Advent Day 18

“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2:12 ESV)

God gives us subtle warnings, and the Spirit moves us, and if we are sensitive to the movements, we can follow them. At the time of Jesus's birth, God was anything but subtle, sending angels in form and dreams.

The Magi had traveled far, most likely staying at least one night. I can imagine the stories they told Mary and Joseph about their travels. Mary and Joseph, no doubt, shared some of their journey cautiously, hiding what might endanger the Son of God. At one of them, an angel warned them not to return to Herod. Maybe it was Joseph who had the dream? Scripture does not tell us, but nonetheless, they did not go back to Herod as warned.

Usually, we would say that the Magi are shrouded in mystery, but when we take this small portion of Matthew and slow it down to a crawl, we can determine much about the ancient scholars. From observing the star to secret meetings with Herod to being dispatched by Herod to Bethlehem, there is much to learn about these men. One thing that should be obvious to us all is that the Lord guided these men from the East. God chose them, protected them, and educated them. This divine guidance is a comforting reminder that He does the same for us! Much like us, God’s providence worked in the ordinary life of these men with an inner compulsion each of us feels when God calls us.

Sinclair wrote that there was something unique about the Magi’s experience. But we can also trace a pattern. An awakening occurs, a drawing, a discovery, and worshiping. For some, it is the sound of a church bell, a church they have never attended. Every day, that bell tolls, and often, the realization of the calling of the bell results in conscious resistance to the bell. Every day, the bell tolls, and the resistance softens until one day, they are sitting in the church as the bell tolls. For me, I had found the Lord, but every day, out of nowhere, a Christian college advertisement appeared on my computer as I worked. I ignored it, but it kept coming. One day, I went to the college website. Finally, in my mid-50s, I was in an online class when the bell tolled for me. That was what Sinclair calls the “Magi pattern.”

Something stirs us spiritually; often, we ignore it, but the Spirit presses on until we acknowledge it. Then, the calling can no longer be ignored. Have you experienced this as a believer or the figurative church bell for the unbeliever? This all leads to our reading of the Bible and experiencing Christ. Without scripture or testimony, we will never find the narrow gate that leads to the Lord. I loved how Sinclair said, “Different people, different cultures, different centuries, different personal narratives – and yet the same pattern of being brought to faith.” This universality of the spiritual journey is a powerful reminder that we are all part of a larger spiritual community.

No wonder we all love the story of the Magi. God had His hand on them just as He did on us. Because of this, we can also look to the hope in this pattern that lies ahead for the unbelievers who are strangers or those we know and love. This hope for unbelievers is a source of optimism and encouragement in our spiritual journey.

There is one more lesson here, and it comes with the final chapter of the story of the Magi. 

Grace and Peace!

Sinclair Ferguson, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace”, The Goodbook Company, 2021.