Reflections on Advent – XI

I can’t seem to get away from the wise men. The image of them falling down and worshipping Jesus stays with me. That is the same language used in Revelation 5:14 when praise and adoration is directed to the Lamb; …and the elders fell down and worshipped. So in Matthew Chapter Two we have the newborn Lamb worshipped and in Revelation Chapter Five we have the Lamb that was slain and who conquered death worshipped.

In Revelation Chapter 12 we see the dragon waiting for the woman clothed with the sun to give birth that the dragon might destroy her male child. Certainly King Herod is the earthly manifestation of the dragon at the birth of Christ; even as Pilate and another Herod are the dragon’s manifestations during Holy Week. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

As Revelation Chapter 12 describes, the birth of Jesus Christ results in heightened warfare between the dragon and the offspring of the woman; between Satan and the followers of Jesus Christ. As Simeon says in Luke Chapter 2 concerning Jesus, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed… The birth of Christ not only means hope; it also means opposition, it means judgment – for the Light of the world has come into darkness and men love darkness better than light.

The wise men fell down just as the elders in the throne room of Revelation Chapter Five fell down because the child they found was, and is, the Judge of the earth, the Creator of all that is, the Redeemer of mankind, God of very God.

Jesus teaches that we must become as children to enter His Kingdom of Light and Life; He became a child to enter our kingdom of death and darkness.

Would you, would you really…worship a child? What child is this?