitful hearts, Sovereign, Almighty Creator God is able to have His Word come into our hearts and plant His living seed. Indeed, from just this experience of Herod having another King, King Jesus, born in his place and not knowing it, holds us to belief that God can and will do the same in us also.

The question here is this. Do we believe that God can begin His perfect work of grace in human hearts, without the person even knowing? The Good News of Great Joy for you today, is that God Incarnate is being born in a dark heart of sin today, without announcement or permission. This grace of birth does not need sin’s permission.

Statement: Just as King Herod, the evil one, was kept ignorant of God’s work in having His One and Only Begotten Son, born in the midst of this ruler’s reign, so too with His Living Word. God’s Living Word, His Word made Flesh, is given Birth in sinful hearts, in hearts where sin in all its ugly manifestations, rules hearts and minds. Sin is the sinner’s master and rules with a strict iron hand. Here is the Good News of Great Joy. Birth will be given in such a heart for God is LORD, Supreme Ruler of all rulers, including sin. 

Give God the supreme, singular praise that is due to Him.