Hello everyone,
The marking of the birth of our Christ was done a couple of days ago. In a few more days, many will be celebrating the end of the old year and the coming of the new, and the holiday season will end. For those of us who are of Spanish heritage, however, the sacred celebrations are not over yet. In Spain, Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean, we continue to meditate on, and rejoice in, the birth of the Savior who delivers us from sin and reconciles us to God for all eternity. We are now waiting for January 6, when we celebrate the event recorded in the biblical passage below:
Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 `But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
January 6 is the day when we will be celebrating the day when the wise men from the East, guided by the star of God, found the child Jesus and worshipped Him. January 6 is known as the day of Epiffany, or manifestation. Personally, I find this name for the day quite appropriate, since the biblical account indicates how the wise men, who were members of the nobility of the country they came from, were given God’s revelation of the birth of the Savior and were guided to Him.
Unfortunately, January 6 is more commonly, but inaccurately, known as Three Kings Day. As you can read from the account above, the Scriptures do not tell us how many men went to Jerusalem seeking the Lord Jesus, and the Scriptures certainly do not describe these people as kings, but as wise men. It is always important for the believer to read the Scriptures carefully and to discern its full meaning. The great importance of the arrival of these wise men from the East in Jerusalem seeking the Christ child is that it is through these nobles that the announcement of the birth of the Savior is given to the nations or Gentiles, just as it was through the lowly shepherds that the announcement of the birth of the Christ was given to Israel.
To anyone of Spanish heritage to whom it was given the tradition of celebrating the day of Epiffany, I extend my best wishes that the celebration is a joyful and meaningful one. If this is the first time you read about this observance, I invite you to make it your own. Make the above biblical passage your own to commemorate this great event. Meditate on how the wise men from the East were given the sign and guidance of the star, that, in obedience to God they diligently followed that star to seek Jesus the child, that when they found Him their joy was unbounded and they worshipped so reverently. Meditate on how all this was done so that people from all accross the world, regardless of nationality or culture, would be given grace and forgiveness by the Father through that Christ whom the wise men worshipped long ago.
May you all have a wonderful day of Epiffany.
Celebrating Christ for the Gentiles,
Zoraida
Thanks for this information.
I never herd this before.
Hi, thank you. God has bless and given you a wonderdful gift. You are a blessing.
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