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 is born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. —Matthew 2:1-2
Shimon Ben-Aaron is my name. I am not a prophet—there have been no prophets in Israel since the days of Zechariah—but I have studied the sacred writings for many years. When I came to understand many of their secrets, I began to speak in the forecourt of the Temple sharing my message with all who would stop to listen.
With good reason my words offended the great King Herod. Three times his guards arrested and beat me. After that third time they roughly threw me beyond the city gates where I lay for hours in the dust by the roadside.
Many passed by, carefully turning their faces away from me. A caravan of strangers in our land, however, stopped to give me aid. The leaders of the caravan were three learned students of the stars, who had come from beyond the eastern desert. Their investigations had revealed to them that a new King of the Jews, the Messiah, was about to be born. Wishing to honor the young child, they had come to Herod’s palace to learn where they might find him. The old king had made a great show of finding the correct location, assuring them that he would also honor the new king. “The Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem, of King David’s line,” I said. “That is what we were told,” they answered, “But where in Bethlehem will the baby be? Is there a palace there?” “Herod has a mansion on the hill overlooking the town, but you will not find descendants of David there,” I said, “the Romans are taking a census right now and by their law members of David’s line are crowding into Bethlehem to be counted.”
Since I wished to pay homage to the baby Messiah also, the three scholars agreed to let me come with them to Bethlehem. We traveled through the night. The great star which had alerted them to the royal birth brightened the whole sky and lighted our way to the little town ahead. We went first to the inn in the town square. When he learned our purpose in coming, the inn keeper told us of a child recently born and honored by town shepherds. In the stables behind the inn we found the baby. The three wise men honored the young Messiah with rich gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then they warned the child’s parents of the threat they felt Herod posed for their son, but Joseph, the boy’s earthly father, had already learned of this danger. We watched the family depart from Judea on their way to safety in Egypt.
When I saw the new king there in the manger, I had no gift to give except my love. In the years since that time, I have spread his story to everyone I meet everywhere I go. Perhaps that is my gift.
Once again, we await your coming. Help us to love you and our neighbors more fully. Come quickly, Lord. Amen.
Guy Johnson
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