After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)

I am currently in the process of preparing a message I’ve been asked to deliver among my local gathering of Jesus’ followers on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter when we remember Jesus’ arrest, trials, suffering, and crucifixion. As I’m preparing the message, I’ve been reminded about all of the connections between the unholy trinity of worldly kingdoms who put Jesus through a kangaroo court of six different trials. By the way, I’m quite certain that Matthew the Quirk would certainly have noted that six is “man’s number” (Rev 13:18).

Along my spiritual journey, I’ve come to learn that everything is connected. Christian mystics have pushed into this concept for centuries and I have come to embrace it the more I seek the things of God on this chapter-a-day journey and find it to be true. God wove it into the fabric of the universe. Even science has stumbled onto it and call it Quantum Entanglement. Though I prefer Einstein’s description. He theorized it and called it, “Spooky Action at a Distance.”

In today’s chapter, there are all sorts of connections for those who have eyes to see them.

In the opening verses, Matthew records that “Magi from the East” came to Jerusalem because they’d seen a star signifying that the “King of the Jews” was born. Haven’t you ever wondered what was up with these wise guys? Keep in mind that at the end of the previous chapter, Matthew the Quirk calls out three (there’s that number again) key events in the history of the Hebrews: Abraham the father of their faith, David their Great King and the line through whom the Messiah was prophesied to come, and the exile of the Hebrews in Babylon roughly 400-500 years before the events in today’s chapter.

The Babylonians, the ancient Persians, and the peoples of Mesopotamia were known throughout the world at that time for their mastery of mathematics, science, and astronomy. When God sent His people into exile in this land of their enemies, He didn’t tell them to fight those enemies, He told them to bless them. God told the prophet Jeremiah write to the exiles in Babylon, urge them to settle in, make lives for themselves, and “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Prophets like Daniel were there in Babylon and Persia, rubbing shoulders with the wisest, most learned, and most powerful people there. It stands to reason that he would have shared with them the Great Story of God, Abraham, Moses, and David. Perhaps it was even through Daniel that he spoke a prophesy (lost to history) of a star that would signify the Messiah’s birth.

Matthew the Quirk would have been absolutely enamored with the math and science knowledge of those in Persia. Why do you think he made sure to relate this particular episode of the Jesus Story?

The next connection is Herod. The Magi ask “Where is the one born King of the Jews?” Talk about asking the wrong person that question. Herod is the one with the title “King of the Jews” (even though he wasn’t a Hebrew). He was appointed by Rome. He clung to his power as “King of the Jews” and killed multiple family members including a wife and three sons to ruthlessly hold on to power. In addition, Herod has lucrative business dealings with the Jewish leaders. He’s rebuilding their Temple and making it into a palatial complex, a development deal that will make them all a fortune. The Magi’s visit signals a threat to his position, his power, and his fortune.

Having delivered their three gifts (there’s that number again – and by the way Matthew said there were three gifts not three Magi – we don’t know how many there were), God, looking out for the non-Hebrew Magi, sends an angel to warn them not to return to Herod but flee back home.

God then sends an angel to Joseph and sends him, Mary, and Jesus in to their own exile in Egypt of all places. When Herod the Great dies, they return. Matthew is quick to make the connection between Jesus being sent to Egypt and then called out of Egypt. It’s a direct connection to the entire Hebrew story we’ve just been talking about in Leviticus. God sent his people to Egypt to deliver them from famine, then delivered them out of Egypt through Moses and lead them back. Matthew sees the connection. Jesus’ life was a literal fulfillment of the entire Hebrew story. Matthew makes direct connection to this episode of Jesus’ infancy and three (there’s that number again) prophetic words from the ancient prophets.

Everything is connected.

In the quiet this morning, I’m reminded that these connections aren’t just trivial literary observations. There are spiritual truths present here that are true for me. God was at work in and through the non-Hebrew, Persian astronomers (not just in this moment, but had been at work in-and-through them five hundred years earlier during the exile). Every person I come into contact with, believer or not, is a person God loves and died for. His Spirit is at work in that person, drawing them to Himself whether they are listening or not. How might God want to use them in my life and in my story? Perhaps there is Spooky Spiritual Action at a Distance at work. Am I open to the reality that God might use the most unlikely of people to speak to me, teach me, or lead me in some way?

Not only that, but the theme of the Kingdoms of this world (Herod and the religious leaders in the Temple) in conflict with what the Kingdom of God is doing is directly connected to my every day spiritual reality. Paul described it to the believers in Ephesus:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

I can’t be engaged in the spiritual struggle if I don’t recognize it within and around me.

Finally, the events today surrounding Jesus’ birth are connected to His death. These “authorities” and “powers of this world” (e.g. the Herods, the Temple religious establishment, and Rome ) are one-and-the-same as the unholy trinity who will send baby Jesus to the cross in about 33 years later on Good Friday. They are direct ancestors of the kingdoms and empires of this world (government, commerce, and religion) that continue to hold sway today under the dominion of the Prince of this World, even as I daily attempt to bring the Love and Light of the Kingdom of God to earth through my words and actions in my circles of influence.

It’s all connected to me, and to you, in ways we can’t even fathom. Thanks for connecting and joining me on the journey today. Have a great weekend, my friend.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.